‘Lord of Mysteries' explained: A beginner's guide to the complex power system

The Hindu

2 days ago

The latest donghua hit, Lord of Mysteries, is a dark fantasy set in a Victorian-era world filled with arcane secrets, shadowy organisations, and a surprisingly grounded system of magic. But for newcomers, its dense lore and layered power system can quickly feel overwhelming. If you're just getting into the story, whether through the original web novel or the new anime adaptation on Crunchyroll, this guide will help you understand how its complex power system works.
Originally serialised on China's Qidian platform between 2018 and 2020, Lord of Mysteries — written by the pseudonymous Cuttlefish That Loves Diving — is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious and tightly structured web novels of its generation. A genre-blending epic that fuses steampunk aesthetics with Lovecraftian horror and esoteric mysticism, it has amassed tens of millions of readers, inspired passionate fan theories, and now finds itself adapted into a gorgeously animated series.
Lord of Mysteries is primarily a story about knowledge and power — how to gain it, how to survive it, and how easily it can unravel the self. This guide is for newcomers curious about the world's strange but meticulously constructed framework of rituals, potions, Pathways, and personas that shape the fate of every character in the story.
It goes without saying but, consider this your [SPOILER WARNING] in case you aren't caught up yet.
What is a Beyonder?
A Beyonder is someone who has consumed a potion tied to a specific supernatural Pathway, which is kind of like a magical career path. Each Pathway offers a unique theme and a ladder of powers called Sequences.
Each Pathway in Lord of Mysteries is loosely inspired by a Major Arcanacard from the Tarot deck — much like in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders — with each title reflecting archetypal roles that shape a Beyonder's abilities, identity, and fate. Once you pick a Pathway, switching to another is extremely risky unless it's an adjacent one. Most people stick to one Pathway for their entire journey.
Our main charcter Klein Moretti, for instance, begins on the Seer Pathway, where the focus is on intuition, foresight, and rituals. Leonard and Dunn Smith, two members of the Nighthawks, belong to the Sleepless Pathway, which centres around mental resilience and dream manipulation. Audrey is a Spectator, trained in observing and influencing human behaviour. Alger, a sailor-turned-occultist, is following the Sailor Pathway, which leans toward elemental and storm-based powers. Other characters like Daly Simone and Old Neil follow Pathways tied to death, spirits, and forbidden knowledge.
There are 22 Pathways in total, and each one grants a different set of abilities as a person progresses through it.
What are Sequences?
Each Pathway is structured like a ladder of Sequences, counting down from Sequence 9 (the weakest) to Sequence 1 (on the edge of godhood). Klein starts at Sequence 9: Seer. His next step would be Sequence 8: Clown, which grants new powers but also greater risks.
Here's how the power tiers generally break down:
Lower Sequences (9–8): Beginner-level powers. Beyonders can perform basic supernatural feats but remain mostly human.
Mid Sequences (7–5): Powers grow stronger and more dangerous. Mental strain increases. Klein's allies like Dunn (Sequence 7: Nightmare) and Daly (Sequence 7: Spirit Medium) operate at this level.
High Sequences (4–1): Demigod-level abilities. Beyonders at this stage can manipulate reality on a large scale, but are constantly at risk of madness or losing control.
To advance to the next Sequence, a Beyonder must consume the next potion in their Pathway. But it's not as simple as drinking and leveling up.
How do you level up?
The key to safely progressing through Sequences is called the Acting Method. This is a core part of the Lord of Mysteries power system and one of the reasons it feels so grounded and original.
Here's how it works: Each Sequence is tied to a title — Seer, Clown, Spirit Medium, Nightmare, etc. — and that title isn't merely symbolic. A Beyonder must act like the title to digest the potion properly. In Klein's case, as a Seer, he needs to perform divination and engage in prophetic rituals. That's why he joins the local Divination Club.
By acting in line with the nature of their Sequence, Beyonders gradually stabilise the chaotic elements within the potion. This process is called digestion. Only after fully digesting a potion can they safely move to the next one.
Most Beyonders don't know about the Acting Method. When Klein shares it with other members of his Tarot Club — like Alger (Sequence 8: Folk of Rage) and Audrey (Sequence 9: Spectator) — they're stunned. Alger, a veteran sailor with his own secrets, immediately understands how valuable this information is.
What happens if you fail?
If a Beyonder fails to digest a potion or advances too quickly, they risk losing their sanity. This loss of control can turn them into violent, deformed monsters or inhuman beings consumed by the very power they tried to harness. Failed Beyonders are often dangerous and unstable, which is why official organisations like the Nighthawks try to regulate potion use and monitor their activity.
Who regulates all this?
The supernatural is largely hidden from the public. Instead, it's managed by major religious and military institutions. Each church holds dominion over a few Pathways. For instance, the Church of the Evernight Goddess oversees the Darkness and Death Pathways and runs the Nighthawks.
Other official factions and rogue organizations compete over magical knowledge, potion ingredients, and ancient texts that help decode the rules of being a Beyonder.
The Antigonus Family Notebook
The Antigonus Family were once powerful nobles deeply entrenched in occult research. But like many who rose too quickly through the Beyonder ranks, they were destroyed by the very powers they sought to master. One of their surviving relics is a notebook containing handwritten records of their studies, rituals, and most dangerously, Beyonder potion formulas.
This notebook plays a crucial role early in Klein's journey. It provides rare and secret knowledge — most notably about the Acting Method — and introduces Klein to the idea that climbing the Sequence ladder is possible without succumbing to madness, if one is disciplined and careful. It's also a cursed object, capable of triggering hallucinations and mental collapse if handled incorrectly.
What are Sealed Artifacts?
Beyonders often use powerful magical items called Sealed Artifacts. These are rare, dangerous, and unique. Think of them like cursed tools that can give you incredible power, but they come with side effects that vary from inconvenient to life-threatening. Artifacts are ranked from Grade 3 (least dangerous) to Grade 0 (most dangerous). Because of their power, Sealed Artifacts are heavily guarded and usually only handled by high-ranking Beyonders.
A perfect example of a Sealed Artifact in the Lord of Mysteries anime is 2-049 (or the Antigonus Family Puppet), which is a Grade 2 Sealed Artifact. The creepy, jointed doll dressed in oil-stained brown cloth with a painted clown face and a wide grin is sent to Tingen City from the Backlund diocese to track Ray Bieber, a suspected descendant of the Antigonus Family.
The puppet passively slows nearby individuals, both mentally and physically. Once caught in its influence, you'll need external help — usually a physical tap — to break free. If not rescued in time, you become paralysed and fall completely under its control.
What's the Gray Fog?
Klein gains access to a mysterious space above the spirit world, known as the Gray Fog. From here, he can communicate with others, conduct rituals, and even protect himself from divine interference. It also becomes the base of operations for the Tarot Club.
What makes this Power System so unique?
The power system in Lord of Mysteries is both strict and flexible. It runs on clear rules but allows for mystery, improvisation, and growth. The Acting Method turns every new power into a test of identity. Advancing through the Sequences can't be achieved by brute force, but requires self-understanding, discipline, and learning how to wear a mask without becoming it.
It's not a system you can cheat. You have to earn every step, and if you're careless, you might not survive the climb. This creates a world that feels both magical and believable, with no shortcut to becoming powerful. You have to study, adapt, and survive. That's what keeps the world grounded, even as it grows more bizarre.
If you're just starting the anime or the novel, take your time. The story doesn't rush its explanations, but once you start to see how the pieces fit, the world opens up in clever, satisfying ways.
Lord of Mysteries is currently streaming on Crunchyroll