Lord of Mysteries Beyonders and Pathways, Explained

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Published online in 2018 and completed in 2020, *Lord of Mysteries* is a popular web novel by Cuttlefish That Loves Diving. Originally released on Qidian, it was officially translated and published on Webnovel thanks to CKTalon. Now adapted into an animated series by B.CMay PICTURES, this captivating story blends Victorian steampunk, Lovecraftian horror, and supernatural mystery. The novel follows a protagonist facing occult terrors in a dark, fantastical world, offering a fresh and inventive take on the isekai genre without directly identifying as one. The unique concepts of “Beyonders” and “Pathways” within *Lord of Mysteries* are sure to intrigue readers.

This animated series is packed with references to mysticism, supernatural abilities, secret groups, religious conflicts, Lovecraftian horror, and intriguing puzzles. From subtle lines – like a character quoting a phrase linked to the occultist Aleister Crowley – to lore based on real-world beliefs, there’s a wealth of hidden meaning to explore. While a single article can’t cover everything, we’ll do our best to break it down!

A Tale of Transmigration and Tarot

It is June 28th, 1349 in the city of Tingen, located in the Kingdom of Loen. As the date of a major disaster – September 9th – approaches, a young Chinese man named Zhou Mingrui unexpectedly finds himself transported to this time and place. A ritual meant to improve his luck went wrong, and he awoke inside the body of Klein Moretti, a recent university graduate who had just taken his own life.

In a world filled with people who have supernatural powers – known as Beyonders – and are seeking to become gods, Klein awakens with no memory of his past life. He must investigate hidden mystical groups and unravel the mystery of his own death and rebirth. Clever and resourceful, he pretends to be a powerful being while secretly building a group called the Tarot Club. His ultimate goal is to grow strong enough to return to his former life.

The Path of the Divine is Steeped in Actual Doctrine

In the secret realm of Beyonders, people rely on special potions to gain incredible powers and progress towards enlightenment. There are 22 different Paths they can follow, each starting at level 9. The lower the number, the more powerful they become. Reaching level 0 grants power comparable to that of gods, a truly remarkable achievement known as the Path of the Divine.

The anime *Lord of Mysteries* is heavily inspired by Kabbalah. Concepts like the “Path of the Divine,” “Pathways,” “Sequences,” and “Pillars” directly mirror the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, which also features 22 pathways, 10 core elements, and 3 pillars. Like the Tree of Life, progressing along the Path of the Divine involves gaining knowledge, power, and achieving spiritual and personal growth. While the anime presents its own unique version of the system, the symbolism and structure strongly resemble genuine mystical and religious traditions.

The 72 cards of tarot appear to relate to the 22 Major Arcana, which represent 22 different paths, and the 10 Minor Arcana, which align with 10 sequences. Though tarot originated in 15th-century Italy as a game for the upper class, A.E. Waite, a member of the Freemasons (a secret society with its own 33 degrees and pathways), designed a standardized deck – the Rider-Waite – that’s now widely used for divination. This deck is linked to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a branch of Freemasonry, and corresponds to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.

Interestingly, the novel *Lord of Mysteries* details its own version of Sefirot, clearly inspired by the Kabbalistic concept. However, instead of directly matching the Kabbalistic Sefirot to the story’s Pathways and Sequences, these Sefirot relate to the nine Sequences *above* Sequence 0 (the Great Old One), plus the other nine fundamental Sequences. Within the story, the Sefirot are seen as collections of power left on Earth by the Original Creator, and believed in by the Ancient Gods.

How do the Beyonders Obtain Such Powers?

In this anime, characters called Beyonders try to follow specific Paths and progress through Stages to gain extraordinary spiritual abilities, potentially even becoming godlike. All Paths start at the lowest level, Sequence 9. Because most people don’t know about Beyonders, those in power actively suppress any investigation into these mystical practices. Those who seek advancement can join an established church, or they can become “wild Beyonders” – individuals who pursue power independently and try to stay hidden from the church to avoid being captured.

Most people gain supernatural abilities, called “Boons,” by drinking potions made from special ingredients – often remnants of past powerful beings. However, simply drinking a potion isn’t enough, and these concoctions frequently cause dangerous side effects like paranoia or hallucinations, potentially turning the drinker into a monster. To navigate this risky process more safely, people often follow established Paths and Sequences. Another way to gain power is to become a Boon Recipient, who gains abilities by praying to higher beings like True Gods. Reaching the highest levels of power, beyond Sequence 5, almost always requires performing complex rituals.

The idea of using potions to achieve enlightenment in this story might seem purely fantastical, but it actually reflects practices found in the real world. This could be interpreted metaphorically as a spiritual journey, or more directly as the use of mind-altering substances like ayahuasca or DMT, which can even lead to a sense of losing oneself. Many individuals and cultures throughout history have used such substances for spiritual exploration. Interestingly, just as Old Neil uses unusual ingredients in his potions, some ancient religious texts contain coded references to ingredients that weren’t necessarily literal – for example, instead of actually using ‘baboon blood,’ they may have used symbolic language.

Lord of Mysteries can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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2025-09-15 21:41