Shamans

INTRODUCTION

Chosen for unknown reasons, by forces primal, natural, and spiritual, the Shaman walks the path as the intermediary between the mortal world and the spirit world. Shamans are an interface between the different spirit worlds. They have the ability sees the spirits who linger in the world, and who need the help of someone who can help make their wishes known. Whether willing or unwilling, a Shaman must keep the balance of the two worlds by acting in the interests of the physical and spiritual worlds.

SLICES OF LIFE AS A SHAMAN

The human turns and looks at his ancestor, who urges him to follow the thief through the city, where he will discover why he steals. Sighing, the dragonborn tries to explain again to the man that his wife, her ghost standing next to him, wants him to know that his life should go on, and that her last gift to him is hiding in the hope chest that he’s been afraid to open. The half-elf hears the whisper of the gen on his shoulder, pushing him to keep going, that what he seeks is just around the corner. The gnome gasps awake as his spirit animal howls at him, springing to his feet in time to see the first bandit sneak into the camp, having already knocked out the watch.

CHAMPIONS OF THE VOICELESS

Shamans are the voice of spirits everywhere. They speak of the world’s history, or of areas fouled by man or magic that need to be cleansed. They are often called to help a ghost or revenant come to rest by passing on messages when they can, or by putting down the ones too feral to go on.

HEALERS OF THE SPIRIT

Shamans are, by appearance, called at random. Sometimes someone is born as one, or they died and came back with something else besides their soul. They might be part of a bloodline who has had these abilities for generations traveling from father to son or mother to daughter. They are called to help keep a balance not unlike that of a druid. But rather than balancing man and nature, they are called to maintain a delicate balance between the spirits and man. They can, with the right tools, information, or knowledge, bring peace to a region, a vale, or even to a single person suffering from loss.

SPIRIT WAYS

Though shamans are a part of many cultures, they often stand away from the culture they belong to. Considered important by many, they are not entirely a part of the world that many people walk in. Being constantly surrounded by spirits and with the ability to communicate with entities outside the range of everyone else’s perception, shamans are sometimes considered crazy, touched in the head, or simply special. Shamans are loosely organized by the types of spirits they interact with the most, and the ones who routinely come to the shaman for aid. While many may consider the shaman’s job a thankless task, the spirits and ghosts that shamans help actually do provide them with some services in exchange for their help and assistance. Shamans refer to the path they walk with the spirits as a Spirit Way.

Way of the Animist

A shaman who follows the Way of the Animist has found a way to talk to the spirits of things. There are spirits of rocks, lakes, rivers, and even the great Spirits of the Land who watch over and interact with whole regions of the world. Some elder shamans who follow this way strongly suspect there are great spirits of species, countries, and even places and things that the mortal world has never interacted with. Shamans who follow this Way beseech these spirits for favors, but such favors come with the cost of owing favors in return.

Way of the Medium

The Way of the Medium is made up of shamans who somehow can interact with the ghosts of the dead, and who have a responsibility to do what they can to help such ghosts let go the anchors which are preventing them from moving on. Whether this is as simple as delivering a message to a loved one, or helping their loved ones come to terms with their loss, or as more dangerous as finding out how they died or helping them to avenge themselves on their killer.

Way of the Primals

A shaman who uses the Way of the Primals has discovered, or was discovered by, the Great Primal Spirits of the world. They were there in the beginning, the first spirits of things – The Mountain, the Lake, the Ocean, the Forest. When the other races appeared, they changed slightly to better interact the world’s denizens, giving themselves new names and new natures to serve them. Shamans of the Primals are often mistaken for druids, but while druids revere and protect nature, the shamans revere and protect the interests of the mysterious primal spirits.

Way of the World Speaker

On very rare occasions, the world itself will call out for shamans who will speak for it, fight for it, and defend the life of all things upon it. These are the World Speakers. Your responsibilities are sometimes greater than others, but more often, you’re busy dealing with the small issues that are laying the groundwork and foundation of something greater and more dangerous to the world. Sometimes you’re lucky and you have friends who can help. Other times, you’re on your own. But the rewards are always equal to the risk.