# Description The Gates are mystical conduits of power that exist within the [[Dreamworld]], serving as sources of power for both mortals and non-mortals. Nine in total, these ethereal constructs form a hierarchical system of magical progression known as The Path. ## Nature and Access The Gates can only be accessed through the [[Dreamworld]], making the journey to each Gate a perilous and transformative experience that requires not just magical prowess, but mental and spiritual fortitude. ## Progression and Power ![[Rings.jpg]] Each Gate represents a significant increase in magical potential: 1. First Gate: Basic magical tricks and cantrips 2. Second Gate: Simple spells, common in larger settlements 3. Third Gate: Moderate magic, mastered by accomplished town priests 4. Fourth Gate: Advanced spells, granting comfortable advisory positions 5. Fifth Gate: Powerful magic, rarely witnessed by common folk 6. Sixth Gate: Exceptionally potent spells 7. Seventh Gate: Legendary magic (e.g., Conjure Celestial, Teleport, Resurrection) 8. Eighth Gate: Near-godlike abilities 9. Ninth Gate: The pinnacle of mortal magic, granting unfathomable power ## Rarity and Significance While low-gate magic is relatively common among the studious and innately gifted, higher-gate magic becomes increasingly rare. Fifth Gate magic is considered exceptionally powerful by most standards, while Seventh Gate spells are the stuff of legend, capable of world-shaking magic. The rarity of magic users who have passed through the Eighth and Ninth Gates means that most of those who wield such power know of the others by name. The journey through The Gates is not merely about accumulating power, but also about personal growth, understanding, and the responsibilities that come with wielding such tremendous power. ## Writings of Odam ![[Kald/_images/Gates_Excerpt.png]] ### Informal Writings #### Path of the Traveler: Volume II, page 53 > …as I dreamt, I saw again the inner workings of the great machine that serves as the core to our advancement … *illegible* … and a great many symbols, all of which were unknown to me, arranged in such a manner that one can not help but wonder: if this has been designed as such, could ever there exist such a thing which has not? #### Path of the Traveler: Volume IX, page 213 > In [[Khurranai]], when we arrived at the Blue Grotto, we were all waiting on the boat. Waiting to go in. It was packed with [illegible] boats everywhere. The rocking of the boat started to make me dizzy. #### Path of the Traveler: Volume IX, page 214 > Once I was done shopping in the leather market, I ventured to find food for a picnic lunch. While searching for food, I came across a vendor displaying a menagerie of aurochs parts. The vendor explained what each part of the aurochs was. The nose, tongue, testicles, penis, four stomachs, feet, and the tendons. I decided to search for my picnic elsewhere. #### Path of the Traveler: Volume X, page 610 > The light atop the Daggermount had been shining three days prior to my arrival, I was told. A local beggar explained the strange custom to me, at my inquisition. The Trial of Whispers, he called it. The region's leader—The Argent Echo—had passed on and the Trial was signaling for a new champion. It was intriguing, yet not beyond the capacity of my Aura. That much I could feel. #### The Path of the Traveler: Volume IXX, page 551 > Why does my body disobey my will? The Giants are no more. The Trial, beaten. The last dragon has kissed the ground beneath my feet! I could rule all of [[Kald/Locations/Shards/Vastuum|Vastuum]] by right, all of [[Thalnor]] by force, and yet my physical form disobeys my every command. #### The Path of the Traveler: Volume XXIII, page 775 > At the time of this writing, it has been forty-two winters, seven months, and twelve days since I cautiously stepped through the First Gate. From the cradle, I learned magics as other children learn toys and [[The Wildlands]] as other children their mother's garden. […] Of the myriad sacrifices one must endure along this Path, one stands true above all else—if you aspire to harness great magic, others must die. … Tonight I lay my pen to rest ahead of my body. Tonight I step through the Tenth Gate.