PATHS
"Look closely, and see the shapes of the divine long lost."
"Look closely, and see the shapes of the divine long lost."
Paths embody the core principles of the world. The unceasing march of time, the vast deepness of the oceans, the blazing heat of the stars -- all of these are manifestations of the Paths.
Before the Nameless War, the ability to use Vita was a divine gift from the Nomads, kept in check by the structure of the Paths. Each Path was once carefully tended by its respective God, shaping the mortals who traveled them into agents of their divine schemes.
As of 1923, the Nomads are nowhere to be found - yet the Paths remain. Some speculate that without divine interference, the Vitalists of the modern era are capable of advancing to greater heights through the Paths - though without further testing, the full extent of their potential remains unknown.
According to M. Rivière's On the Origin of Paths, the Paths as we know them are divided into three clusters: the elemental, the corporeal, and the ethereal.
ELEMENTAL
The usage of the natural essences that surround the world of Tellus.
The Goddess of Flames, Agni holds her dominion over the flames of the world. She controls the Ever Cleansing Flame that of which purges the sickness, ill and weakness of the world so new growth may come from it's merciless fire. Those who walk the Path of Fire know that vigilance is but the stoic flame that guides all souls.
Agni enables the Vitalist to control, produce, alter elements of fire.
The Dragon God of Water, Shui was heavily wounded after the Nameless War due to his oceans being devoured by the chaos of war. Though healing from his scars, his benevolent nature was replaced by a savage one. Uncaring to what his tides may sweep from shoreline. All rivers lead to the ocean heart and those who walk the Path of Shui know the tranquillity of the rivers, but the fury of the ocean.
Shui enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of water.
The God of Earth, Batu is a colossal individual that is said to be the very lands of Tellus itself. As the one who laid down the concrete of the world, Batu lies dormant in a eternal sleep. In his sleep, mountains and ores uprooted from his body. He shaped the foundation of the world, so he may sleep upon it as one would do after a hard day of work. Those who walk the Path of Batu find their souls as sturdy as he is.
Batu enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of earth.
The Goddess of Nature, Folia is a lover of Batu who takes care of the sleeping giant in his eternal slumber. Growing various life and plants from his body, as they are the soft blankets that guide her lover to bliss sleep. However with the Nameless that wrecked havoc on this blanket, Folia has grown paranoid in what Humanoid Kind shall do to her gifts. Though she hasn't reached the state of anger as Shui has, Folia still regards intelligent life with the capability to do better. Those who walk the Path of Folia takes good care of the blanket of flora that abides the resting giant.
Folia enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of flora.
The Dragon Goddess of Weather, Vetra is the that cycles through the world of Tellus. The rain that nourishes the crops, the storm that strikes the fields, the wind that finds the way forward. Vetra follows the cycle, the coming of tomorrow and the truth of today. She ensures the prospering of Folia. Those who follow the Path of Vetra find the calmness that beseeches the storm.
Vetra enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of the weather.
The God of Light, Surya shines from the clouds above and drives the darkness back. The eternal rival of Yama, as both fight over the control of the world Batu built. It is said that the day is actually just the passing by of his arrows that aims far beyond the realms to pierce the blackness that of which has not been touched by him. Those who follow Surya know that the fear of darkness can only be soothed by the brilliance of light.
Surya enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of light.
The Goddess of Darkness, Yama is the rival of Surya. She destroys the work of Surya as a means to temper Surya's ego for Surya claims all those who see his light must see him. Yama makes sure to equalize the light so no creature may be blinded by it's brilliance, for her existence ensures that the brilliant of light is only reinforced by the fear of the night. Those who follow the Path of Yama understands that darkness thrives in the void, but always yield to purify light.
Yama enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of darkness.
CORPOREAL
The usage of the nuance intricacies of the physical essence.
The God of Flesh, Soma manifested himself from the wringing of itself from the first Lifeblood of the world, Soma acts as the material guideline for all creatures of life as the brother of Sera. Those who bear the material body of muscle, skin and flesh must answer to Soma's limitations. The installing of mortal weakness from not of cruelty but of necessity to counteract the madness Sera wished to install. Those who follow the Path of Soma understands the fragility of skin in which drives them to better themselves all for it.
Soma enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of flesh.
The Goddess of Blood, Sera materialized the Lifeblood of the world. The coming of first life came from this blood, powered by the first energy source of the world. All blood comes from Sera herself which in itself carries divine power, revealing the power that blood has. Maddened by her own power, she broke the rules of the divine by directly giving all mortal beings his blood. Installing divine power in each and every creature of Tellus. Those who follow the Path of Sera know the power of one's blood and the secrets it contains.
