See the Keys to the Supernal Tarot book for all fluff.
Doctrine
Parentage: Thyrsus
Prerequisites: Forces 2, Empathy 2, and 2 dots between Expression, Occult, and Socialize
Initiation: Attune your soul to the service of Awakening, through either educating sleepers (safely, without breaching Lex Magica) about spirituality and seeking the unseen, or hunting down entities which seek to stifle a constructive understanding of the magical world.
Then, with the assistance of your Tutor craft your soul in a semi-religious ritual. Usually with Sleepwalkers and Sleepers present, and thus taking the guise of another ritual such as a baptism.
Magic:
Ruling: Forces
Yantras: Succeeding at an Empathy roll relevant to the spell (+2), presence of a suitable intensity of light (+1), the spell seeks to assist another with their understanding or comprehension of the mystic world (+2), put yourself at a disadvantage to assist another (+1, +2 if this imposes a Negative condition).
Oblations: Guided meditation, teaching, tutoring, philosophical discourse, experimenting with magic and Paradox, volunteering time for a helpful charity.
Attainments:
First Attainment Into the Dark Wood
Pre-Requisite: Forces 1
The Illumed Path begins with a desire to bring light to those who persist in darkness, as their ‘founder’ pointed out. Through use of this Attainment, the Mage gains the ability to penetrate the darkness of the world, and even extend this blessing to others, should their souls be receptive to this majestic light. As an Instant Action, the Mage can grant an individual the ability to see without impediment even in the darkest of nights. this removes all penalties that would otherwise be imposed by low light or pitch blackness.
However should the subject be exposed to bright light during this time, they may be temporarily blinded, suffering penalties akin to those they would suffer from low or no light, from corresponding levels of greater light, inflicting the Blind condition until the Attainment is ended. This Attainment only functions on those whose souls are receptive to such light, this includes all Mages, all Sleepwalkers, and Sleepers with an Integrity of 5 or greater, and lasts for a single scene, however if the affected individuals are present when the scene changes, the Mage can maintain this Attainment upon them.
Nightvision, limited to Light, for +1 Reach. You don’t get to see radiation and waves of kinetic force. I guess that might not be fully balanced
Optional Arcanum: Spirit 1 and/or Death 1, and/or Mind 1
The illumination granted by the Guide need not stop at the limits of the ‘real’, if they sufficiently understand
the nature of the strange realities which brush up against our own, such a Mage is capable of illuminating
these realms to those who travel with him as well. For the duration, an affected individual can see into
Spirit/Death/Mental twilight respectively, depending on which optional Arcana are selected.
Haven’t done an Optional Arcanum which incorporates 1, 2 or even 3 Arcana before. But I think it’s a weird case to leave this attainment purely to Spirit, given that these guys are about enlightenment, including ALL supernatural stuff.
Second Attainment: The Majesty of Illumination
Pre-Requisite: Forces 2
Those who have joined the Illumined Path have learned of the great light which dwells within each Mage,
calling upon this power, initiated members can draw upon it in order to exert control over the light which
immediately surrounds and suffuses them. As an Instant Action, the Mage can take control of the light in
their immediate presence, controlling the way in which it is travels, amplifying or dispersing it by doubling or
halving it’s candescence a number of times equal to their dots in Forces, or even alter it’s wavelength. If
used offensively, this might inflict the Poor Light tilt, or even the Blinded tilt if capable of shining enough
nearby light into the eyes of the unprotected. This effect lasts for a single round, and can affect all the light
within the Mage’s immediate presence, which is initially all that contained within a ‘small room’, rising to a
large room at Forces 4.
Control Light, Reach into Instant Casting, and an extra reach for swapping primary factor, because really this is an attainment about flaring light, not about extended loops. Shift around light in the area of effect, which is centered on you. Also removed the stupid +1 Reach option for Blindness, if you can throw enough light at someone, then that’s blindness, not just ‘poor light’, especially when you’re sedectupling (16 times) the light level at Forces 4.
