The Shepherd is the middle of the path and its first step with a promotion ritual. The main new ability is called Herding, and it sounds far more harmless than it works: the bearer absorbs another's soul into himself along with an otherworldly characteristic or granted power — including ghosts and evil spirits — and uses these powers himself. Magic of flesh and blood deepens, and shadow control grows into Commanding Shadows: now the Shepherd directly commands the deep shadows that belong to nothing living. The step's method of action sounds almost pastoral and is therefore especially ambiguous: the Shepherd is both a guide for people and a leader of lost souls, not letting them stray from the "flock" and leading them along the right path. Given that the very same souls are absorbed by the bearer, "the right path" here is a stretchable concept. The promotion ritual is arranged so that the soul and body part for a time: extract one's soul from the body; make the soulless body drink a potion; and return the soul back, completing the ascent.
