[Shelved][✓] Mani - Demigods of the Wild

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Spoiler

These are meant to be ET and LT played creatures, not open to the general public.

Mani - Demigods of the Wild

“We’re simple folk here. We eat what we grow and we grow what we eat. But one summer the heat bore down on us. I was sure GOD was punishing us for our sins. Our crops dried up so we took to our ancestor’s life. Hunting in the woods. Them pigs was the best meat. Could gore ya with their tusks but, they was big, easy shot through the eyes. So we kept killing em. More we killed, harder they became to find.

 

Then the rain returned and we went back to our crops… but we didn’t expect the storm. Oh blessed St. Godfrey… hundreds and hundreds of them boars. A sea of fur. They gored us on their tusks and flattened our homes like a roller over dough. At their head… a beast, it weren’t of this world, I tell you. A demon, a demon of vengeance in the form of a great big bloody pig…”

 

~Yeoman of a hamlet outside Petrus, 1456

 

---

 

 

Introduction

The Mani, at their essense, are guardian spirits created and appointed by the Aspects, gods of the wild, to serve as protectors of a certain niche or species. Their mandate is simple, to protect their species, whatever that species may be. To guide them to green pastures or rich hunting grounds, and to fend off all who would threaten their tribe’s existence. They are born from nature’s many beasts, the most worthy of each species are chosen by the Aspects and granted an eternal lifespan and powers of the divine. These chosen beasts are in essense, reborn as Demigods.

 

The Mani are numerous and take many forms. One for each major niche fulfilling species of the wild. The Ancient Seeds of the wood elves regarded these immortal spirits as beings to be venerated, as princes of their tribe. There were many. A Prince of the Wolves, Prince of the Boars, Prince of the Eagles, Prince of the Elk, among others.

 

These divine beasts are blessed with sapience, intelligence, and wisdom accumulated over potentially thousands of years of living. They use these gifts to shepherd their flocks and ensure the breed they are entrusted to protect is prosperous and thriving. The more powerful of the Mani often take incorporeal forms, drifting from one grouping of their species to another, guiding individual flocks, herds and packs when the machinations of men threaten them.

 

Mani can be generous to the mortal descendants, even to those who hunt their tribe. Elves and men who leave gifts of tribute in the woods, and perform the proper rites of respect when interacting with their breed, may find unexpected blessings bestowed on them by the divine beasts. Inversely, those who overhunt, overfish, or destroy too much of a species habitat may soon find a dark, hulking shadow looming in the night. It is then they know they have invoked the wrath of the wild.

 

Given their nature, there are many that claim the Mani to be the bridge between man and beast.

 

Origin

There was a time when the world was young, when the Aspects influence over the mortal world was still new. This was a time before the races of men, elves and dwarves walked the land. It was a more primal world. Far wilder, less order. Then, the descendents arrived. They came into the world stumbling, with no niche to fill. Yet, under the leadership of their forefathers, they carved one for themselves.

 

Men would soon build great cities, leveling the primal elder forests to make farmland to feed their ever growing populations. The Dwarves hollowed out once proud mountains and filled the sky with coal smoke. Only the elves, under Malin’s guidance, carved a life for themselves which coexisted with the wild, but even their presence was dooming to the great leviathans that once roamed the world, now hunted into extinction by the Mali.

 

To the Aspects, the damage had been done. The mark the mortal races of the realm had left on the ecosystem was irreversible. But, could be mitigated. Yet gods could only interfere directly so much in this world. So, they devised a solution. The Aspects made a great call. At the highest mountain in the ancient world, they called upon the single strongest, wisest, most cunning member of each great species of the earth. And so they gathered. The Cheiftains of the Elk, Boar, Eagle, Panther, Wolf, Horse and Snake were the first to heed the call.

 

The Aspects bestowed upon them two gifts. One of sapience, and one of divine etherealism. For in order for nature to counteract the influence of mortal men on this world, it had to fight back with man’s greatest advantage: its intelligence. These newly elevated beasts, the first of the Mani, would hold the powers of the Aspects, a power necessary to protect their tribes- and the ability to roam about the earth in spirit from to keep an eye on all their kin.

 

Yet, the Aspects did not instruct the Mani to wage war. Infact, they were created for an entirely different purpose. To bring balance between mortals and the great wild. In dire situations, the Mani were to protect their tribe from men, elves and dwarves at any cost. Yet, they were also to reward the ones who displayed a respect for the Aspects and nature, to bestow upon them blessings and gifts. Like parents, wrathful in disobedience but rewarding in good behaviour, the Mani would come to embrace their role as enforcers of the new world order.

 

Behaviour

“Do you hear the wolves howl, boy? The great packs gather at the edge of this forest, where the mountains meet the sea, it means they have come to see their king. These lands are watched over by mordu ito el’nor. We would do well to leave an offering before we hunt, else our wives will find our carcasses days later, missing our throats.”

