Longwalker

One who travels the Long Path and gains the ability through experiences that engrave upon their mind deeper wisdoms the power to use euskepsia. They channel their mental energies into urns that they can access and use later.

Long Path

The Long Path simply refers to taking not the easy path but the right path. If the right path is the easy path to one's goals, it is still part of the long path. It is simply a metaphor for choosing not to avoid challenges. Anyone who does this is on the Long Path and generates euskepsia, but longwalkers choose the Long Path intentionally and use it to generate the celestial psionic energy to actively wield it.

Decisions and Paths

Every decision a longwalker makes is carefully considered if it involves reaching a notable goal. This means that choosing your breakfast cereal only matters if it is part of a longer term path, but usually, it will have minimal impact on your goals. Notable goals include anything from "finding a job" to "defeating a cruel tyrant" to "knowing the meaning of life" to "fixing up this old house". It is a project that will take time and careful planning. Because euskepsia is a celestial energy, it cannot be generated from goals or paths that lead to evil purposes - i.e., "conquering the world" or "becoming a billionaire" or "murdering my wife and getting away with it" are not paths that would generate euskepsia.

When a longwalker decides upon a path, they first make a plan. This is the first set of decisions they make. Plans always have to be adapted as they go forward, so every decision made from there, and every decision made which is acted upon, then generates euskepsia within the mind of the longwalker.

On every path, there are minor and major decisions. The bigger the decision - that is, the more it impacts the path - the more euskepsia it will generate. Longwalkers must access euskepsia via meditation, so they must stop and reflect upon all decisions on their path periodically. They usually do this on a daily basis, or before and after any major decision if possible. They evaluate the path, evaluate the challenges they have faced, and evaluate what they have learned. In doing this, they become aware of the euskepsia within themselves.

Deep Wisdom

As they engage with the euskepsia within themselves through meditation, they touch upon what is known as vathiá sofía, or deep wisdom. This is the wisdom present within the Collective Subconscious that connects all thinking beings. It is a deep well of power that only the most powerful longwalkers can tap into.

Stored Wisdom

Once the longwalker taps into their own euskepsia (or the vathiá sofía), they must learn to wield it. If they wield it in service to their path, they amplify its generation. If they wield it for other purposes, it is used up. To wield it, they must come out of their meditation and immediately identify everything in their surroundings as an act of mindfulness. Then they must focus on one single object in which they either wish to affect or to channel the euskepsia into it. Euskepsia is stored in small urns, usually, or their walking sticks or sandals.

The numerical value of stored euskepsia is determined by the decisions made to gain it and is therefore determined by consensus between GM and player, usually in a range of +1 to +6 for the very largest decisions.

Wisdom As Endurance

If it is stored in their walking sticks or sandals, it allows them to use their expereinces and mental strength to soften the impact of their path. In other words, they roll WIL instead of STR or ATH for endurance. It can also translate into bonuses to WIL or AWA when facing difficult challenges.

Heightened Mind

Wisdom stored in urns can be tapped into by opening the urn and breathing it in. If they do this, their AWA and/or WIL receive bonuses at a rate of 3 points euskepsia to 1 point bonus.

Experience

Euskepsia is distilled experience. If they intentionally draw that experience into their stored euskepsia, they can draw upon it later when relevant. In other words, they can draw upon stored euskepsia when facing a challenge similar to a previous challenge in order to make it easier to navigate.

Growth

Stored euskepsia can also be drawn upon to make permanent changes to the mind of the longwalker. This takes an enormous amount of energy, however, and therefore is only possible at a rate of 25 points of euskepsia to 1 point of permanent change.

Achievements

When a goal is achieved, a longwalker must meditate upon it for a significant length of time, but this process will generate significant euskepsia, varying by how big the goal was. These achievements can be translated either into large amounts of stored euskepsia to fuel the above listed abilities, or into certain special powers.

