Part 5: The Wanderer's Guidebook.
The Wanderer's Guidebook.My thanks to CloacaAmazing for providing me with an early version of the Wanderer's Guidebook.
Wanderer - The standard term for a living person who exists on the way.
Three Main Classes of Wanderers
(There are different extremes of each of the following classes)
Guided - A wanderer who believes the Purpose guides them.
Stray - Some wander the Way not because they believe it's what the Purpose wants, but because they are adventurous or for other reasons. The organized Guided call these people Strays.
Deserter/Settlers - A term used by some wanderers to describe people who have forsaken the Way, and settled down. Some don't even think these people deserve to be called wanderers. They call themselves settlers.
The Paradans - Followers of the path of Para. They are called Paradans, and are extreme pacifists. They will not kill other wanderers, even in self defense. Some refuse to kill even animals.
The Vigilante - Loyal to the Vigilance Council, the vigilante patrol the Way always looking to bring criminal offenders to justice. They have become an extremely powerful and influential establishment.
The Guided - Formed after the destruction of Janwen, this organization/institution is dedicated to obeying and enforcing the will of the Purpose on the Way. They see settlements as an abomination and will destroy and kill the inhabitants of such settlements if they deem it necessary. They are also bitter enemies of the Blana Sera.
The Lyn - A warrior class that follows a very basic code. A Lyn is a wanderer committed to advancing themselves in the art of armed combat. One on one combat is a staple of their philosophy, and it is believed that the plunge evolved out their value system.
Subversive tactics are not looked down upon in general, except during a plunge. To taint the plunge is one of the few offenses among those who follow the code of the Lyn. There are 7 classes of Lyn with the Plyn being the lowest class, and the Pharaphalyn being the highest class.
1 - Plyn
2 - Hylyn
3 - Corlyn
4 - Deralyn
5 - Portalyn
6 - Vandralyn
7 - Straphalyn
8 - Pharaphalyn
As the classes progress their are fewer and fewer Lyn of that class. The greatest living Lyn is known as the Pharaphalyn. There is only one Pharaphalyn in existence at a time. Legends state the the pharaphalyn is marked in a special way so that other Lyn will be able to recognize him/her. Currently the whereabouts of the Pharaphalyn on the Way are unknown. It's been so long since there was an active Pharaphalyn that many doubt that there ever was such thing. Regardless, it lives on in Lyn folklore.
The Blana Sera - (the Blood Lyn)The Blana Sera are a very mysterious entity. Not much is known about them in particular, but everyone is familiar with their "communes" known as Battle Grounds and their practice of training young children into warriors at these Battle Grounds along the Way. When these children reach the age of 18 they are contracted out to various employers. All the children are initiated into the way of the Lyn. They are known as Blood Lyn, because of their blood oaths to serve the Blana Sera or whoever the Blana Sera contract them out to. Blood Lyn who break their blood oaths by leaving the battle grounds early or by breaking their contracts are hunted down and executed. The Blana Sera are bitter enemies of the Guided.
Blue Scarves - Led by Dancing Violet(some say it, "the Dancing Violet"), the Blue Scarves are composed of several bandit fists and have begun to make quite a name for themselves. Rumor has it, that the Vigilance Council has dispatched two of their top Shadow Foot's to bring Dancing Violet to justice.
Forerunner - A wanderer at the forefront of the Way who prepares the path for others. They are a thing of legend in that the only way to meet a forerunner is to be one yourself.
Independent - A wanderer who helps protect and serve in their fist, yet is not an official family member.
Fist - A group of usually five wanderers. Often a husband, wife, two children, and an independent.
Shifter - People who are able to shift their aura's, usually by attaining a certain state of mind.
Shadow Foot - The elite hunters of the Vigilance Council.
Senser - A person with the ability to sense other wanderer's auras.
Blue Scarves - Led by Dancing Violet(some say it, "the Dancing Violet"), the Blue Scarves are a bandit fist currently terrorizing the Shanto Stretch.
Stretches - The Way is divided into stretches of various sizes and lengths. Forerunners are credited with the naming and creation of stretches.
Home Stretch - Many wanderers refer to their home stretch when giving their full name. "I am Therin of the Nelin Stretch." Wanderers can pick whatever stretch they want to name as their home stretch. However, most wanderers choose stretches that are special or significant to them for some reason.
Delhara Battle Grounds - Two Blood Lyn escaped from this battle grounds, breaking their blood oaths in the process, and lived to tell the tale. They are still at large even now.
The Landorin Stretch - The Landorin stretch is a somewhat well known stretch because it bears the scars of two extremely horrific events that occured many years ago. Very few name this stretch as their home stretch as some wanderers are very suspicious of anyone from Landorin.
Janwen - A city of legend that many believe was burned to the ground because it was so evil. Wanderers refer to this event when they use curses such as, "Flaming fires!" or "Flaming fires of Janwen!". Janwen is THE most highly studied historical city of old.
The Rolling Mists - Supposedly existing at the rear and front edges of the Way. They are said to exist in order to keep wanderers from getting too far ahead, while punishing those who fall too far behind by swallowing them up.
The End of the Way - Many are beginning to believe that the end of the Way is very close. Rumors are beginning to spread that the first wanderer to reach it's end will become all powerful. They will in a sense become the new Purpose. Others believe there is no end, and that the Way continues on endlessly.