 

~Elder Warrior of an Ancient Mali’ame Seed

 

The Mani are enigmatic beings. The way they act (when they can even be observed by man) is often unexplainable and irrational to those who attempt to make sense of it. Be that as it may, these demigods have a deeper understanding of the machinations of nature’s balance and their respective species’ place in it than any other. Many can employ the powerful gifts that were bestowed upon them to better fulfill their duty.

 

In terms of basic intelligence, Mani have it in abundance. They are capable of speech in the tongues of men and elves, and understanding concepts such as emotion and mental cognition through a human lense. This is a gift bestowed upon them by the Aspects so they can better fulfill their duty as the bridge between descendents and beasts. Despite this, they are a rare sight to man, only appearing before humans to bestow blessings to the rare few who are worthy, and reign vengeance on those who abuse the balance of nature.

 

 

On that front, the Mani have many powers, many of which you would expect, being patron creations of the Aspects. In their creation into eternal demigods, these creatures were essentially “attuned” much in the same way the gods of nature lend their power to mortals when they become druids. As such, the Mani often display feats that mirror druidic magic, with a wilder, more powerful edge.

 

Some examples of a Mani’s power are as follows.

• Achieve communion with all life forms around them. Their mastery over this exceeds their druidic counterparts exponentially. They can sense the tiniest things from yards away, making them almost impossible to sneak up on. You do not find a Mani. It finds you.

 

• Have mastery over the wilds around them, and direct nearby flora to their will

 

• Have limited control over the weather. Usually limited to precipitation (Rain, snow, and hail)

 

• Take on non-corporeal forms. The Mani can take on spiritual forms to drift about the world, travelling from one pocket of their species to another. However, they cannot use their other gifts while in a non-physical body.

 

• Mental connection with their species. The Prince of Elk could order all of its kind gallop off a cliff, and they would do it. Not that it would never command such a thing. This gift is used by Mani to organize their tribe to defend against a looming threat, or send helpful beasts out to guide or aid descendents that pay respects

 

Weaknesses

 

The Mani are eternal, not immortal. After all, no one but aenguls or daemons ever could be. As such, they can be slain. Powerful enough magics or enough well placed arrows will down the divine beasts, although those who try may find that a demigod does not fall as easily as a normal animal, that they can sustain critical injuries and still fight on before perishing.

 

Ultimately, the greatest Achilles’ heel of the Mani is simple. The hearts of men.

 

There is a reason that the patron beasts avoid contact with the descendent races, choosing only to show themselves to men and women who prove themselves kind-hearted, wise, and respectful to the wild. This is because of the fact that by being given the gift to empathize with human concepts of emotion, they have become extra susceptible to it.

 

Mani can be corrupted by human cruelty and greed. This happens only when these things are enacted upon it, not simply witnessed. When a Mani is wronged directly, such as being attacked directly, or having its home destroyed by man, its vulnerable heart warps, and it becomes a twisted corruption of itself. This demon abandons all its inhibitions and becomes a tool of vengeance, attempting to destroy all in its path, controlled by the very anger exposed to it by mankind.

 

The Great Spirits

Not all Mani are created equal. The power of each individual depends on the abundance of their species and said species’ influence upon the great balance. The greatest and most powerful of the Mani are called the ‘Great Spirits’. These are the divine beasts that are best known to men and elves, and thus have been given names and titles. While they are not the only Mani, not by a long shot, they are perhaps the most venerated.

 

Amaethon - Prince of the Cervidae

 

Among the most enigmatic and rarely seen of Mani is Amaethon, Prince of the Cervidae, otherwise known as the Chieftain of Elk, Deer and Moose. Amaethon is quiet and contemplative, as befits the species he guides. He rules with a light touch, patiently guiding his herds to green pastures and often choosing to steer them away from the big cities of men instead of confronting them directly.

 

Amaethon is among the more generous when it comes to interaction with descendents. Albeit, he is hard to find. Those who do manage to get his attention through an appropriate offering, or the right respect shown when hunting and consuming his species, may receive blessings of plentiful crops or cure from sickness, among other things.

 

Sequana - Prince of the Cetacea

 

In ancient times, Wood Elven seeds were spread across the lands. Among the ones who dwelled by the sea-side, a common mantra was spoken: “Beware Sequana, Lord of Whales”. Sequana is a true leviathan, and rules the deep waves. His tribe is relatively few in number, and thus he defends them fiercely, making him one of the more aggressive Mani.

 

Sequana will defend the ocean from overfishing and tainting of the water. However, it is whalers in particular that must be most careful. The ancient mali’ame would often spend days appeasing Sequana through offering and ceremony before setting out with their harpoons to hunt whales and dolphins. To the less prepared, those who hunt the great marine mammals with no respect for their kill may find themselves invoking the wrath of the Leviathan, and finding themselves a deep, watery grave.

