The Shamans of Other SettingsThese are details available from official D&D sources about shamans in other settings. It is important to note that the term shaman does not necessarily mean the class itself and that it may have been used as a title for clerics. Not all shaman classes in the annals of D&D follow the same rules, especially those of earlier editions. Some adjustments may be required but their beliefs may still be used to complement your character's roleplay. This list is not exhaustive, is limited to shamans for races supported on the server, and does not claim to encompass all types of shamans ever listed in official D&D settings or books.
Dark SunElemental ShamansElemental shamanism is observed among douars of the nomadic herdsmen roaming the Tablelands and several other sentient races, including the tareks as well as in the halfling communities of the Forest Ridge. The same elemental spirits that empower druids and voodan are the most common patrons for Athasian shamans. The local environment usually dictates to which element the shaman allies himself. A tribe that lives on the shoals of the Sea of Silt would perish without a silt shaman, while those who wander freely would most likely be accompanied by a shaman of the air. The role of the shaman is to be an alchemist, medicine man, spiritual leader, and witch doctor, all combined in one mysterious, and often frightening, person. He or she is expected to provide healing, watch over births, be the guardian of tribal customs and rituals, conduct funeral ceremonies, act as an advisor to the chief, and generally provide for the tribe.
Tarek shamans always revere the element of Earth. These tareks constantly commune with nature, and thus live near to but outside the tarek community they are attached to. This lends them an air of mystery which helps strengthen their role in the tribe. They serve as advisors to tribal chiefs and leaders, direct the spiritual life of their tribes, teach tribal legends and traditions, and act as medicine men for their communities. They also direct the rituals and ceremonies that make up much of the tribal lifestyle.
DragonlanceShamans of the Gully Dwarves Reorx, the high god of all dwarves, failed the gully dwarves. While other folk live lives of luxury, gully dwarves live in squalor. It's not that they mind, but it only proves Reorx forgot them. So gully dwarves in turn do the same. They have discovered that the only people you can truly rely on are your own friends and family. To this end, the gully dwarves tend to worship their ancestors. They believe their loved ones are watching and guiding them. Giving thanks now and again can improve your fortune. Aghar also believe inanimate objects can be given true magical powers. This usually coincides with some personal event and an object they are holding at the time.
A tribe usually has a shaman of some sort, a wise-dwarf who has ideas and grasps the concept that there are numbers beyond two. Sometimes these shamans claim to speak with the spirits of the dead. In the Age of Mortals, several gully dwarf shamans have found that the dead have started talking back.
Shamans of the KagonestiKagonesti faith in any of the gods tends to be a shamanistic faith. To the Kagonesti, the gods aren’t entities separate from nature—they are nature. They see the Mother of Forests when they look at a mighty oak. They see the Blue Phoenix when they look at a trout-filled mountain stream. They hear the sweet voice of Astra when the wind blows through the leaves of the trees. They see the wrath of the Red Condor when the grizzly attacks a village without provocation.
In addition to respect for the gods, a great deal of animism colors Kagonesti beliefs. Most believe strongly that the world is full of spirits, and every animal, tree, creek, river, spring, rock, hill, and mountain has a spirit of its own. Ordinary Kagonesti are as likely to offer a prayer to the local spirits to aid them in their tasks as they are to pray to the gods. Many humans often assume animism of this sort might lead people to disdain hunting and consuming meat. Quite to the contrary, Kagonesti revere the hunt. They believe every mortal creature has its rightful place in life's grand circle, and as some are fated to be predators, others are fated to be prey; the Kagonesti embrace their role as predators.
EberronShamans of the Eldeen ReachesDescribed in Complete Divine, spirit shamans are divine spellcasters with a close connection to the spirits of the natural world. In the Eldeen Reaches, they are viewed as closely related to druids, and they belong to the same sects as the druids and rangers of the Reaches. Spirit shamans are most likely to join the Gatekeepers, the Greensingers, or the Wardens of the Wood.
