I'd like some suggestions for the appearance of shamanic masks for shamans who don't follow animal totems.
What would the shamanic mask of an Adversary or River shaman look like for instance?
I'm playing a new Fire-bringer Shaman. Another guy I know used Greek theatre-masks as his shamanic mask; while that's good for his character, it's not so suitable for mine. Does anyone have some other suggestions?
Full Version: Shamanic Masks
This is one major difference (among several) which many people fail to make between Totems and Idols. Shamans and Idol followers are not the same thing. Without getting bogged down in the minutae it's important to realise that the former is an animistic belief and the later is a form of diety worship (with all the inherent trappings).
Shamanic masks are an element of shamanic belief that does have a few parallels in classical and pagan panthaestic belief (which is what Idol worship is), but it is probably much more appropriate to use some sort of "visual manifestation of the relevant divine power" as a form of shamanic mask than the traditional form. For instance a glowing halo or the sounds of an angelic choir (for a Christian-style Idol), a clap of thunder (for a follower of Thor), a spear of sunlight (for a follower of Apollo), a full-body halo of flames (for a follower of Fire-bringer Lucifer).
It all depends on what diety or power your Idol represents. Pick manifestations that seem appropriate to the specific Idol.
Shamanic masks are an element of shamanic belief that does have a few parallels in classical and pagan panthaestic belief (which is what Idol worship is), but it is probably much more appropriate to use some sort of "visual manifestation of the relevant divine power" as a form of shamanic mask than the traditional form. For instance a glowing halo or the sounds of an angelic choir (for a Christian-style Idol), a clap of thunder (for a follower of Thor), a spear of sunlight (for a follower of Apollo), a full-body halo of flames (for a follower of Fire-bringer Lucifer).
It all depends on what diety or power your Idol represents. Pick manifestations that seem appropriate to the specific Idol.
The adversary shaman's mask really depends on the character. It mentions in the book that some toxic shamans follow the adversary and I'd suspect they would have a different mask than a street-punk-shaman following it. For toxics I'd say putrid greeness and apparent mutation while a street-punk would probably seemingly accquire tatoos, piercings, differently-coloured hair, and more holes in his jeans that you never noticed before.
I think TOaster's followers would look funny.
| QUOTE (Ancient History) |
| I think TOaster's followers would look funny. |
Two words: bread crumbs.
Mmm, smell of burning toast ...
I was actually doing some thinking about being a follower of Toaster the other day.
The shamanic mask which appears around a Toaster shaman when practicing magic tends to stream-line the features of his face, turning his skin silver-gray to almost chrome. Heat crinkles appear in the air above two discreet regions of his head, which appear to glow a ghostly amber. A perception( Force of magic + 6 ) test (with olafactory mods, of course) will reveal the faint scent of burning bagels which were too large to fit in an upright toaster, but which were forced in anyways (Toaster is not the brightest totem, no?)
As far as playing a Toaster shaman, I'm thinking +1 die to transform manipulations +1 die to fire-related spells, -1 die to detection spells (except some sort of special detect(bread/toast)), and -1 die to illusion spells (you try hiding a toaster in plain sight....). Of course, +2 dice for spirits of man and -2 dice for water-related spirits (sadly, there's no way of doing what I really want, which is to have a quickened ball lightning spell triggered by a detect liquid water spell be mandatory for all Toaster shamans. Toasters and water do not mix.)
Mmm... toast.
The shamanic mask which appears around a Toaster shaman when practicing magic tends to stream-line the features of his face, turning his skin silver-gray to almost chrome. Heat crinkles appear in the air above two discreet regions of his head, which appear to glow a ghostly amber. A perception( Force of magic + 6 ) test (with olafactory mods, of course) will reveal the faint scent of burning bagels which were too large to fit in an upright toaster, but which were forced in anyways (Toaster is not the brightest totem, no?)
As far as playing a Toaster shaman, I'm thinking +1 die to transform manipulations +1 die to fire-related spells, -1 die to detection spells (except some sort of special detect(bread/toast)), and -1 die to illusion spells (you try hiding a toaster in plain sight....). Of course, +2 dice for spirits of man and -2 dice for water-related spirits (sadly, there's no way of doing what I really want, which is to have a quickened ball lightning spell triggered by a detect liquid water spell be mandatory for all Toaster shamans. Toasters and water do not mix.)
