| Third Path | |
|---|---|
|
The Union The Council of Mages | |
 | |
| History | |
| Founded on | Terisia City, Terisiare, Dominaria |
| Active | From Brothers' War 33 AR |
| Status | Became part of the City of Shadows and the Conclave of Mages[1] |
| Membership | |
| Founded by | Drafna, Feldon[2], Hurkyl, Loran, the Archimandrite[3], Sunastian Falconer[4] |
| Notable members | The Abbot of Gix, Barl, Chayum-Icha[3], Corlo, Kathwar, Pero, Vayor |
| Races | Humans |
| Associated Colors | |
     | |
The Third Path, also known as "the Union" and "the Council of Mages", was an alliance of magic-users, historians, intellectuals, and artificers from across Terisiare on Dominaria that sought neutrality in the Brothers' War.[5]
History[ | ]
As its first members, the Archmandrite of the Ivory Tower invited the Abbot from the Brotherhood of Gix, Drafna and Hurkyl of the College of Lat-Nam, Chayum-Icha from the Ingatl tribe of the Yumok nation, and Kathwar, chief of the Malpiri clan, representing the Sardian people.[3]. The scholar Feldon from the Ronom Glacier was already present in Terisia City, and the archaeologist Loran came from Penregon soon after with much of Tocasia's knowledge.
The initially participating schools represented the five colors of mana: The Ivory Tower (), the College of Lat-Nam (), the Brotherhood of Gix (), the Sardians (), and the Yumok ().
The Union of the Third Path marked the first step toward understanding the interrelated forces of mana. Ironically, if it were not for the conflict between Urza and Mishra, this first step might never have been taken. Members of this Union were the first to delve into the arcane and rigorously study it, perhaps in all of Terisiare's history. Rather than focusing on only artifice, their studies led to the foundation of the modern schools of Magic and the use of colored mana on Terisiare. Because of its friendly atmosphere, peoples of all cultures flocked to Terisia City to join the teams of mages and scholars and seek shelter from the chaos elsewhere.
As the Third Path grew, more members were added to their organization, including Argivians, Korlisians, Sardians, Yotians, Sarinthians, Argothians, and Citanul Druids, and assorted ununited war-mages.[6][5]
Among the spells discovered by the Third Path, was the power of Flight, the ability to Jump great distances, and the capability to Shatter objects. [5]
The Third Path suffered heavy losses during the Fall of Terisia City, but many survivors, including Feldon and Loran carrying the Golgothian Sylex, managed to flee the city during its many months of siege, continuing the Third Path's work elsewhere. The fate of the Archimandrite is unknown, but Drafna survived the fall of Terisia, traveling back to the College of Lat-Nam until its destruction.[1]
After Terisia's fall, the members of the Third Path scattered across the lands. Some like Drafna went west, while others like Feldon and Loran stayed apart, living out their lives in isolated pockets across Terisiare.[1]
After the Sylex Blast and the rise of the Church of Tal, which shunned magic and artifice alike, all spellcasters were forced into hiding.[7] The Dark Age was not a time for open use of magic, forcing any remaining members of the Third Path to go underground.
By this time, Drafna and others had founded the City of Shadows in the Lat-Nam strait, and several mages of the Third Path crossed the sea to join the growing ranks of this academy, while others heard rumors of another secret location where once the Monastery of Gix had been. A hidden school of magic had been founded there by Ashnod and Tawnos in 80 AR[7], and it offered refuge to the hunted spellcasters. As wizards and artificers of all types and creeds joined this school, it took on the name the Conclave of Mages. Although the names of these schools of magic would slowly take over as terms for studying magic, the term "the Third Path" was still in use in common parlance as late as 430 AR, close to the end of the Dark Age.[1]
In-game references[ | ]
- Associated cards:
- Referred to:
References[ | ]
- ↑ a b c d The Gathering Dark
- ↑ Loran's Smile. magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c Urza-Mishra War
- ↑ Jay Annelli (September 27, 2022). "The Sagas of Dominaria United". Coolstuffinc.com.
- ↑ a b c Jeff Grubb (1998), "The Brothers' War", Wizards of the Coast
- ↑ Ethan Fleischer and Ian Duke (October 24, 2014). "A Love Letter to Vorthos". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Miguel Lopez (October 20, 2022). "The Brothers' War - Episode 2: The Beginning". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.