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Shamanism Explained In a dimension as vast and unpredictable as the Spirit Realm, it can be difficult at times to understand how the smaller aspects of Shamanism work, what the limitations are, and how to apply what you can work with. It is my intention in this post to detail everything I currently understand about Shamanism, my interpretation of it and what I have come to clarify from my previous experience as the Shaman Lore Master; of which I believe there has been no replacement. If there is one, I apologise for not seeking you out in advance. I asked only on one occasion. So, before we get into the nitty-gritty details of how Shamanism as a Magic works, and what the limitations contained within are, let's explore how the Spirit realm came to be. The Birth of the Spirit Realm The Daemon, Apohet created the Spirit Realm after observing the realm of Mortals, and in his jealousy, attempted to create a dimension of his own which would come to rival the Realms of the Descendants. This became the space that would soon house the Spirits; the entities he created to inhabit this vast dimension. Yet in his blind arrogance and passion, he wanted each of the Spirits to come to control and represent something in the Mortal Realm, so that his creations would always have a hold and a sway over the Realm of Mortals. He started with the most prominent aspects of existence, and created two Spirits that were aligned to the concepts of Time and Space. These two Spirits would materialise in an explosive burst of energy and potential, and in an instant foresaw all of time and creation. Just as soon as they were birthed into existence they experienced time eternal, and came to understand and explore the unlimited expanse of the Universe. They foresaw all events and all possibilities, and instantly became more powerful than their creator. They became known as Sandru, the Spirit of Time, who often takes the form of an ice blue snake, and Omnizan, the Spirit of Space, who most often appears as a crimson serpent. The pair are invariably intertwined in this state, and are said to be in and out of reality as they continue to experience endless time. For this reason, it is impossible to contact them. Apohet continued with his voracious appetite for glory, and created the Elemental Spirits, who would collectively reign over the second most prevalent things in all of creation; matter. In their Elemental Realms they are unimaginably powerful, and dwarf their lesser cousins, who exist in a realm outside of their own. These Spirits are known as the Immortal Spirits, and represent many of the more specific things of the world, and they are the last of the creations of Apohet. Lastly, there are Spirits that reside in Star'Gush Stroh, which is the after-life that worshipers of the Spirits may enter. These "Spirits" are Mortal Souls, who were blessed with the ability to enter this afterlife due to Apohet's admiration of Krug; which caused his last influence in his dimension to be a pocket of the Spirit Realm in which Mortal Souls could reside for eternity. Based on this, we can come to understand there there are various levels or dimensions to the Spirit Realm. - For a detailed list of all of the current Spirits, refer to: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/153791-the-spirits-grand-list/#comment-1453308 I imagine it would look something like this: Time & Space ---------------------------- Elemental ------------------- Immortal ---------- Ancestor ---- The Birth of Shamanism In isolation and rage, Krug called out for an answer to the Curse set upon him and his people by Iblees. For it was one of a deep Blood Lust, and had caused unimaginable harm to his people. For decades they had lashed out in barbaric fury, slaughtering one another in the streets for the momentary release it would offer them. Yet as Krug called out, all was silent. However, unbeknownst to him, his incomparable power had brought his message to the Spirit Realm, and he then received a response. The Elemental Spirit of Air came forth, and offered to work with Krug in order to achieve a goal. You see, the deep desire for recognition and advancement that fueled Apohet's ambitions had been instilled in his children, and in the interaction with Krug they saw a means of attaining more power, and more influence. Thus, from this encounter and subsequent co-operation, Shamanism was born. But how does Shamanism work, you might ask? Good question. How Does a Shaman Connect? Over time, the act of Shamanism began to branch into different specialisations. This occurred because no Orcs were as powerful as Krug, and could not reach the Spirit Realm in the same manner as him. For this reason, a method of connecting to the different Spirit Realms was imparted into the children of Krug, so that they could reach out of the Spirits in order to receive wisdom, advice, or even something more tangible. This is achieved through meditation of some form, and currently there are only two ways in which a Shaman may interact with the Spirit Realm. 1) Transferal of Consciousness One method is to transfer consciousness into the Spirit Realm, which is done through deep meditation, focusing on the realm and even the Spirit the Shaman wishes to visit. The Shaman's mana is used to transfer his consciousness into the Dimension, and his body is left behind in the Mortal Realm, where it is susceptible to damage due to being paralysed. If a Shaman were to be killed within the Spirit Realm, his physical body would also die, due to the connection of his soul/consciousness being torn. Typically, a Shaman would only visit the Spirit Realm in order to seek advice, to create a pact with an Elemental Spirit, or to visit Star'Gush Stroh, where he or she may speak with the deceased. 