The Covered Path

The way of Elementalism holds that in order to achieve harmony and alignment with the cosmic forces of the universe, each individual must strive in the pursuit of perfection, seeking purity in accordance with the elements and their associated traits as much as is possible for them. Conventional doctrine preaches that the way to do so is attained through governance in accordance with the Four Books of the Elements, under the guidances of the priests and temples who safeguard the purity of the elements and guide the people in homage to them. However, another path to perfection exists - the Covered Path.

There is some debate as to whether the Covered Path represents a particular school of thought within Elementalism, or another religion entirely. While it accepts the elements as the cosmic forces that sustain all things and holds the gods as imperfect and unworthy of worship, it also rejects temples, the priesthood, and the caste system. - which has made it appealing to the lower classes, and a target of persecution from officials who find it a threat to their authority. To those of the Covered Path - the dervishes - the pursuit of perfection is not a one-size-fits-all goal to be imparted to the masses from on high. Rather, it is a personal journey, one that must be discovered by each person in their own way.

The Covered Path was founded centuries ago by a human scholar named Amid al-Samad, and thus, its practitioners are also called Amidis. Where the name came from has puzzled scholars. Some believe it came from Amid's practice of disseminating his teachings in debates with other scholars held on a bench beneath a cover of palm fronds, while others posit a link to the woolen caps used by mystics to cover their heads. Whatever the case is, the Covered Path quickly took hold as a popular movement, and in the years since, it has given rise to a multitude of different schools and philosophies - all of which, however, claim a direct line of teaching that can be traced from student to master all the way back to Amid himself.

According to the Covered Path, Amid al-Samad was the perfect being - the first living thing created, but who lived in secret for milennia until the time came for him to reveal himself to the world. Although conventional Elementalism claims that humans are inherently imperfect beings due to being made up of all four elements in equal parts, and thus impure, devotees of the Covered Path argued that this balance of elements actually made one's existence more harmonious, as it ensured no one element overpowered the others. Nevertheless, the Covered Path is not a phenomenon exclusive to humans, and numbers genasi and even a few genies among its ranks. A core teaching of the philosophy is that everyone, regardless of their social standing or place of origin, is an equal in the balance of the universe, and that the only pursuit in life worth following is understanding this balance, not wealth, power, or personal gain.

Many Amidi dervishes thus follow an ascetic lifestyle, deliberately cutting themselves off from earthly desires to pursue spiritual enlightenment alone. Every school of the Covered Path approaches this differently, but they all hold that wealth and comfort is a distraction from perfection. For this reason, they are often compared to the monks of northern lands. Like monks, they devote their lives to study and meditation, with little communication with the outside world - in particular, they are well known for their rituals in which they gather to play music and whirl in place, allowing themselves to be moved only by instinct and the ecstasy of spiritual revelation.

Unlike monks, however, dervishes do not flock to monasteries. Every member of a given school considers themselves to be part of the same brotherhood, but, in keeping with the individualistic focus on perfection, dervishes of the Covered Path undergo spiritual training under a master, who sees to their personal instruction. Amidis maintain that it is not possible to achieve perfection through passively reading theory; they must actively be guided. They do congregate at their own schools and holy sites, however, many of which are the tombs of esteemed Amidi masters. Traditionally, they are buried in their homes, which become shrines tended to by their families and students. These shrines are often sought out as places of pilgrimage in a dervish's journey to spiritual understanding, and become hotspots of congregation where knowledge (and, informally, rumor) is shared, often providing housing for itinerant mystics, with shade and water to relieve themselves from the desert heat. Some masters, in fact, are so devoted to the cause that they choose to let their spirits linger at their tombs after death, forgoing rest in the Land of the Dead so that they may impart their wisdom to those who seek it.

To the dervishes of the Covered Path, adventure is not a means to gain power, fame, or wealth. It is an exercise in patience, understanding, and broadening one's horizons, often with functions that may make little sense to the initiate at the time. These mystics are tolerated by some authorities more than others, and they often find themselves as outsiders beyond their own communities. But they and their communities can be found all across Quel'Ahma.

Background: Amidi Dervish

Skill Proficiencies: History, Religion

Tool Proficiencies: One musical instrument of your choice

Languages: Quel'Ahman; one language used for mystical and poetic texts

Equipment: A set of common clothes, a begging bowl, a musical instrument of your choice, and a scholar's pack.

Feature: Path of Perfection. You have a master who personally instructs you in the journey to perfection, and they will offer you guidance if sought after. You are also welcome at any Amidi shrines or gatherings of the faithful.

Feature: Asceticism. Your school under the Covered Path requires that you pursue some form of voluntary asceticism to cut yourself off from worldly distractions and focus on the big picture. As long as you practice this restriction, you may cast Divination once per day by whirling in place for ten uninterrupted minutes until you recieve a vision. If you break your restriction, your master will give you a quest of penance to undergo before you may make use of this feature again; until then, other dervishes will recognize that you are out of balance with the universe and refuse to help you. Roll 1d8 on the following table to determine your restriction.

1. Cannot eat meat, legumes, or leavened bread.

2. Must spend one hour per day in meditation.

3. Must travel exclusively on foot (boats are fine if your destination can only be reached by water).

4. May only wear unadorned woolen robes.

5. May not use edged weapons to shed blood.

6. Must give all wealth attained to charity (your fellow dervishes will provide you with food, water, and other necessities). If using gold for EXP rules, consider money donated in this fashion to be worth EXP.

7. Cannot consume alcohol, caffiene, or other mind-altering substances.

8. Cannot willfully lie. 

Note: A PC may take up tutelage of a master of the Covered Path during play. If this happens, they gain the Path of Perfection and Asceticism features regardless of whatever background they already have. Consider having the PC undergo a personal quest to prove their dedication to the cause in order for them to obtain these features.