Path of the Conqueror
by David KnottThis is the only Entropic Path to Immortality for which any information is provided in a canonical work (namely Gaz 10 "Orcs of Thar"). This posting provides a level of detail lacking in that work.
The Path of the Conqueror is opposed to the Path of the Dynast for the Sphere of Time. Since the latter Path favours clerics, druids, paladins, avengers, and dwarves, the Path of the Conqueror favours non-priestly members of any race whose natural life span is less than a century.
Quest: The Conqueror must build an excellent war machine or magic item that can affect the course of a major battle and successfully use that war machine or magic item in at least three battles.
1st Trial: The Conqueror must dominate all other sentient humanoid beings in a 500 mile radius.
Testimony: The Conqueror must gain control of a realm of 50,000 humans, 10,000 demi-humans, or 5000 goblinoids and convert a majority of the inhabitants of that realm to his own faith.
Task: The Conqueror must conquer a culturally superior nation and hold it against counterattacks and rebellions until the end of his mortal life, at which point his Immortal sponsor will remove him from the scene. During his life the Conqueror should either designate no successor (on the basis that he expects to live forever) or designate multiple successors whose claims cannot be evaluated easily. The removal of the Conqueror should spell the end of his empire as his potential successors fight for control of that empire.
2d Trial: Once the original empire has fallen in the civil wars that result after the Conqueror's death, the Immortal patron of the Conqueror will enable the Conqueror to possess or reincarnate as a common inhabitant of one of the successor states to his original empire. In this new form the Conqueror must re-establish his old empire, conquer at least half of the territory of his original empire, and perform some deed that will ensure that he will be remembered for centuries to come.
Once all of these requirements are met, the Conqueror becomes an
Immortal of the Sphere of Entropy dedicated to stagnating Time.