Shamanism and You
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I was going to write the info post on exile, but decided it would be more relevant to do one on shamanism instead, which hopefully will be of use in the next chapter to know what you might be expecting.
This post will contain some notes on what shamanism is, how it works, and how you can become more powerful using it. I'm pretty sure some people think of it as just another flavour of magic with no mechanical differences, but it's really not and that has narrative implications.
Questions on this welcome so I can add points to it. Be aware canon conflicts sometimes and I'm worldbuilding a lot of this.
Also remember that even if you don't have anything especially insightful to say its useful for you to comment because it'll bump the thread.
Here is an excellent story featuring a shaman who forms a connection with two elements. I don't entirely agree with some interpretations of the lore within, but it's generally a good story from a good author, and contains a good interpretation of the stuff in game.
Origins of Elements and Elementals
A shaman's power is derived from their connection with the Elements of Azeroth (and other planets). These elements are Fire, Earth, Air and Water. In the primordial age the first forms of life were the elementals, specifically those of Fire, Air, Earth and Water. Elementals feed off the spiritual energy of the world, but Azeroth contains a Titan world-soul which consumes most of the spiritual energy of the world. This causes scarcity and conflict between the elementals and their opposite natures. Comparably, on Draenor where there was a reasonable amount of spiritual energy the Elements existed in harmony.
Two parties subsequently arrived on Azeroth. Firstly, the Old Gods which sought to corrupt Azeroth's world-soul fought and enslaved the four elemental factions, while subsequently the Titans arrived, imprisoned the Old Gods and sealed the warring elementals within the Elemental Plane.
The elements, arranged in hierarchies, armies and civilisations, continue to war against each other and try to expand their influence on Azeroth, with one method of achieving this being through Shaman to whom they lend their power.
Present constitution of the elemental factions
Elementals, individual manifestations of the various natural forces are now contained in the various elemental factions and mainly stay in the four conceptual zones, the Firelands, Deepholm, Skywall and the Abyssal Maw, though some are anchored on Azeroth, summoned or emerge organically. Usually Elementals sleep in their relevant locations such as an Earth Elemental in a boulder or a Water Elemental in a pond. Larger locations like a mountain might have their own Elemental, or they might have several Elementals for different bits of the Mountain. The most powerful Elementals can manifest 'publically' and wander about on their own, though their power wanes the further they go from their key location. Generally individual elementals appear from discrete sources, like an Earth Elemental coming from a boulder. However, in some mixed environments you'll find elementals of mixed sources, such as Fire+Earth=Lava.
Shaman
Shaman are spiritually sensitive individuals who attune themselves with particular Elementals, either generally or with one Elemental in particular. Generally Shaman in good standing will be able to rely on 'The Elements' generally to help them out in small ways in return for the Shaman mediating disagreements and preventing things like environmental abuse or exploitation. For example, unlike a Druid a Shaman wouldn't be inherently opposed to cutting trees down, mining or other disturbances of the natural order. This is because Shaman mediate and balance elements which are inherently chaotic and fractious things and war constantly, and therefore accept destruction as a natural part of life.
Shaman who connect with the elements generally can rely on a fairly constant array of powers wherever they go because they're in good standing with the elements, have a good reputation and so on. Comparably, some Shaman contract with a specific Elemental (usually one of each Fire, Water, Earth and Air), which has various advantages and disadvantages. Firstly these shaman are usually young and weak, meaning the more powerful elementals won't be interested in talking to them. These single contract shaman use their connection with their Elementals to strengthen the Elemental, claiming unclaimed spots and generally increasing both parties power. For example, a young shaman might contract with a minor Elemental of a pond or small spring of water, and then subsequently though their adventurers would help that Elemental claim other bodies of water unoccupied by Elementals, or simply defeat these Elementals, growing in power.
When forming a connection with the Elements a Shaman often creates a totem. This might be simply them carrying a pebble around, or it might be an elaborate staff with a crystal in it, or a cape made of feathers. These totems help the shaman connect with the elements, and in the case of 'Single-Contract Shaman' the totem allows their contracted Elemental to exert influence far from their host place.
