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I clutched at nothing as I fell
Then gathered up the wind in my arms
and flew.
That is the Way.
-Shree'da Thek'ta,
Halfling Shaman devoted to the Air
The sentient races of the world have been altered by the vast ecological destruction no differently than the creatures in the wastes around them. Almost every creature and sentient being upon Athas is gifted with what is known as the Unseen Way, or simply, the Way.
The ability to read thoughts, to view the happenings in
distant places without being there, to subtly influence one's neighbors or control the
actions of animals, and many other strange powers are the gifts of the Way.
Full details are listed in the "Powers of the Mind"
section.
In the vast majority of Athasians, these powers lie dormant
and sleeping below the surface, only occasionally manifesting; or awakened, yet untrained
to their true potential.
See the "Wild Talents" section for details.
In others, those with the discipline and will or wisdom to
master them, their use is no more difficult than lifting one's own arm. To those who
study, the simple tricks mentioned above pale in comparison to the abilities possessed by
a true master of the Way, one who has perfected their own mind and has learned all the
hidden pathways within it.
Whether that individual be a hermit who has learned through trial and error and
days or years of solitary meditation, or a student at one of the powerful schools of the
Way which formally train an individual in awakening and best utilizing their hidden
potentials, the master is not someone to be trifled with.
Full details are available in the "Mastering the Way"
section.