 

Morea - Prince of Wolves and Hounds

 

If you keep with you a pet dog, then beware. No matter how tame you think he is, how loyal, how docile, he will leave you if called upon by Morea, Chieftain of Wolves and Hounds. As befits his title and appearance, Morea is the Mani of canines. He holds dominion not over the wild wolfpacks of the wild, but also the domesticated hounds of men, elves and dwarves, and considers himself their protector. A cruel man who beats or starves his loyal pet may have his corpse discovered mysteriously, ripped apart by teeth and claws…

 

Beyond that, Morea is considered by many to be an apex predator, the patron of the hunt. It is said that he who gives him proper offering and shows the right amount of reverence will find a pack of wolves by his side, guiding him in the hunt. Of course, said hunter would have to be willing to share his kill, and perhaps eat it raw.

 

Nemglan - Princess of Eagles

 

Lord of the sky, chieftain of the bird of prey. It is said Nemglan is a Mani that can be in perpetual flight, never needing to land, and only doing so to perform its rare interactions with mankind or other beasts and Mani spirits. Falconers and bird tamers in particular owe a debt to this divine beast of the sky for any success they have in the hunt, for in a simple passing, she can have the feathered predators turn against their human masters.

 

Among all the Mani, it is perhaps Nemglan who has the least concern for the descendent races and their affairs. However, to those dedicated enough, she still has blessings to give. Any who manage to tame a wild bird of prey to their will, be it a hawk, falcon or eagle, gains the respect of Nemglan, and will find themselves given success in the hunt. Any who mistreat their newfound companion, however, or seeks to undermine its nature as a wild animal may end up ripped up by talons instead.

 

Moccus - Prince of Boars

 

Moccus goes by many names. The Prince of Boars, Chieftain of Pigs, and the Warrior Beast. The last one best befits his nature, as Moccus is perhaps the most warlike of the Mani, preferring direct confrontations with humans, elves, dwarves and whatever else threatens his species. Entire villages have been known to be flattened should they overhunt or damage too severely the habitat of the great pigs.

 

But prowess in battle aside, Moccus is not as savage as one may think. Although he prefers direct fighting over lurking in the shadows like other Mani, it does not mean he deliberately seeks out war. War only comes when mankind deliberately threatens his brood. Moccus can be helpful and gentle to descendents. He is known to watch over sacred places of the Aspects, elder trees and groves. Even Cerridwen herself was known to favour the boar god, and take him as a lover.

 

Machana - Princess of Steeds

 

Machana is yet another Mani whose influence holds much weight in the realm of men, elves and dwarves, seeing as much of her kin coexist and serve the descendent races as mounts. Unlike other Mani, Machana has a more passive nature and often refuses to engage in conflict. However, anyone who mistreats their mounts may awake one day to find an organized stampede of horses flattening their stable and galloping their way to freedom.

 

Machana, like all Mani, watches over her flock in nature. All herds of wild horses are her domain, and she dutifully leads them to the greenest pastures and most suitable climates. Men and elves who seek to tame a wild horse will often be blessed by Machana with a strong and loyal steed should they make the right offerings and afford the right respect beforehand.

 

Other Mani

There is no set number for how many Mani roam the earth. Theoretically, there could be as many as there are families of animal species in the world. The greater the species in influence, population and geographic spread, the more power a Mani will have. Some lesser known, yet documented Mani are as follows.

• Prince of Wildcats

 

• Prince of Toads

 

• Prince of Snakes

 

• Prince of Ravens

 

• Prince of Bears

 

Conclusion

For those who frequent the woods, beware. For nature is like us in many ways, divided by tribes. Tribes have leaders. Leaders like ours, who are benevolent to the loyal and wrathful to the disobedient and disrespectful. Nature has rulers, kings who watch over their people and will do anything to protect them. The wild is a mysterious place ruled by great beasts. The descendent races can seek to appease and respect them, or conquer them, as is the nature of man. But woe be to those who invoke the wrath of kings.

[GodEmperorFlam 3447]

[Jonificus 2711]

Can I play Prince of Snakes?

[Archipelego 2093]

30 minutes ago, 吳憾戰士14 said:

Even Cerridwen herself was known to favour the boar god, and take him as a lover.

o my

+1

[Sky 0]

Like it all but the cerridwen getting fucked by a boar ...

[BrandNewKitten 2788]

GET IT  TREELADY UMPHHH! 

 

I like it :-) Can I be Mani of Celestials?

The answer is I already am. 

 

Accepted.

[Gladuos 857]

MMmmmmm That's some nice lore you got there. Take my rep. Also this kinda reminds me of arch feys from D&D!

[E__V__O 1984]

May I ask quickly do these creatures have lesser or superior souls?

Also what makes them possible to control the weather even slightly when the aspects haven't blessed druids to have the same ability.

