The Path of Amairgin

This Path first originated in Areg’On, and spread with the sailors of that nation to the Wold, and then eventually, to Rath Sliabh Dorca, which is now where the heart of the tradition resides. The greatest sorcerer of this Path was Taleis, thought to be the first person to ever practice magic in Kith Kanaan.

To become a bard of the Path requires apprenticeship under someone of at least druid rank. The apprentice begins a strict regimen of memorization and critical thinking, and must be able to learn and recite the legends of her people, handed down over generations. The apprentice is trained in the laws and traditions of her homeland, and forced to debate the merits and flaws of past judgements. Over the course of her training, her mentor constantly watches, looking for her to make leaps of intuition regarding the traditions of her people and the laws they followed. Once she has impressed her mentor, she is promoted to the rank of bard.

Once the apprentice becomes a proper bard, she is taught the importance of Names. She is shown how everything within Creation has a proper and true Name, and how they are connected to the thread of legend that the bard studied during her apprenticeship. Once the bard has learned the Name of a target, she finds she has some degree of control over the target’s legend, and thus can alter the target’s place within the greater scope of things. Once the mentor is certain of his apprentice, he sends her away, allowing her to wander the land. The bard is expected to learn the stories and legends of other tribes and cultures, expanding her knowledge and her repertoire of Names. The bard acts as a judge, listening to the troubles of those she comes across, offering advice and solutions as she sees fit, and also acts as the eyes and ears of the druidic community, bringing knowledge back to her mentor.

Once the bard is satisfied with her journey, she returns to her teacher who puts her through a series of tests. She recites all that she has learned, the deeds she has performed, and the Names she has found. No written record is allowed, the bard must recite everything from memory. If her mentor is satisfied, she is promoted to the rank of druid. At this rank, she is shown the deeper mysteries of the path – how everything she has learned is a part of the natural world. She is shown the secret of the druidic groves – places of power where the druid can study the spirit world and see the very embodiment of the legends she has only heard of. From within these groves, the druid can gather power, and call upon the embodiment of the legends she knows.

The primary focus of the Path is one of divination, but can easily be expanded towards the schools of restoration and phantasm. The schools of evocation and transmutation are difficult for most on this path. Some few dabble in conjuration magic. Those of unicorn lineage often find this path coming to them more naturally.

Titles

• Apprentice

While under the initial training of a mentor, the title of apprentice is usually accepted.

• Bard

Once the apprentice has been accepted by the mentor, she gains the title of Bard, and begins a more rigorous study.

• Druid

Once the bard has finished her journeys, she gains the title of Druid, and is welcomed into the community.

• Heirophant

A druid who has settled in to become a voice of the community, providing wisdom and experience to others, gains the title of Heirophant. Most communities have only one heirophant.

• Filidh

A druid who is respected by her peers, and who provides advice and wisdom to her fellow druids as a pillar of the order, gains the title of Filidh. Each of the three nations who teach this path have a single filidh.

Important Elements

• A member of this path uses stories and songs to focus her magic. Recitation of poetry, the telling of stories, and the use of mimetic devices all help with the casting of spells. The use of instruments can also provide some focus, but with the importance of naming it is best to use words. Names are important to casting – the more detailed the caster is able to gain about the target of the spell, the easier it is to cast and the more powerful the result. Vague identifications provide vague results, but if the caster knows the target’s home, a nickname or title, or the target’s Birth Name, then she can perform long lasting, powerful effects. An experienced master of the path may even pluck the Name of the target from the air – as long as she can see the target and the target’s Name has been spoken aloud within Creation. This may take the caster a bit of time and concentration.

• A member who has impressed her mentor may be given the knowledge of how to track and follow flows of essence. These essence flows usually gather at weak points between worlds, creating virtual pools of essence that the sorcerer can draw from. These pools allow the follower of this path to know where weak points are, and can be useful for if the caster wishes to walk from one realm to another, or to view another realm or speak with someone there. It may also allow the character to draw strength from it – allowing the sorcerer to rest without the need for food or sleep, and may even speed up healing or provide longevity. An experienced member of this Path may even attune to the location, and be able to step through the weak point to any other similar location she has attuned herself to, providing her a quick means of moving from one location to another.

• Magic created using this Path usually involves the use of nature. The most common elements used by members of this path are water and wind, as well as plants and earth. Because of the use of song and poetry, some sorcerers learn how to manipulate sound, from the faintest whisper to the loudest thunderclap. The use of poetry and legend allow some members of the path to craft illusions, while others use their influence of Names to alter their own fortunes, or the fortunes of others, creating good luck and bad.