Forgotten RealmsShamans of the Island Kingdoms (Kara-Tur)Spirits abound in the island kingdoms. The Bavanese have five categories for spirits: memedis (frightening spirits), lelembuts (possessing spirits), tujuls (familiar spirits), demits (place spirits, associated with holy locales such as temple ruins), and danjangs (guardian spirits, similar to demits). These categories are not so much types of spirits as descriptions of the context and content of supernatural encounters. Any particular spirit might be considered a memedi or a lelembut, for example, depending on the situation.
In practice, the concepts are also used as colorful metaphors. For example, rather than say a man has suddenly become wealthy, one can say that he has acquired a tujul; this implies that he now has a spirit to steal money or rice for him. (Whether this is the case might require the services of a witch and is not usually regarded as being worth the effort; it's easier to explain the matter by assuming there's a tujul.)
To placate the many spirits that dwell on the islands, the natives have a special ceremonial feast, called a slametan. This important ritual feast is performed on every important occasion, even if one has no reason to fear spirits; it has evolved into the common denominator of religious tradition on the islands.
Shamans of the Korobokuru (Kara-Tur)The korobokuru and their ishikorobokuru cousins do not have priests, as such; the head of the household performs religious services. There are members of korobokuru society who might be best described as shamans, however. They are called tusu. Most tusu are female, but males are not unknown and figure prominently in legends. The tusu's main function in the community is to be the communication channel of spirits. Their method involves a careful ceremony to appease the spirit. This ceremony is almost always conducted with the assistance of the village chieftain (especially since he is the one seeking advice or information).
Shamans of the Living Jungle (Kara-Tur)In the jungle of Malatra, shamans directly worship the spirits of the jungle, their holy symbols are of all varieties, even within a tribe: rattles, small drums, preserved snakes, bones, and virtually any totem or fetish imaginable.
Shamans of the Northern Wastes (Kara-Tur)In the Northern lands, shamans play a very important role as advisers, protectors, and spiritual guides to the community. The core of their belief is animism. The original tenet of animism is a belief that natural phenomena (which can include flora, fauna, inanimate objects, places, and even weather) have souls or spirits or are the incarnations of gods. The word “animism” comes from anima, which means “spirit.” One form of animism is druidism.
Beliefs of specific animistic creeds vary. For example, some hold that bears are the only animals with souls; others see spirits in every living creature, or even inanimate objects; and still others believe in pantheons of divine figures that manifest themselves in nature. Rituals and taboos spring from these beliefs and vary accordingly. But all animists are unified by their respect for nature; their philosophies emphasize working with it, cooperating with rather than exploiting their natural environment.
Shamans of the Shou (Kara-Tur)The people of Shou Lung and T'u Long have a strong shamanistic tradition. Their beliefs are rich and complex, centered around the
Celestial Bureaucracy. They believe that each deity, as well as numerous forces, spirits, and entities, were appointed a role to play by the Celestial Emperor. Prayers are not offered to a single deity, but to the correct entity in the right situation. They also have a deep respect for their ancestors.
There are two religions in the land of Shou Lung; the Path of Enlightenment, and the Way. In addition, there is a “faith” of custom; a philosophy of the Nine Travelers, which, through the years, has become the guiding principle behind the mandarinate scholars.
AncestorsWhen a mortal dies in the Celestial Empire, he is judged by the Lords of Karma as to his relative merit. If his merit is very high, he is elevated to the level of a Lesser Immortal, if less, he may become a sage. If he has merely lived a good and merit-filled life, he is granted eternal existence in the Heaven of the Ancestors. In this land, there is no pain, suffering, or infirmity. There is always delicious food to eat and fine clothes to wear. The ancestors have one responsibility, and that is to advise their descendants. To this end, each ancestor has a secret name, known only to the most trusted of his children, the invoking of which requires his attention.