Quest interactions with Elementals
You sword has a minor fire elemental, an effectively non-sentient one such as from a bonfire, bound within in. In parts of Warcraft this form of elemental binding is fairly common, the Warrior class has a quest to get a special axe with a powerful air Elemental bound inside it. The Burning Blade are experts in this form of elemental binding and have other forms of shamanism that I've yet to consider particularly closely like Fireseeing, a form of divination.
You rolled high affinities to all elements apart from air which was exceptionally low. As such you could form a connection with most elements quite easily and would be able to sense them. Traditionally this would require at least a few months of guided meditation, but you can also use artificial methods like making a Sapta, a spiritual hallucinogen to make yourself more sensitive to the elements temporarily. Saptas are made using reagents tied to their respective elements so for fire you might use charcoal or for earth some hooves. You can then use that Sapta in a place where an Elemental might reside and you'd be better able to sense them. A larger elemental would be able to manifest and show itself without any help from you and would be able to talk to anyone, Saptas are primarily for minor elementals when the shaman needs that boost to see.
From your reading of the Flamebender's Tome you've learned that you have to defeat an Elemental and take part of it to make into a totem. You can choose what to make the totem into, you could for example add it to your sword to make the sword even more powerful, or you could turn it into a belt buckle. The theme of the activity and item will determine its effects. Then you'll have another action available to deepen your connection to that element and the Elemental within the totem. You can offer a contract to Elementals you meet, but be aware some won't be interested and might squash you like the fleshy mortal you are.
Cultural variations of Shamanic practices
Some cultures practice shamanism in different ways because in real life and therefore when worldbuilding Warcraft you've got to accept that cultural and religious issues are complex rather than everyone using the same spells etc. The Trolls interpret Elementals as Loa, just as they do any powerful spirit, while the Tauren worship the elements alongside their Light worship and Druidism. The Druids of the Flame became druids, but of the elements, which is presumably somewhere between Druidism and Shamanism as shown in game.
One example I've thought up recently was the idea of institutionalised Elementals. In game some societies do this, young shaman in Durotar area sent to a big rock where a friendly Elemental lives and because they're polite the Elemental grants them some of its power, and it in turn becomes slightly more powerful with each Shaman it helps. Similarly you could take the minor Elemental of a small fire, then use that fire to light many other constantly burning fires such as those of a communal firepit, baker's oven, brazier or smith's furnace. If you did this throughout a city or multiple cities the Elemental would become sufficiently powerful to exert significant influence because all fires there belong to it and therefore it's constantly fed with power and respect, so through this sort of Olympic Torch idea you could create 'Ignis of the Many Fires' or similar.
Shaman also aren't the only ones to use elemental power. Arcanists like Mages use Arcane magic, a combination of all elements, to bind and order raw elemental power, while various parties use Decay, a pseudo-element, to subjugate or exploit elementals. Some parties like particular variations of Shaman like Spiritwalkers also use Spirit, another pseudo-element to mediate between elements and better communicate, while Monks use Spirit to do monk things like illuminating manuscripts and living a monastic life, no not really they use it to punch stuff. Some cultures use only a specific element like the Kul Tiran Tidesages who are something in-between mages and shaman, or the general Geomancy, a crude form of shamanism used by many less developed races like Kobolds.
The Shaman Police
Mortal interference in elemental affairs can cause great destruction. The most notable examples of this is when the Dark Iron dwarves summoned Ragnaros the Firelord, an act which shattered a mountain range, or when Gul'dan assaulted the Elementals of Draenor, causing widespread ecological damage.
These acts are policed by the Earthen Ring, a formerly Tauren group which now includes Orcs and Troll shaman and polices and mediates the elementals and shaman of Azeroth. If there's a group going about messing with the elements they'll try to stop that group, or if there's one powerful group of elementals which threaten the balance between the factions the Earthen Ring would balance against that faction, like they did against the Dark Irons.
If you go messing about with the Elements you'll be opposed by the Shaman Police who's solution is sometimes debate and sometimes killing. However, like all organisations made up of individuals, the policies of the Shaman police can be changed depending on the views of their members. The Earthen Ring don't really have a policy on certain things like the Kul Tiran Tidesages.