The Wise

The Wise, or O Ssofós, is the name for the special powers longwalkers can attain. All of these powers use WIL or AWA as their base:

• Ánoixe: a direct, targeted examination of an object, person, or small location that reveals small, easily missed details or helps the longwalker connect them to other things they have experienced or perceived. This can be used once a year.
• Dichalotós: a longwalker is able to examine the consequences of up to four choices in a decision tree very rapidly. This recharges after half a year.
• Kítrina fterá: yellow wings appear around the longwalker that let them "fly" past a single challenge by revealing the answer. This can only be used once.
• Lónchi: a spear of euskepsian energy, a yellow blast of energy, skewers a target within 30'. This recharges after about five minutes, but it gets weaker until the longwalker rests or opens a new urn.
• Makriá nýchta: the longwalker can engage in deep introspection and gain a growth spurt in terms of a learned skill once per year.
• Óloi vlépoun: for about 15 seconds, the longwalker sees everything all around them as if they were facing in all directions at once. This can be used once a year.
• Prostasia: a faint grey aura covers the longwalker and blocks esoteric attacks. This can only be maintained for one battle or for about ten minutes. It recharges after a month.
• Smínos: a longwalker can extend their consciousness outward to find others on the same path to help them. This recharges after half a year.

Other powers may be develped at discretion of GM or between GM and player.

Inventory

Longwalkers use three primary objects:

• Urns: the small ceramic urns they store euskepsia in. They carry three at a time for different kinds of euskepsia (for raw usage, for experiences, for growth), but the urns have infinite holding capacity.
• Walking Stick: walking sticks are for testing the ground before and around you, and those with euskepsia in them can allow the longwalker to test metaphorical grounds such as different choices in decision making.
• Sandals: sandals filled with euskepsia allow the longwalker to sense the ground beneath them and therefore the metaphorical path they are on.

Variations

There are many ways to walk the Long Path:

• Anakritís: a longwalker who investigates specific questions as their main goals, often serving communities as a detective or problem-solver. Instead of a walking stick, they use a magnifying glass.
• Dasofýlakas: a longwalker who protects a range as a ranger would, using the Long Path to achieve goals of protecting and preserving their range. They have owl companions and wield shortbows infused with euskepsia.
• Dérasan: a longwalker who works as a stage performer, usually a distinguished actor, who uses their powers to let wisdom resonate with the audience and give them clearer minds.
• Emvolomátis: a longwalker who makes their living selling footwear infused with euskepsia to others, usually a wandering cobbler.
• Glýptis: a sculptor who infuses their work with euskepsia so that everyone who views it feels the wisdom resonating off it and comes away with a clearer mind.
• Muarakh: a Mahadi aqyn on the Long Path who sings and speaks with wisdom that resonates with their gathered euskepsia.
• Pallasian: a longwalker who keeps owls and speaks to them via euskepsian connections.
• Sidewalk Philosopher: a longwalker who is a street performer sharing wisdom from a soapbox, usually living without permanent shelter.
• Tender: a longwalker who builds and uses a contemplation garden.
• Wisewoman: a crone of the Long Path.

Similar Occupations

Others who walk the Long Path but in ways that are too different to be considered true longwalkers:"

• Aswaran: a spear-warrior who wears an aegis infused with euskepsia.
• Bunduqia: an aswaran who uses rifles instead of spears.
• Diacheiristís: an administrator in a government or other organization who uses euskepsia to guide their decisions.
• Epistímonas: a scientist who uses euskepsia to guide their experiments.
• Khawlah: a morrigan spear-warrior woman who uses euskepsia.
• Lekhaka: a euskeptic librarian.
• Rabbi: a religious scholar and teacher of the Long Path who is part of an ancient and important Mahadi religion
• Rhapsode: a wise poet.
• Sage: an elder who uses euskepsia to heal minds.
• Stratigós: a military strategist.

Persecution

Longwalkers belong to a philosophy that has long been suppressed by ruling classes. Those who follow the Long Path in context of a religion are persecuted throughout the world, and those who persecute them have often tried to wipe them out completely. In Stolzen and Vesturia especially, they are persecuted, subject to genocide, pogroms, and blood libel. The religion is an old one, one that originated in Mahad, and its philosophical approaches were taken by the Ledeans - hence why most longwalker variations and powers are in that language in stead - without the religious context. However, they still face persecution because of the association.

Skills

Longwalkers vary so much few skills are common:

• Meditation
• Analysis
• Mindfulness
• Learning
• Teaching
• Strategy

Stats

Modifiers from base of nation/species:

PRO +1
ATH /
STR /
AWA +6
WIL +3
STH /
PRS +1