SpiritsThere are two kinds of spirits; those of the dead, which include all baijang, gaki (or hungry ghosts), bisan, and the like; and those of nature —kami, harooga, and other aspects of the material world. The spirits of the dead are descended from those who lived evil or unfulfilled existences when they were alive. For this, they have been judged by the Lords of Karma to eternally walk the Earth as spirits, forever in torment. By day, they are shut away from the eyes of men in the darkness of the Underworld, where the black caverns echo with their screams of anguish. By night, they haunt the earth, often in evil, forbidden places, or near the place where they died or were buried. This, by the way, is why it is safe to approach a Shou graveyard by day, but extremely dangerous to do so by night.
Twisted by the pain of unfulfilled dreams, visions of vengeance for past wrongs, or hatred and evil, the hungry spirit is a creature of horror, feared by all men. As in all things of the Celestial Empire, they too have their duties, among which is to serve as a terrifying example of the result of evil practices. To accomplish this, most hungry spirits have supernatural powers and abilities, many of which are as deadly as they are frightening.
Equally powerful, but not as twisted, are the spirits of nature. These creatures exist as forces of the material world, moving through it to provide life and motion. Some spirits, such as the kami of place, are the guardians of sites and treasures. One legendary example of this is Harooga, the spirit of Akari Island. Others, such as kami of elements, move the winds and waters in the direction of the great dragons of Heaven. There are also spirits of stone and beasts, serpent and fowl, who also guard and protect powerful places in the world. It is these spirits of Wind, Air, and Water that the Chung Tao priests of T’u Lung call Nature Cods.
Shamans of the Tuigan Hordes (Faerûn/Kara-Tur)As a nomadic society, the tribesmen of the steppe have simple religious beliefs. Two gods, both elemental lords, are central to their beliefs. The most powerful and respected is Teylas, lord of the sky and storms (Akadi in Faerun). Teylas is the god of heaven. He watches over the nomads, sends rains, gives the people blessings, and protects them from evil spirits. When he is angry he sends powerful thunderstorms to strike down his enemies. The other major god is Etugen, the goddess of the earth (Grumbar in Faerun). She is the source of many of the blessings on the people. She causes herds to increase and protects against some diseases. She provides good pastures.
In addition to these two, the tribes believe in several lesser gods and spirits. The beast cult of horses is particularly important. An aspect of Eldath is venerated since water is so important. Selune is known for her connection to the moon. Malar, the god of the hunt, is known. Important places (mountain peaks and oases) also have spirits who must be venerated. The nomads have no evil gods. Misfortunes and ills are either the work of evil spirits or the result of displeasing a god. Many of the tribesmen's customs and taboos are intended to ward off evil spirits.
Oboos, altars to the gods of Sky and Earth, are holy sites to the nomads. They are used by the shamans and lamas for important ceremonies or when commune type spells are cast. It is believed the power of the oboo increases the effectiveness and potency of these spells.
Shamans of the Uthgard Tribes (Faerûn)The Uthgardt generally revere Uthgar as their chief deity. Each tribe has a totem beast representing the aspect of Uthgar it reveres most, an ancestral mound that holds the tribe’s sacred magic and spirits, and an ancient ritual enemy that the tribe's rangers choose as a special enemy. They believe that shamans' otherworldly abilities originate from their deceased ancestors.
The surly Northmen are not what one would call a religious people. They pay grudging homage to several gods only because those powers have control over things the Northmen do not. Tempus, the god of battles, is the only deity who receives more than cursory piety. Likewise, the earthly agents of the gods, normally shamans, are treated with similar callousness, having a lower status than warriors.
Within the Uthgardt, all deities are allied to a central religion focusing on beast totems. Each tribe has its own totem. All other deities, including adopted foreign gods, are secondary and subservient to the beast gods. The Uthgardt barbarian tribes each worship one of the beasts whose powers were taken by Uthgar. The totem cult encompasses the worship of the tribes ancestors, including Uthgar, his sons, and long-dead chieftains and shamans. These cults include the Sky Pony, Blue Bear, Great Worm, Elk, Grey Wolf, Red Tiger (Snow Cat), Black Lion, Thunder Beast, Griffin, and the Tree Ghost.
