Paths of power

The paths of power were an alternative way for wizards to view magic and acquire spells as the conventional system of schools of magic.

While a school comprised a large number of spells based on one philisophical principle like alteration, each path of power consisted a much smaller selection of spells of increasing power tied together by one topic, e.g. the Artificer's Path containing spells manipulating materials and devices, or the aptly named Road of Seals and Wardings. A wizard could learn a certain limited number of these paths, but was not restriced by anything like the opposing schools of specialists.

Paths of power were usually taught in specific colleges. A wizard had follow each paths by mastering all its spells in succession of rising power, but his learning allows him to acquire the next spell when he is ready without the need to get it from an external source. Some paths interconnected, so that the magic-user could switch her studies to a forking path if she so desired.