2) Connection through Ceremony In terms of tangible work, a Shaman will choose to instead connect with the Realm of the Spirits, as opposed to visiting it on more of a literal level. All acts upon the Mortal Realm are achieved through this second method. This is done by calling out for their attention, so that they may work through the Shaman's mana in order to influence the Mortal Realm. The Shaman must adopt and embrace the energies that the Spirit or the Realm represents. For instance, if a Shaman wanted to connect to Enrohk, the Spirit of Bloodlust, they might start by sacrificing a Goat. Then they would begin chanting in an aggressive and furious tone, finishing by dancing in a manner that also mimics a fit of rage. A Spirit will rarely manifest in the Mortal Realm of their own will, for if they were to be killed, their energy would shatter and they would ultimately die. Typically, it is only the Immortal Spirits who summon their energies into the realm of the Descendants, and do this by transporting one of their Lesser Servants into the Realm to act on their behalf. The Sub-Types of Shamanism Farseer Class: Healing/Enhancement Realms: Immortal & Ancestral A Farseer devoted his energy to heaing or enhancing someone by working with the Spirits of the Immortal of Ancestral Realm. To do this, he must connect with the Spirits through Ceremony, and once connected, may impart their influence into the chosen person. Currently, Farseers are unable to heal or enhance themselves. Latauman Class: Healing/Enhancement Realms: Immortal & Ancestral Latauman work in much the same way as Farseers, and devote their energies to healing or enchancement. Expect, in the case of the Latauman, he may only bring positive influence upon himself, to a greater degree than the Farseer. Latauman are unable to heal or enhance others. Spirit Smith Class: Enhancement Realms: Immortal and Elemental A Spirit Smith must connect to Gentharuz initially, in order to crate an item known as a Mortal Stone. This is used to contain a Minor Spirit, who uses it's energies to influence the world. Once this initial process has been achieved, anyone in possession of the item may call upon the Spirit inside the stone to utilise the energy it represents. Elementalist Class: Damaging Realms: Elemental An Elementalist must first take his consciousness into the Elemental Realm in order to make a pact with an Elemental Spirit. Once this pact has been made, the Shaman may call upon that Spirit to assist them in influencing the mortal world. Elementalists can only work with existing elements, which means they vary from Evocation in this regard. Apart from this, the mechanism of influencing said elements works in very much the same way. However, it takes considerably less effort to harness existing material. Witch Doctor Class: Damaging Realms: Elemental/Immortal Witch Doctors connect with the Spirit Realm through chanting, and attempt to imbue the Spirits energy into a concoction known as a Hex. This liquid may be used to invoke a feeling or illness upon the victim, which is known as a curse. There are not often physical influences (though they do exist), but instead mental ones. For instance, a Hex of Fire will not explode into flame, but will instead give the sensation of being on fire. With great effort, a Witch Doctor may cause this same process without the brew, but it takes a considerable amount of time, and will often be stopped by the victim before it can be caused. Witch Doctors may Curse both forms of life: Plants and Animals. Dark Shamanism Class: Damaging Realms: All Dark Shamans devour Spirits in order to influence the world around them, by forcefully utilise their energies. Once they have control over something, it begins to contort and twist into a corrupted form, as the act is being done against the will of the Spirit. For more information on Dark Shamans, refer to: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/150801-lore-trial-2m-from-290916-ishurkal-dark-shamans/?page=1 How do Spirits Influence the World/How Does it Work? In order to have dominion over the Mortal Realm, Apohet had to bestow small parts of his energy into the world. He did this by creating Dormant Spirits, entities that are directly tied to what they are imbued within and indeed, the Realm they represent. When an Earth Elementalist calls to the Elemental he has a pact with, that Spirit will harness the mana of the Shaman to awaken the Dormant Spirits within the earth, thus allowing manipulation to occur. The Spirit awakening the energy has no real influence over the decisions of the Dormant Spirits, and so the Shaman must focus on controlling it with his mana in order to keep the Spirit in line, and is how he may direct where the earth moves to. This concept applies to all influence in the world, including physical and emotional, and it is the act of awakening these Dormant Spirits that gives rise to the subsequent control. I'll be adding more to this once I see what may be missing. I intend to start an F.A.Q at the end of this post so that I can answer questions I might not have thought of, and so I can implement them afterwards. So, fire away.