Optional Arcanum: Spirit 2
The Light of Illumination forces those who view it to display their inner selves. Those who are directly
touched by the radiance of The Majesty of Illumination reveal their true enlightenment and soul for all to
see. Any affected individual must in the next round take an instant action in keeping with their level of
enlightenment, and perspective towards the enlightenment of others.
Those who are higher Integrity, or devoted to the enlightenment of others are compelled into positive action, and those who are lower Integrity or selfish and who desire only their own power or betterment at the cost of others, are compelled to flee or cower before the Majesty. This will only affect an individual if their Resolve is less than the Mage’s dots in Spirit however. If the individual is enlightened, then they gain the Inspired condition for their next action, if they act in concert with the majestic benevolence of this Attainment.
As an additional note, there have been a number of recorded instances of this power spontaneously generating Sleepwalkers from the Sleeper population when performed at an appropriate moment of spiritual revelation. However this has convinced many members of the Legacy to be remarkably liberal with the application of this power, in hopes of ‘getting lucky’. The open practice of which has led to the Guardians of the Veil absolutely barring membership of this legacy within their Order.
Compel Spirit, Reach into Instant Casting and Area Effect, Potency is Spirit dots, compels instant actions in keeping with inner worth. Worth noting that a High Wisdom Mage who doesn’t give a damn about others will be cowed by this power, while a Low Wisdom Mage who has done everything in his power to aid other’s enlightenment, will be inspired.
Third Attainment: Safeguard the Path
Pre-Requisite: Forces 3
Part of the reason why Sleepers tend to ignore the supernatural, Guides feel, is that the supernatural is so
often dangerous to them, both physically and mentally. Most of humanity therefore chooses not to see the
Magic right before them as a defense mechanism, however this very fact keeps mankind from advancing to a
more enlightened state. The Illumed Path thus works to safeguard it’s charges while guarding them. Thus,
this Attainment grants the Guide the ability to generate a haze of protecting light around a person or a group
of people, shielding and repelling all attacks which would otherwise penetrate it.
By spending a point of Mana, and making an Aimed Attack roll, or touching a subject, the Guide may safeguard an individual or small group from all manner of assault by blinding and repelling those who would assail them. If any subject would seek to negatively affect any individual within the haze of light, their Resolve must exceed the Guide’s dots in Forces, otherwise they will be repelled and unable to either approach, or take up arms against them. Furthermore, should any mundane physical harm seek to be bestowed upon them, then all Bashing and an amount of Lethal damage equal to the Mage’s dots in Forces is removed from it. This blessing will last until the end of the scene, and can protect any individuals within the immediate presence (about the size of a room) of the origin point.
Kind of a really weird Shielding spell which draws upon the symbology of repelling light, and also adds in repelling force. So people can’t try and harm them unless their Resolve is high enough, and even if they do damage is probably reduced by Potency. Since it’s Shielding, it gets two free Reach at 3 dots. So one for Instant Casting, and one for Advanced (scene) duration.
Optional Arcanum: Spirit 3
Not only does this Attainment safeguard those affected from physical harm it also shield them from the
mental harm of the mundane horrors they might experience. Until the end of the scene, Sleepers and
Sleepwalkers will not suffer Breaking Points from witnessing mystical or horrific sights. This however will not
protect Sleepers from the insidious poison of Quiescence, repelling that hold that the Abyss holds over their
souls is the next step of becoming a Sleepwalker.
Kind of another weird Shielding effect that I feel does make some sense in Spirit, which really got a bit of a shitty alteration in 2e in that it can’t do that much to stuff that isn’t ‘really’ a Spirit. So I think protecting people from Integrity breaking points from witnessing spooky shit is a good 3rd attainment optional power, if you’re trying to protect them from harm. I decided not to give them the ‘Spirit/Ghost’ sight from the 1e version, because that’s a bit too spooky, and you WANT your Sleepers not to go crazy.
