Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy As A Path?

[GibberingEloquence]

I finished reading the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series some time ago, and someone mentioned how the entirety of the story could be seen as the Awakening of Arthur (he's more like a Sleepwalker with the Deadpan Merit, though). This inspired me to create a Path based on the books. Here is what I have so far:

Taxiodes, Wanderers And Analysts On The Path of Absurdity, Scions Of The Watchtower Of The Cosmic Map In The Realm Of The Beckoning Roads, Kingdom of Surprises And Abode Of Outsiders.

Ruling Arcana: Space And Fate

Inferior Arcanum: Prime

Tarot Cards: The World And The Fool

Keywords: Humor And Exploration

Sleepers are drawn to this Path when they seek a purpose for their existence so intensely that it weighs heavily on their souls and plagues their every waking moment. This desire for a linchpin, an overarching “why” that explains a chaotic and often terrifying world can lead them toward grand journeys and spiritual quests. In their minds, no struggle is too great on the way toward the Big Answer. But at some point, for some reason, they realized there was no such thing. However, this revelation did not bring tears, but a smile. By signing their name on the Watchtower of the Cosmic Map, they acknowledge that no destination in life is more or less meaningful than the other. All that matters is what you do on the way there.

Taxiodes tend to be acutely aware of the vastness and complexity of the universe, and this offers them a rather dettached perspective when it comes to the affairs of transient beings. This can be manifested as a profound sense of humanism and carpe diem, or a sturdy skepticism toward all that is considered important. Regardless of what atitude their perspective brings, they can be counted on to consider nuanced issues from many and often unusual angles, if one can stand their tendency to dissect what others take for granted and find something to laugh at even in dire circumstances.

Besides their critical eye that works well for both jovial and caustic humor, they are known for a peculiar type of curiosity. They rarely feel accomplished studying the arcane on their lonesome or in the exact same way for long, for that makes them feel out of touch with the fantastic and strange world they live in. As a result, many of them develop a habit of traveling between Consiliia in the search of new Mysteries to investigate, mentors to learn from and students to teach. They show little pretentiousness when it comes to their destinations, so they tend to accumulate considerable and ecletic collections of experiences, skills and connections. This familiarity with the wider world, combined with their analytical nature, makes them great messengers and diplomats. Even when they decide to stay in one place for a long time, they explore every nook and cranny in both the land and the people, thus becoming a sort of touristic guide for new comers and veterans alike.

Instead of favoring specific materials for their Path Tools, they favor actual tools, which have symbolic resonance with the concepts of travel and exploration, often with a touch of humor. Examples include maps, compasses, travel guides, binoculars, wallets, cameras, running shoes, swiss army knives and towels.

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? At the moment, I would especially like ideas for how to describe the Path's Realm, its Supernal Entities and the Nimbus.

[Master Aquatosic]

Seems to overlap conceptually a lot with the Acanthus Path. I get that these guys believe in no Destiny rather than just taking the reins of it, but it's pretty similar. Perhaps you could put more emphasis on their role as messengers and how while the Acanthus look like Fools while really planning out everything, these folks actually enjoy actually not having any plan.

[GibberingEloquence]

Seems to overlap conceptually a lot with the Acanthus Path. I get that these guys believe in no Destiny rather than just taking the reins of it, but it's pretty similar. Perhaps you could put more emphasis on their role as messengers and how while the Acanthus look like Fools while really planning out everything, these folks actually enjoy actually not having any plan.

I was actually thinking the same thing. The main difference between them and the Acanthus, I believe, is their use of Fate. The Acanthus are strategists wearing a mask of whimsy, while the Taxiodes are more about making decisions one step at a time and using magic as an airbag rather than a steering wheel. Does that make sense?

EDIT: Perhaps I could make their Keywords be Communication and Exploration, with Humor being more of a consequence and a stereotype?

[GibberingEloquence]

Hmm, perhaps a Path isn't the best choice. How about an NPC or Ready Made PC? They could be a Sleepwalker with the Deadpan Merit and the Virtue of Humor who works as a field researcher for the Mysterium. They could have a Relic or something similar that lets them open gates to the Invisible Realms, which they explore and study for their Order.

[Mrmdubois]

It'd be pretty suicidal to go wandering into the Shadow or Underworld without more complete protection.

[Master Aquatosic]

It'd be pretty suicidal to go wandering into the Shadow or Underworld without more complete protection.

I don't know much about the Underworld, but Arthur Dent would get eaten within 1 day in the Shadow, his uncanny bad/good/whatever luck be damned. Yes, he has survived more powerful threats, but not one so constant as the Darwinian universe of the Shadow

[Master Aquatosic]

Anyway, if you think a Path is too much (I don't think so), a Legacy that accepts Acanthus with the Space Arcanum and Mastigos with the Fate Arcanum could be somewhere in between Path and NPC

[Mrmdubois]

I don't know much about the Underworld...

The Underworld's various realms are governed by Laws, getting caught breaking them is super bad. One of the most common ones is that you can't be in the Underworld and living. Mages and Sin-Eaters can compensate, but one guy with a key? Not very likely.

[Master Aquatosic]

he wouldn't be able to stay long, but it wouldn't be the first time Arthur Dent got around esoteric laws without punishment

[GibberingEloquence]

Master Aquatosic and Mrmdubois: I don't know about making a Legacy, but you two have a point about such a character needing more than magic key to survive the Invisible Realms. What if this character was more like an assistant of the field researchers (i.e. the actual Awakened)? Combined with the Deadpan Merit, the Virtue of Humor, some borrowed Imbued Items/Relics/Relinquished spells for protection, and a little practical knowledge of the occult, this Sleepwalker assistant could go on all sorts of journeys and investigations across the cosmos under the tutelage of eccentric will-workers who know way more than them. They would meet many kinds of fantastic beings and phenomena from a position of relative ignorance and powerlessness, but thanks to Deadpan and Humor, they could cope with these experience more easily. With enough time and learning, they may even Awaken.

How does that sound?

[Aeryes]

Maybe a minor type defined by Merits, like the Atariya? (or they could just be Atariya with different fluff and a special Merit or two)

[thenate]

You have a great template for an Abyssal realm or Mad One based off of the Acanthus, going on here.