Mmm... toast.
| QUOTE (sapphire_wyvern) |
| What would the shamanic mask of an Adversary or River shaman look like for instance? I'm playing a new Fire-bringer Shaman. Another guy I know used Greek theatre-masks as his shamanic mask; while that's good for his character, it's not so suitable for mine. Does anyone have some other suggestions? |
Fire-Bringer... Which god did you what that to be?
The mask for a River shaman might manifest as sound, the bubbling of a creek for weak magic to the roar of a waterfall for Force Ten power. For visual effects (when quite is River's goal), glistening skin and fluid swaying for weak to a shimmering prism of transparent scales and sparkling mist escaping the shaman's body for Force Ten magics.
Advesary... A dark tie and the smell of a courtroom for weak magic
Seriously, Idol masks depend on the god or deity of worship. Nature masks are not too tough, just humanized versions of themselves with traditional flavors.
Nice description of Toaster, RangerJoe.
Fire Bringer would (probably) be Prometheus in Greek Myth (although I can see a toxic version that resembles Gothic horror Dr. Frankenstein...)
| QUOTE (Kanada Ten) | ||
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A courtroom, or lawyers in general, would generally be contrary to the nature of Adversary to promote disorder and act chaotically.
| QUOTE (Ancient History) |
| Fire Bringer would (probably) be Prometheus in Greek Myth (although I can see a toxic version that resembles Gothic horror Dr. Frankenstein...) |
Yes, that's right - Promethean is the idea. The Fire-bringer Idol does not, to me, bear any resemblance to any description of Lucifer I've ever heard, despite his name translating as "Light-bearer" or "Light-bringer".
Basically I'm playing an otaku who got the wrong Awakening... he lives with an otaku tribe, who look down on him because he got the Talent instead of the Resonance.
He's an expert gadgeteer, with an instinctual approach to electronics which is combined with his magic (one of his highest Force spells is Analyze Device, and most of his talismans and fetishes are made of dead computer parts).I'm looking forward to it...
@Synner: I do actually realise the difference between totems and idols. I suppose that for the rest of the discussion we can replace the phrase "shamanic mask" with "idolatrous effect".
So: any more ideas for a Fire-bringer idolatrous effect? Note that my character is more inspired by the metaphorical idea of "bringing the benefits of technology to the people, even though if it's not treated carefully it can be dangerous", rather than literally setting fire to things and so on.
Sounds like ye'd be better off with the Creator totem than Fire-bringer.
It would also be a difference in how your character approaches magic use. For a shamanist, the totem working directly through the individual is one of the reasons a mask is so evident. An idol may not be seen by the character to work through them so much as for them.
It depends entirely on your perspective, but given a different magical slant, different masking effects will occur. It's up to personal paradigm.
It depends entirely on your perspective, but given a different magical slant, different masking effects will occur. It's up to personal paradigm.
| QUOTE |
| Yes, that's right - Promethean is the idea. The Fire-bringer Idol does not, to me, bear any resemblance to any description of Lucifer I've ever heard, despite his name translating as "Light-bearer" or "Light-bringer". |
One widespread interpretation of the Fall of Lucifer - no doubt parallel to Milton's version in "Paradise Lost" - held by some occult sects and so-called "Satanists" follows the belief that the "Corruption" of Eden is simply Christian spin on the story that Lucifer actually brought Forbidden knowledge to man (in the form of the apple rather than fire) as an act of rebellion (Lucifer - the original anarch) against God. Another common version of this story interprets Lucifer's Rebellion as the first expression of true free-will and self-rule in God's Universe. Both have distinct parallels to the Fire-bringer myth.
Which leads to interpretation of just what the fruit of that tree is intended to be representative of. Each of the three cultures (and many of their schismed offspring) which borrow from that story interprets it differently. Within this context, could lead to a drastically different interpretation of Fire-bringer and/or Adversary if the knowledge is that of Good/Evil, or creation of life/immortality, or sexuality (to take just three).
Hey, how 'bout this: toxic Idol-worshipper. A Japanese magiciain who worships the United States for bringing the Bomb to Japan.
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