Shamans can treat nature itself as a deity. Although some Shamans make their journey at the behest of a deity, a devotion is not always necessary. The most important thing, however, that for all intents and purposes he regards life and nature as sacred. They do not value material wealth, but they do not look down upon taking what is rightfully theirs, if all expenses are incurred in favor of means that allow them to better pursue the Journey. This Journey never ends, and it takes a lifetime for most shamans to understand this and what is truly important, to learn the ways of the Dreamscape and to understand what is truly worth protecting. This Journey is to understand, but they know that understanding is much more than seeing. Religion: Wise shamans know more than anybody else that life itself is one large journey, and they devote all of their life to what they call 'The Journey'. A few shamans, however, side with the evil spirits, using the power the spirits bestow to increase their own power in the world. Nor are they as fearsome in combat as clerics, although they learn unarmed combat techniques as they advance in level.Īlignment: Most shamans are of good alignment, cooperating with kindly ancestor spirits and opposing evil spirits and undead. Shamans have some power over undead, but not as great as clerics have. A shaman’s spells are granted by spirits and oneiros rather than deities. Shaman spells are also more strongly oriented toward nature than druid spells. In addition to healing, shaman spells naturally include means of contacting and communicating with spirits, winning favors from them, or warding against their influence. Shamans are both blessed and burdened by their gifts, and may sometimes feel like pawns in the games and machinations of the spirit world.Ĭharacteristics: Shamans use divine magic, much like the druids of the Player’s Handbook. Shamans who traffic with evil spirits are often driven to commit heinous deeds. Even nature spirits, normally unconcerned with the affairs of humanity, might request assistance from a shaman if an evil influence (such as a bajang or buso) troubles the natural world. Peasants and nobles alike often summon shamans if evil spirits or undead monsters cause trouble. Ancestor spirits often have their own agendas-deeds left undone or wrongs unavenged-and call on their shaman descendants to carry them out.
With the exception of certain Lion clan “spirit talkers” of the Kitsu family, shamans are not found in Rokugan shugenjas fill this role instead.Īdventure: Shamans often go on adventures not because of any desire of their own, but as a direct result of their unique relationship with the spirit world. The shaman offers sacrifices, prayers, and services to the spirits, and in return gains the favor of patron spirits who bestow spells and other magical abilities upon him. Shamans play a vital role in the world of Oriental Adventures-communicating with ancestor spirits, demons, nature spirits, and the most powerful of spirits, who might be considered deities.
Shamans are intermediaries between the mortal world, realm of spirits and the dreamscape-the vast multitude of living beings that infuse the entire world with divine essence. If a cleric’s basic creed is that the handiwork of the deities is everywhere, a shaman’s simple assertion is that the deities themselves are everywhere.