Uthgardt shamans dress in barbarian garb, but their clothing is decorated with magical symbols and relics fortified with holy power and prayer. When a shaman dies, his relics are buried with him in his ancestor mound. The holiest of these relics is the shaman's sacred bundle, an enchanted leather satchel containing spell components and objects too holy for others to see. These objects have been gained by the shaman at the request of his ancestral spirits. It is said that each sacred bundle is protected by a guardian spirit who appears from the bag if it is opened by anyone other than its owner.
Each tribe has an ancestor mound where they worship their totems (and other gods) each fall during the Runemeet. Several share mounds with other tribes, while some mounds are lost or abandoned. These are the holiest sites of the Uthgardt barbarians. Most tribes believe their tribal founders to be buried in their ancestor mound. Although there are many lesser burial mounds and shrines revered by smaller clans within the tribes, it is to these large mounds devoted to their most ancient and holy ancestors that the Uthgardt tribes return each fall to spend their winters near the protection of their ancestors.
The ancestor mounds are all roughly similar. Two mound rings called cairn rings surround a large central mound called the altar mound. The ancestor mounds of large tribes may also be sur#rounded by smaller, nondescript burial mounds. Usually all mounds are formed of turf-covered earth. The spaces between the rings and the altar mound are called vales. They are as wide as a cross section of a cairn ring (about 40 to 45 feet) and are known as the inner and outer vales.
The cairn rings often echo the shape of the altar mound, but many are circular. The outer cairn ring is usually bare, and still serves as a burial ground. Four large stone menhirs are set at the four cardinal directions (N, E, S, W) on the more holy inner ring. The rest of the inner ring is spiked and thickened with tall wooden poles. The top of each pole is grotesquely carved, depicting fierce human faces, monsters or clan totems.
The altar mound in the centre of the ancestor mound is often shaped like a tribal totem beast (though this is often difficult to discern from the ground). A fifth large stone, usually low to the ground marks the altar. There is no writing here, but arcane symbols on the stone are renewed yearly. Most Uthgardt are superstitious about their ancestor mounds. They both fear and revere them. In the cairn rings surrounding the altar mounds, they have buried their mightiest chieftains with treasures and luxuries for the world beyond life. They believe that the spirits of dead ancestors protect the graves from harm.
Masque of the Red DeathThe Masque of the Red Death setting takes place in the 1890s. On this server, characters native to Gothic Earth must come from its past. They can be from any period between the Bronze Age and the early Renaissance. The year 1650 CE is the latest a character may be from. See the Gothic Earth PC Information Thread for further details.
The shaman of Gothic Earth is a mystic from a tribal society, referred to as "primitive" by many. In so labeling the shaman, most people have no idea that the shaman's affinity for nature and the wild places of the world constitutes a far greater talent than the supposedly civilized people of Gothic Earth could ever guess. This affinity for wild things and the vibrant energies of life give the shaman the power to cast mystic spells.
Whether a Native American, an Australian Aborigine, an African tribesman, or any other indigenous tribe member, the shaman represents a force that should not be underestimated. His outlook on life is not tainted by the creature comforts common to the inhabitants of Europe. Indeed, he looks at the people of the Western world with pity, for they have broken their ties with nature. To live like they do would certainly kill him, for theirs is a discordant culture.
The beliefs and practices of shamans differ wildly between cultures and periods. The title of shaman can designate both members of the druid or shaman character classes. Shamanism counts as a form of mysticism (see the
Gothic Earth Resource Thread). A shaman would know how to cast spells before arriving in the Mists. On Gothic Earth, a shaman casts spells by performing ritual dances, making sacrifices, singing ancient chants, and otherwise appealing to magical forces to answer their call. Because the Red Death is not present on Ravenloft, a Gothic Earth shaman would quickly notice that magic just became much faster and seemingly safer to use once on Ravenloft.
