Editing GURPS Magical Styles Fan Netbook (section)

=Path of No Path    =

Cost:  12 points

Style Prerequisite: IQ 12+, Animal Empathy or Frightens Animals, Magery, (not One College Only).

The Path of No Path teaches that human beings have fallen out of harmony with the natural world, wounding our souls, and that it is only by becoming one with nature once again that we can become whole. The journey back to nature is one that every human must take alone, finding their own way, and it is a journey that may take multiple lifetimes. A natural affinity for magic is viewed as evidence that the possessor has come far in previous lifetimes. The magical art of Path of No Path is not necessary for the journey, but is regarded as an extremely useful tool which greatly enhances the seekers chances of success. While practicing Path of No Path generally brings about changes in the wielder, the changes vary depending on the subject’s nature – some grow gentle, some violent and wild, some become obsessed with food and sex, some with protecting the natural world.

Required Skills: Camouflage, Climbing, Herb Lore, Hidden Lore (Wilderness Spirits), Naturalist, Stealth, Survival (Any), Weather Sense.

Required Spells: Keen Hearing, Keen Taste and Smell, Keen Vision.

Perks: Intuitive Cantrip (Friendly Undergrowth), Intuitive Cantrip (Good with Animal, Any type of wild animal), Limited Energy Reserve 1-5, Mana Compensation, Melee Spell Mastery (Any), Mighty Spell (Any melee), No Gestures (Any), No Incantations (Any), Obscure True Name, Secret Spell (Creature of the Land, Metamorphosis or Rage of the Wild).

Optional Traits

Attributes: Improved ST, DX, IQ and HT.

Advantages: Absolute Direction, Acute Senses (Any), Catfall, Combat Reflexes, Hard to Kill, Outdoorsman, Perfect Balance

Disadvantages:   Berserk, Bestial, Bloodlust, Callous, Hidebound.

Skills:  Esoteric Medicine, Jumping, Running, Survival (Any), Thaumatology.


The student of the Path of No Path begins their studies as a Supplicant of the Beast.  This entitles them to learn the following fourteen spells.

Supplicant of the Beast

Beast-Soother, Climbing, Detect Magic, Find Direction, Haste, Keen Hearing, Keen Taste and Smell, Keen Vision, Seek Plant, Seek Water, Sense Danger, Sense Foes, Shield, Test Food.

A mage who has learned 8 of the above spells, including Keen Hearing, Keen Taste and Smell and Keen vision gains the Eyes of the Beast, an achievement enabling them to learn the following twenty-four spells

Eyes of the Beast

Alertness, Beast Seeker, Beast Speech, Armor, Beast Summoning, Detect Poison, Hide, Hush, Identify Plant, Instant Neutralize Poison, Lighten Burden, Might, Neutralize Poison, Nightingale, Night Vision, No-Smell, Pathfinder, Purify Food, Purify Water, Quick March, Recover Energy, Sense Observation, Silence, Watchdog.

A mage who has learned 8 of the above spells gains the Breath of the Beast, enabling them to learn the following twenty-four spells.

Breath of the Beast

Bless Plants, Blossom, Blur, Boost Health, Boost Strength, Conceal, Forest Warning, Gloom, Heal Plant, Hide Path, Light Tread, Mage-Stealth, Plant Growth, Plant Vision, Predict Weather, Rejuvinate Plant, Relieve Sickness, Remove Contagion, Resist Disease, Resist Poison, Tangle Growth, Vigor, Walk Through Plants, Warmth.

A mage who has learned 8 of the above spells attains the Soul of the Beast, enabling them to learn the following sixteen spells.

Soul of the Beast

Beast Link, Coolness, False Tracks, Freedom, Invisibility, Plant Form, Plant Sense, Plant Speech, Protect Animal, Remember Path, Shapeshifting (Bear), Shapeshifting (Boar), Shapeshifting (Crow), Shapeshifting (Deer), Shapeshifting (Hawk), Shapeshifting (Wolf).

A mage who has learned 8 of the above spells becomes an “Animal”, enabling them to learn the following spells.

Animal

Arboreal Immurement, Creature of the Land, Enchant, Metamorphosis, Rage of the Wild.  At this rank, Shapeshifting spells that transform the subject into a mundane animal that lives in the wild should generally be available.  The mage could learn Shapeshift (Badger) or Shapeshift (Salmon) if they wish, for example.  As always, the GM has final ruling.


Secret Spell:  Creature of the Land (VH)    Regular

If the caster makes an appropriate Survival (Wilderness) skill roll, they will receive the following benefits while in the wild.  The caster is at +2 Per and has an additional +2 to Tracking.  All attempts to detect the caster, including spells and Tracking, are at -2 to skill.  The caster travels 100% faster when off-road and on foot.  This does not affect combat Move.

Duration:  Until sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.

Cost:  2

Time to Cast:  5 minutes.


Secret Spell:  Metamorphosis (VH)    Regular

Cast immediately before the caster casts a Shapeshift (Animal) spell on themselves, metamorphosis will have the following effects.  The Shapeshifting spell will be cast at +4 to skill.  The Shapeshifting spell will not cause IQ decrease.  The duration of the Shapeshift (Animal) spell will be until sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.

Cost:  1

Time to Cast:  2 minutes.


Secret Spell:  Rage of the Wild (VH)    Regular

This spell function as Beast Summoning (GURPS Magic, p.30) except where noted.  Any summoned beast will immediately attack anyone the caster likes, fighting to the death.  The caster can change the target of the beast’s attacks at will, but failure to will an attack on a target the beast can sense will terminate the spell.  If the GM rules that the animal summoned was in close proximity to pack mates, 1d animals will arrive instead of one.

Cost:  1

Time to Cast:  1 second.