Sera enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of blood.
The Goddess of Bone, Oste was the partner to Soma in assisting with the first mortal constructs. Though her inexperience did not enable the creation of true mortals, Soma still used her skeletons to construct the mortals that would come out from the Lifeblood. For that, Oste is forever grateful to Soma and the two are often depicted side by side. Those who follow the Path of Oste recognize mistakes are often the byproduct of a path to greatness.
Oste enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of bone.
The God of Minds. Nous was rather unhappy with how Soma used Oste's more physical support for the mortals since he personally is of the opinion that mortals should strive for a more spiritual connection. Nonetheless he accepted Oste's involvement and installed a smaller lesser version of his own thoughts. Making it so that mortals aren't born enlighten, but must strive for. Those who follow the Path of Mind understand that the true mind can weather all the lies and illusions of the world.
Mindus enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of the psyche.
The God of Machines, Aum represents the inner workings of the world. All things are like the inner cogs of a grandeurs machine that performs as operated. Everyone has their purpose. To work under the machine of Aum, as cogs in a grand metallic cycle; forge, reforge and forged again. As the one who formaulzed the structure of the world, Aum works towards a perfect closure. Those who follow the Path of Aum see the world as workings of a being and that their roles has just begun.
Aum enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of machines.
The God of Beasts, Shou gave the world one thing and one thing only: Monsters. As the being who constructed the Origin Gene and installed it into the world of Tellus, Shou gave intelligent life a lesson in the cycle of life. Predator and Prey must dance in a everchanging stage, the music that fuels this dance is but the drumming of one's heartbeat that signals the beginning of a dance and the ending of a dance. What it is to be on one side of the arrow, or the other. Those who follow the Path of Shou cannot differentiate the value of those on top and those on bottom. Both needs each other to survive.
Shou enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of animals.
ETHEREAL
The unknown or newly discovered Paths that do not follow the predetermined rules.
The Goddess of the Soul, Idola is the entity that brought the concept of VITA from the Heavens. A decision much controversial to the divine to this day, her belief was that power cannot be power if it isn't used and her pity for mankind's suffering during the Era of Beasts gave way to this action. On top of this by giving the mortal creations a soul. she denies any higher power the ability to possess them. She knows what it meant to be denied of free will and be conscious every second of it. Those who follow the Path of Idola recognize the beauty of the soul and the terror free will is brought from it.
Idola enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of the soul.
The Goddess of the Cosmos, Nova is uncaring to the world of Tellus. Such things are beneath her in her grand painting. This painting being the beauty of the stars that shall light up the void of space, null of anything but the expanding emptiness that is birthed by her direct interventions. The creations that she brings in the night sky are tattoos of her artistic making. Yet she contributed one to the mortals of Tellus- That being the North Star. Those who follow the Path of Nova know that the brightest star in the night, always points the way home.
Nova enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of astral concepts.
The God of Necromancy, Keres is actually the youngest God. For he was born when the Gods discovered their own fragility when it comes to life. He is a reminder of the end. To all things. Often depicted as a Grim Reaper, Keres roams the world as a man in shallow robes. Those who claim to meet him often speaks to his berating of his own existence but speaks to it's necessity. Many twist his words into foul magic that releases the dead from beyond their graves but there are those that wield it's deathly power, not to perverse the dead but to be as a stoic reminder. Life is beautiful because it ends. Those who walk the Path of Keres do not fear the end, but merely embrace it.
Keres enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of death.
The Goddess of Sounds, Canti was born from the deafening first sounds of creation in the blackened nothingness of space. That divine instrument which rang the world for the first time and all that would come after it. That is Canti. Every sound we make is Canti. The first noise is Canti and the last noise will be Canti. Those who follow the Path of Canti express themselves in the tapestry of sound in that all things began and will end with Canti.
Canti enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of sound.
The Goddess of Time, Telos is the ever merchant of the world. The continuous strain it has on many individuals and the emptying of those who ran of it- Telos looks to it that each and every individual has their plenty fold of time. It is simply they who decide what to do it. The universal bag of time that drizzles out from every action. Some cost more, some cost less. All that matters is the sands that drizzles from the destinies of all. Those who follow the Path of Telos understand the truest cost of all things is time.
Telos enables Vitalists to control, produce and alter elements of time.