This post will contain some notes on what shamanism is, how it works, and how you can become more powerful using it. I'm pretty sure some people think of it as just another flavour of magic with no mechanical differences, but it's really not and that has narrative implications.
Questions on this welcome so I can add points to it. Be aware canon conflicts sometimes and I'm worldbuilding a lot of this.
Also remember that even if you don't have anything especially insightful to say its useful for you to comment because it'll bump the thread.
Here is an excellent story featuring a shaman who forms a connection with two elements. I don't entirely agree with some interpretations of the lore within, but it's generally a good story from a good author, and contains a good interpretation of the stuff in game.
Origins of Elements and Elementals
A shaman's power is derived from their connection with the Elements of Azeroth (and other planets). These elements are Fire, Earth, Air and Water. In the primordial age the first forms of life were the elementals, specifically those of Fire, Air, Earth and Water. Elementals feed off the spiritual energy of the world, but Azeroth contains a Titan world-soul which consumes most of the spiritual energy of the world. This causes scarcity and conflict between the elementals and their opposite natures. Comparably, on Draenor where there was a reasonable amount of spiritual energy the Elements existed in harmony.
Two parties subsequently arrived on Azeroth. Firstly, the Old Gods which sought to corrupt Azeroth's world-soul fought and enslaved the four elemental factions, while subsequently the Titans arrived, imprisoned the Old Gods and sealed the warring elementals within the Elemental Plane.
The elements, arranged in hierarchies, armies and civilisations, continue to war against each other and try to expand their influence on Azeroth, with one method of achieving this being through Shaman to whom they lend their power.
Present constitution of the elemental factions
Elementals, individual manifestations of the various natural forces are now contained in the various elemental factions and mainly stay in the four conceptual zones, the Firelands, Deepholm, Skywall and the Abyssal Maw, though some are anchored on Azeroth, summoned or emerge organically. Usually Elementals sleep in their relevant locations such as an Earth Elemental in a boulder or a Water Elemental in a pond. Larger locations like a mountain might have their own Elemental, or they might have several Elementals for different bits of the Mountain. The most powerful Elementals can manifest 'publically' and wander about on their own, though their power wanes the further they go from their key location. Generally individual elementals appear from discrete sources, like an Earth Elemental coming from a boulder. However, in some mixed environments you'll find elementals of mixed sources, such as Fire+Earth=Lava.
Shaman
Shaman are spiritually sensitive individuals who attune themselves with particular Elementals, either generally or with one Elemental in particular. Generally Shaman in good standing will be able to rely on 'The Elements' generally to help them out in small ways in return for the Shaman mediating disagreements and preventing things like environmental abuse or exploitation. For example, unlike a Druid a Shaman wouldn't be inherently opposed to cutting trees down, mining or other disturbances of the natural order. This is because Shaman mediate and balance elements which are inherently chaotic and fractious things and war constantly, and therefore accept destruction as a natural part of life.
Shaman who connect with the elements generally can rely on a fairly constant array of powers wherever they go because they're in good standing with the elements, have a good reputation and so on. Comparably, some Shaman contract with a specific Elemental (usually one of each Fire, Water, Earth and Air), which has various advantages and disadvantages. Firstly these shaman are usually young and weak, meaning the more powerful elementals won't be interested in talking to them. These single contract shaman use their connection with their Elementals to strengthen the Elemental, claiming unclaimed spots and generally increasing both parties power. For example, a young shaman might contract with a minor Elemental of a pond or small spring of water, and then subsequently though their adventurers would help that Elemental claim other bodies of water unoccupied by Elementals, or simply defeat these Elementals, growing in power.
When forming a connection with the Elements a Shaman often creates a totem. This might be simply them carrying a pebble around, or it might be an elaborate staff with a crystal in it, or a cape made of feathers. These totems help the shaman connect with the elements, and in the case of 'Single-Contract Shaman' the totem allows their contracted Elemental to exert influence far from their host place.
