The Way

The Way was a faith dominant in Shou Lung, T'u Lung, and other lands of Kara-Tur. It espoused a philosophy that there were no separate forces of good, evil, chaos, and law, but only interconnected and interrelated forces that followers of the Way could shape. Its followers were divided into a Dark Way and a Light Way sects.

Divine Origins

Two classic books associated with the Way were the Book of Change by the sage Hsin Fu Chan and Hsao Chronicles by Hu Ling Do.
The spellcaster Fargh Choi of T'u Lung, a follower of the Way, taught that the universe was like a sheet of cloth, and that if one pulled on a thread, it would have an effect somewhere else, even in the celestial realms. One who was untrained or clumsy could make dangerous changes or tears to this cloth that unleashed demons and evil spirits, while a "superior man" could restore harmony to the sheet.

Tenets of Faith

Adherents of the Way held that all things in the universe were influenced by all other things, and in turn influenced all others. They maintained that there was no good or evil and no chaos or law as in western faerun philosophy, that these were only labels applied by outsiders to fundamental forces of the universe. A follower of the Way endeavored to understand the best way to use and manipulate these forces. Theoretically, this meant the Way should be a wholly neutral faith, yet in practice it was split into two opposing sects: the Dark Way and the Light Way, who conflicted over the best way to use the power to shape these forces.
The concept of Yin and Yang, the concept of the interconnection of opposing forces and that two opposing forces were partially composed of the other, was central to the Way, and was the symbol of the faith.

Worship

An important aspect of Chung Tao magic was the use of trigrams as a means of divination, as described in the Book of Change. Its use was common to all levels of Shou Lung society, however.

Priesthood

Those who followed the Way were called "Guides of the Way", or, in the Shou language, Chung Tao.  Those of the Light Way were called White Chung Tao and those of the Dark Way were called Black Chung Tao, or simply "Black Ones".

Granted Divine Powers

System of divination using trigrams.  Owing to the philosophy of the faith and its command of natural forces, priests of the Way were just as likely to wield arcane magic as wu jen (Witch/Shaman) as they were to command divine magic as shukenja(Sorcerer/wizard).

Sects

Followers of the Dark Way asserted that a superior being was obligated to shape the universe for their own purposes, while directing unenlightened people to a higher purpose. Followers of the Light Way argued that there were no superior beings, only enlightened beings, and thought that preserving the natural balance of the world and events was the proper Way.
Broadly, those of the Light Way employed their powers to help others, while those of the Dark Way used them to help themselves. The two sects waged a secret conflict for control of the empire of Shou Lung, to gain favor in court and achieve ascendancy over the other, with the White Chung Tao subtly influencing events, preserving balance, and opposing the works of the Black Chung Tao, who used illusion, assassination, and demons. Through the empire, they hoped to control the material world.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Permeated Organizations

• Tabot