The Hermit is the pinnacle of the path of mystical knowledge, and his authorities are enumerated briefly, yet they cover the entire domain in full:
Knowledge, also known as Information — from this symbolism he holds that share of power that leans toward mysticism;
Mystical knowledge — the Hermit is its embodiment;
Concealment — the power to hide;
Teaching — the power to bestow knowledge upon others;
Peering into secrets — whatever the secret may be, whether knowledge, a part of mystical knowledge, or something else, one may look into it;
Mentor of the Spirit World — the Spirit World is a place where all manner of information converges, and information is knowledge.
The proximity of Concealment and Teaching in the same hands is telling. The Hermit is at once the one who hides knowledge and the one who hands it out — and decides which of the two to do.
The ritual of ascension puts an end to this choice, and that end favors concealment: one must gather all the information one has left in the world, find a suitable place and way to hide it completely — and leave not a single trace.
And so the path concludes. The Priest of Secrets began with a sheet of paper bearing others' secrets; the Hermit ends by hiding his own — every last one.