MystaraShamani of the AthruaghinThe shamani are a powerful, yet humble, people. They are the most influential of the Children of Atruaghin, for they claim to be in touch with his personal energies. It is through the shamani, the tribes believe, that Atruaghin speaks his will. Thus, the voice of a shamani is always treated with respect, even awe, by any member of the tribes. Shamani are similar to the clerics of the Known World as they oversee the mystical practices of the Atruaghin Clans. In addition, they have much in common with the mysterious druids that are found in dark and secluded wildernesses. They are not trained in combat but do manage to keep themselves in shape due to the nature of many of their devotions. Shamani are blessed by Atruaghin and, thus, can employ some very powerful magical spells. Shamani limits themselves to only wearing leather armor and their choice of weapons is guided by the customs of their clans. This is both for cultural and technological reasons.
Shamans of the Ethengar Khanate
"The World Yurt was made by the Immortals. That is obvious, for how else could it have come to be? The Immortals have many forms and all are mighty. We, the people of the Sea of Grass, know that only by honoring the Immortals and the spirits who serve them can we expect to live the way the Great Ones intended. Clerics of other lands are not wrong in their beliefs. Their Immortals give them strength and so the rightness of their ways is proven. The druids of the southern lands are also powerful and are attuned to the ways of the world. All beings have a place. Does not the lion hunt to preserve the balance of nature and we in turn hunt the lion so that we may gain its strength? All is one, and one is all. That is the way of the world. The way of the shaman is not a path we choose, we are born with it, and it grows within us. The time comes when the spirit within us makes itself known. It is not a welcome gift, for it brings illness with it. In this time we fall into a trance for as long as nine days. It is then that we become aware of our spirit guide, the spirit that leads us through life and enables us to enter the Spirit World. Because of our knowledge of the spirits, our advice is sought in such things as when is the best time to make and break camp, to warn of natural disasters, and to determine the best time for organizing hunts and to make war. We are also the memory of our people, the storytellers who relate the tales of the Great Khans and of the Spirit Lords. It is our task to keep the world strong and to guide our people along the best path to the World Mountain. More than this we cannot do, and more than this no one should ask."~ Kaunchi, Ethengar shaman on the ways of the spirits.
A shaman mediates between the Ethengars and the Spirit World, striving to keep the World Yurt in harmony with the Spirit World. Shamans ensure that animals are not killed unnecessarily, that suffering is not inflicted on animals, and that the spirits of the World Yurt are appeased. Shamans are not opposed to hunting, but they seek to prevent hunts that greatly reduce the animal population. All hunts are carried out with the consent of a shaman who watches over the proceedings and intervenes if the hunters kill too many animals. A shaman's knowledge of the spirits enables him to know whether a site is suitable for a camp and what rituals are required before a camp is made. The spirit guide acts as the conscience of the shaman, evincing displeasure if the shaman does not behave in a manner that fits the character's shamanistic beliefs. A spirit guide may show its disfavor by withholding some benefits, or spells, or by reducing the shaman's spellcasting abilities. These powers may be returned only after the shaman has performed a dangerous quest or carried out actions to appease the spirit guide.
Shamans either dress in clothing made from their totem animal or wear items derived from the animal. The spirit guide of any shaman is therefore obvious by looking at the shaman. Shaman with horse spirit guides are likely to have horse tails attached to their hats, tunics, and skirts. One with a tiger spirit guide is likely to wear a tiger skin cloak, etc. To emphasize their relationship with the spirits, shamans often paint their faces with fierce designs, giving the impression of extremely slanted eyes and hollow cheeks. To add to their fierce appearance, long fangs are drawn at the sides of their mouths, which they outline in red ochre.
