Followers of Saint Okko

## Explorer Path

Icon resembling the Explorer Path Flag of Pentawardism

This sub-religion is also known as the Explorer path and is one of five Pentawardism paths. The path belongs to Saint Okko and often consists of sailors and miners. This path’s values can be summarized by exploring new possibilities with foresight and open-mindedness.

## Path Symbols

The main symbol for this path is the fishing rod. This is due to the connection of fishing with sailors as well as some miners using the tool to help get friends out of holes that had been dug too deep. Some also enjoyed underground fishing. The main colors are Lapis Blue and Clay Gray. Lapis is the representative gemstone for this path due to its deep blue color. Clay can be found in in its natural gray colring in both the sea and underground. It is also darker than the Iron Gray of the Warrior path and matches the color of Okko’s vest.

The path is linked to the season of Spring and the element of water. Spring is the season of new possibilities, but also when kids begin to have more movement now that they have warmer weather to enjoy. The changing temperatures also cause more rainfall and flooding as snow melts. This links to the element of water. Okko also has a fishing pole as one of their artifacts because they enjoyed the hobby so much. Sailors would often be explorers on the seas and down rivers. Water buckets are useful in the depths of the underground, either through hydration or simply to put out fires. These are the main reasons that spring and water are connected to this path.

## Key Values

The main values of this path are exploration, expertise, foresight, safety, and open-mindedness.

Open-mindedness is all about being open to new experiences and new ideas. This means learning about others or hearing them out even if you don’t like them. It is important to stick to one’s ideals, of course, but sometimes ideas can be wrong or misinterpreted. It can take hearing a different viewpoint to help understand one’s own viewpoint more deeply as it forces you to ask and answer questions you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.

Exploration seems to be self-explanitory, but it is not just about going spelunking or sailing the seas. It’s about not just being open-minded about something but also looking deeper into the subject. The actual act of going down underground to explore is much different then simply being open to the idea, after all. So while open-mindedness is about the mindset, exploration is about the action itself.

The value of safety comes from both miners, sailors, and general travelers. It is about preparing for whether if you’re on the road or at sea. It is about having the proper tools to do a job and making sure a cave won’t collapse on oneself. It is about having a buddy system worked out so that if one goes down, another can call for help. It is good to prepare, but it is also important to prepare in the right way.

This is why it is important to have foresight and expertise. Foresight helps plan for what could go wrong and what safety measures need to be put in place to make sure everyone is safe. Expertise is all about knowing one’s field of interest, which improves foresight by making it more accurate and applicable to any situation. But expertise also comes from experience and this helps find solutions when foresight fails to predict an outcome.

## Key Proverbs

Here are some proverbs / sayings tied to this path.

* “Just because water is plentiful, doesn't mean it is safe to drink.”
* ‘Wisdom is not a solution to a problem, but a way to avoid it.”
* “All fears stem from questioning the unknown.”
* “Playing with risk can grant lives prosperity or lead to their destruction.”
* “It is easy to be kind to a friend; it is hard to be kind to an enemy.”
* “Potential is often seen by others, but not by oneself.”
* “Knowledge is hidden amidst the unknown, and bravery is required to retrieve it.”
* “No one knows their legacy, as no one sees the world after they’re gone.”