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

1 hour ago, Evocress said:

May I ask quickly do these creatures have lesser or superior souls?

Also what makes them possible to control the weather even slightly when the aspects haven't blessed druids to have the same ability.

0

I would assume given they are demigods that they would have superior souls.

 

They can control the weather simply because the Aspects gave them more powers than druids. The Mani are literally demigods, entrusted as the direct underlings of the Aspects, who interact with them personally. The druids are a step down the rung.

 

1 hour ago, Jaeden said:

I actually love this lore. I feel it definitely something I could get behind in roleplay.

 

DISAPPOINTED TO SEE PRINCE OF THE WILDCATS NOT BEING A GREATER MANI THOUGH. Lions being king of the wilds and all!

 

Though that aside, amazing read. I've got a couple questions however.

 

- How much of this information would be known ICly? I'd imagine making some books on them and passing them around both the wood elven library and druidic library would spark a lot of interest in this lore.

 

- What is the bond or connection between both Mani and Druid? They both share attunement from the Aspects. Would a druid be capable of calling upon a Mani for aid or insight, or be rejected as a lesser being? Aid not being calling upon these creatures for combat or anything unless war threatens to burn down the forests. Rather, aid in assisting the animals of the groves and other more menial requests.

0

 

Its always hard when you write new lore for creatures or beings that canonically have always existed, and RPly would have been known about, but OOCly weren't written into lore until now. Yes, I think its reasonable that modern day druids and wood elves will know of the Mani's existence and their general purpose, but perhaps memory of specific names and details has faded over time.

 

A druid can call for a Mani, but a Mani will by no means bound to answer. They are completely free in will and druids are unable to control them. Mani decide whether someone is worthy of their blessings. Druids, being the aspects servants, are more likely to see a Mani.

[tea with Gwyn 217]

Oh boy, more druid stuff. Do we need more druid stuff? I think we have plenty of interesting druid stuff already. Instead of making more druid stuff, why don't we work on deepening the druid stuff we already have? It's not a bad idea, but I just think the lore is oversaturated with simple druid stuff already. Let's complicate and complexify(?) the druid stuff. Just my two cents.

[Sky 0]

8 minutes ago, Firekeeper said:

Oh boy, more druid stuff. Do we need more druid stuff? I think we have plenty of interesting druid stuff already. Instead of making more druid stuff, why don't we work on deepening the druid stuff we already have? It's not a bad idea, but I just think the lore is oversaturated with simple druid stuff already. Let's complicate and complexify(?) the druid stuff. Just my two cents.

 

When you say 'plenty of interesting druid stuff' what are you refering to? I'm genuinely curious.

[tea with Gwyn 217]

6 minutes ago, Sky said:

 

When you say 'plenty of interesting druid stuff' what are you refering to? I'm genuinely curious.

0

 

 

For one, there's shapeshifting. While I agree it should remain a secret art, I don't think that there should be any lore so secret that it effectively has no impact on the world anymore. We could do something about that, instead of just adding more to the pile. Additionally, and though Leo says otherwise I know it to be true because of older players, druids can weather control(unless that was removed during my long-ass haitus, which it very well could have been), but on an extremely limited level. 

Edit:

Quote

I can tell you've never involved yourself in druid roleplay then. Druid lore is one of the most vague, unexplained and unwritten pieces on LotC. It's why there are so many submissions, rewrites and clarifications being busted out now. To explain both past and present occurrences.

I've played a couple druds throughout my years on this server. Don't'cha remember Raine?

Edited June 11, 2017 by Firekeeper

[Sky 0]

2 minutes ago, Firekeeper said:

 

For one, there's shapeshifting. While I agree it should remain a secret art, I don't think that there should be any lore so secret that it effectively has no impact on the world anymore. We could do something about that, instead of just adding more to the pile. Additionally, and though Leo says otherwise I know it to be true because of older players, druids can weather control(unless that was removed during my long-ass haitus, which it very well could have been), but on an extremely limited level.

 

 

There is a bunch of shapeshifters, so that doesn't need to be increased upon as much as you believe, and druid's haven't been able to touch weather since Asulon.

[tea with Gwyn 217]

1 minute ago, Sky said:

 

There is a bunch of shapeshifters, so that doesn't need to be increased upon as much as you believe, and druid's haven't been able to touch weather since Asulon.

0

 

 

If that's the case, then I rescind statements about weather control. What I meant when I mentioned shapeshifting is that, like Jaeden said, "...  there are so many submissions, rewrites and clarifications being busted out now." We need more of the latter two, and less of the first, in my opinion.

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

25 minutes ago, Firekeeper said:

why don't we work on deepening the druid stuff we already have?

 

That's what I'm doing here, actually.

 

Also, this is not druid lore. It is possible for these creatures to never have any interactions with druid players in RP.