Quest interactions with Elementals
You sword has a minor fire elemental, an effectively non-sentient one such as from a bonfire, bound within in. In parts of Warcraft this form of elemental binding is fairly common, the Warrior class has a quest to get a special axe with a powerful air Elemental bound inside it. The Burning Blade are experts in this form of elemental binding and have other forms of shamanism that I've yet to consider particularly closely like Fireseeing, a form of divination.
You rolled high affinities to all elements apart from air which was exceptionally low. As such you could form a connection with most elements quite easily and would be able to sense them. Traditionally this would require at least a few months of guided meditation, but you can also use artificial methods like making a Sapta, a spiritual hallucinogen to make yourself more sensitive to the elements temporarily. Saptas are made using reagents tied to their respective elements so for fire you might use charcoal or for earth some hooves. You can then use that Sapta in a place where an Elemental might reside and you'd be better able to sense them. A larger elemental would be able to manifest and show itself without any help from you and would be able to talk to anyone, Saptas are primarily for minor elementals when the shaman needs that boost to see.
From your reading of the Flamebender's Tome you've learned that you have to defeat an Elemental and take part of it to make into a totem. You can choose what to make the totem into, you could for example add it to your sword to make the sword even more powerful, or you could turn it into a belt buckle. The theme of the activity and item will determine its effects. Then you'll have another action available to deepen your connection to that element and the Elemental within the totem. You can offer a contract to Elementals you meet, but be aware some won't be interested and might squash you like the fleshy mortal you are.
Cultural variations of Shamanic practices
Some cultures practice shamanism in different ways because in real life and therefore when worldbuilding Warcraft you've got to accept that cultural and religious issues are complex rather than everyone using the same spells etc. The Trolls interpret Elementals as Loa, just as they do any powerful spirit, while the Tauren worship the elements alongside their Light worship and Druidism. The Druids of the Flame became druids, but of the elements, which is presumably somewhere between Druidism and Shamanism as shown in game.
One example I've thought up recently was the idea of institutionalised Elementals. In game some societies do this, young shaman in Durotar area sent to a big rock where a friendly Elemental lives and because they're polite the Elemental grants them some of its power, and it in turn becomes slightly more powerful with each Shaman it helps. Similarly you could take the minor Elemental of a small fire, then use that fire to light many other constantly burning fires such as those of a communal firepit, baker's oven, brazier or smith's furnace. If you did this throughout a city or multiple cities the Elemental would become sufficiently powerful to exert significant influence because all fires there belong to it and therefore it's constantly fed with power and respect, so through this sort of Olympic Torch idea you could create 'Ignis of the Many Fires' or similar.
Shaman also aren't the only ones to use elemental power. Arcanists like Mages use Arcane magic, a combination of all elements, to bind and order raw elemental power, while various parties use Decay, a pseudo-element, to subjugate or exploit elementals. Some parties like particular variations of Shaman like Spiritwalkers also use Spirit, another pseudo-element to mediate between elements and better communicate, while Monks use Spirit to do monk things like illuminating manuscripts and living a monastic life, no not really they use it to punch stuff. Some cultures use only a specific element like the Kul Tiran Tidesages who are something in-between mages and shaman, or the general Geomancy, a crude form of shamanism used by many less developed races like Kobolds.
The Shaman Police
Mortal interference in elemental affairs can cause great destruction. The most notable examples of this is when the Dark Iron dwarves summoned Ragnaros the Firelord, an act which shattered a mountain range, or when Gul'dan assaulted the Elementals of Draenor, causing widespread ecological damage.
These acts are policed by the Earthen Ring, a formerly Tauren group which now includes Orcs and Troll shaman and polices and mediates the elementals and shaman of Azeroth. If there's a group going about messing with the elements they'll try to stop that group, or if there's one powerful group of elementals which threaten the balance between the factions the Earthen Ring would balance against that faction, like they did against the Dark Irons.
If you go messing about with the Elements you'll be opposed by the Shaman Police who's solution is sometimes debate and sometimes killing. However, like all organisations made up of individuals, the policies of the Shaman police can be changed depending on the views of their members. The Earthen Ring don't really have a policy on certain things like the Kul Tiran Tidesages.
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