Village Shaman

 

The village shaman, wise woman or witch is perhaps the most common type of thaumaturge in Creation. For every school of thaumaturgy, there are a dozen small villages or tribes where the traditions and teachings have been passed down from shaman to student for centuries — in some cases in lineages unbroken since the Contagion.

Thaumaturgy as practiced by many shamans is an informal, even half-instinctive affair, driven as much by necessity and lack of materials as it is by proper theory or informed training. This does not mean that shamans are unskilled — although herbalism recipes are rarely written down, they are beaten into apprentices through harrowing repetition. In its own way, the thaumaturgy practiced in the hinterlands of Creation is as effective — and as informed — as the refined practices of the savants in the towns and cities of the Threshold. Still, there is a distinct feeling of improvisation associated with the thaumaturgy one partakes of when dealing with a village wise woman.

Some village thaumaturges are well respected and loved — others are feared and tolerated only because they are necessary. Many are both, a curious blend of desire and loathing that is possible only on the fringes of Creation, where the need for a thaumaturge’s knowledge outweighs the desire to be rid of a loathsome personality. In some tribes, the wise woman’s apprentice is chosen not by the wise woman, but by the tribal council or the women of the tribe. In other villages, the real power lies not with the ruling council, mayor, lord or chief hunter, but with the village witch, who rules from the side of the throne but rules nonetheless. Shamans are normally the primary go-betweens for a village and the local spirit court. This is rarely as enjoyable or exciting a job as it might seem at first blush. In most cases, much of the shaman’s time is spent making petitions for better weather, requesting bountiful harvests and beseeching the local spirit of the hunt not to eat the children when they wander into the forest to gather berries. Such close contact with the spirit realm has its advantages, however, and those shamans who manage to maintain good relations with the local gods can count on their aid when they need it.

Abilities: Medicine is vital to the village shaman — he is often as much healer and doctor as he is speaker-to-spirits and enchanter. Lore, generally with a specialty in “Local Spirits” is important as well. The shaman is often the only line of defense between a rogue spirit and the village — feeble a defense as that is. Endurance and Resistance are important for keeping up with all-night rituals and persevering through the excesses shamans must subject themselves to. Performance, Presence and Larceny can all help the shaman maintain his position in the village — or help him ascend to that position. Linguistics can help the shaman to deal with outsiders — as can Brawl or Melee, should force become necessary.

Backgrounds: Allies in the form of friendly spirits or elementals, honored ancestral ghosts, etc. are common, as are Followers and Henchmen. A shaman typically has plenty of Influence in his local village, even if he rarely exercises it. Essence-savvy shamans will often have access to a Demesne, if not an actual Manse, and may have minor Artifacts or a Familiar. Many shamans are from poor villages — while they may be one of the richest men in their village, this often means a Resources of 3 or less. Some very powerful shamans may have a Cult that rises up around them (usually of level 1 or 2), and a few might have Contacts or Spies.

Concepts: Manipulative witch, gracious shaman, crazy elder, spirit-ridden Wyld shaman

 

 

Oh, dearie me. That does look

painful, doesn’t it? Well, well,

you’d better come right in, and

we’ll have a look at that, we will.

And we will discuss the topic of

payment later... won’t we?