Fourth Attainment: Light of Wisdom
Pre-Requisite: Forces 4, Prime 1
A mage who sees a strange, supernatural occurrence, can bring his spells, his Mage Sight, and his experience
home to verify what has been witnessed. Those who have not yet progressed to such levels of
enlightenment are not so fortunate, the Abyss hampering their ability to comprehend the sublime glory of
the supernatural. Through this Attainment however, the Mage shares his discerning view with others,
changing the properties of light nearby to illuminate only the Truth. As an Instant Action, the Mage may affect any source of light which he has available, mystically altering it’s properties to reveal the glory of
Supernal truth to all those with eyes to see.
What this mean in practical effects is that any concealment of something’s true nature is revealed, any lie falls dark from it’s speaker’s tongue, and the reflections of the possessed show the insidious nature of the entity who has stolen their form, to name but a few, obvious effects.
Words of Truth, supernal fonts of power, and the glory of enlightenment shine brilliant, reflecting their inherent worth. Whenever someone witnessing this Truth takes an action in regards to something which has had it’s true nature revealed, they gain then Informed condition with regards to it. Once activated, this power will persist for a period of time equal to the Mage’s dots in Forces on the advanced duration table. Occasionally Guides will prepare flashlights or torches for those they are educating, to allow them to seek the truth themselves. Yet another decision that keeps many Guardians of the Veil up at night.
Weaving Light, to modify it’s properties into revealing the truth, with a little help from Prime 1. It only works on one source of light as a time
Optional Arcanum: Spirit 1 and/or Death 1, and/or Mind 1
The Light of Wisdom may illuminate the truth, but the truth incorporates more than mortal eyes could ever
truly see. If the Guide is versed in the subtle Arcana of many of the other Paths, he is capable of imbuing
light with the power to illuminate that which dwells alongside our world, and such sources illuminate all
entities and phenomena which dwell within different frequencies of Twilight, regarding which optional
Arcana he has.
See the first Attainment. It’s a bit lackluster for the optional attainment of a fourth attainment. But eeeeeh, I tried to keep it as accurate an update as possible, and this is a LOT more helpful for helping Sleepwalkers if you can’t be present, or Sleepers in the first place.
Fifth Attainment: Pass the Torch
Pre-Requisite: Forces 5, Spirit 5, Prime 5 and a VERY lenient GM
There are many levels of enlightenment, and the Illumined Path teaches that they are all progressed through
on the path to true enlightenment. A sufficiently powerful Mage, who has advanced his knowledge to near
unparalleled heights, and who is well versed in the Legacy, can learn how to TRANSFER some of his
Enlightenment to others.
In a scene-long ritual, the Guide may commune with a Sleepwalker whose soul is receptive to enlightenment and Awakening, but who has not yet been chosen by the Watchtowers. In an act of supreme selflessness, the Guide may sacrifice a dot of his own Gnosis in order to impeach the Watchtower of the Primal Wild to awaken the aspirant before him. If the Mage is Gnosis 8 when this power is used, he immediately loses the ability to use this Attainment until he increases his Gnosis to 8 once more, which means that the few times this Attainment has been used, it has been done by a Gnosis 9+ Mage. This process may not be successful, however the potency of the sacrifice, and power and nature of both the Guide who is performing the rite, and the vanishingly great virtue and righteousness of any individual they would consider using this rite for, means that there have been no recorded instances of this Attainment failing to work.
This Attainment is a closely guarded secret amongst the Illumined Path, and those who are granted it’s blessing are blessed beyond all compare. Each and every individual who has been granted it has invariably developed a potent Destiny and gone on to perform great, and noble feats.
Look, Gnosis 8+ Mage wants to sacrifice a DOT of Gnosis to Awaken someone, in a Legacy about promoting spiritualism and encouraging enlightenment and Awakening? I’m sure a shit going to allow it.