THE SHAMNISTIC RITUALS

Shamanic Tools and Ritual

In order for shamans to do their work they must effect firstly a change of consciousness in themselves. The shaman enters into an ecstatic trance, either auto hypnotically or through the use of entheogens, during which time they are said to be in contact with the spirit world or enter a separate reality. Some of the methods for affecting this consciousness shift are:

 Drumming

 Fasting

 Extreme heat inducing sweat

 Vision quests / vigils

 Dancing / Spinning

 Fae Items

 Use of "power plants" such as

o Tobacco

o Fly Agarics

o Magic Mushrooms Alluded to euphemistically as "saint children"

o Peyote

o Ayahuasca Quechua "Vine of the Dead"

Shamans often observe special fasts and taboos particular to their vocation. Oftentimes the shaman has, or acquires, one or more familiars, usually spirits in animal form, or (sometimes) those of departed shamans.

In engaging this work the shaman exposes himself to significant personal risk, both from the spirits as well as from the means employed to alter his state of consciousness. Certain of the plant materials used can kill, and the out-of-body journey itself can lead to non-returning and physical death.

THE RITUAL OF KAMLANIYE – The ritual of healing

The most complicated and efficient form of healing practice by the shamans is the kamlaniye, a shamanic séance that usually continued for several days. It will totally heal a victim irrespective of the cause of the disease or internal injury. It will not heal external wounds nor regenerate missing limbs or organs.

Whatever the symptoms, the structure of the ritual is similar.

1- The ritual must take place at the shamans secret place of solitude and must incorporate his Totem

2- Firstly the victim needs to be lain prone and something of great worth should be given to the shaman.

3- The shaman then summons all his spirits using a drum and takes then inside themselves (by swallowing and deep yawning). He must then treat them to fat, blood of an animal (such as reindeer, dog, or seal), and tobacco by imbibing them himself.

4- With his spirits sated they will advised the shaman as to the cause of the disease/injury.

5- At this point the shaman may break the ritual at no cost

6- If the disease/injury is to be cured the shaman now offers the victims prised object to the spirits. The object will be sucked into the sprit realm never to be seen again.

7- Now for the next 1d8 days the priest must drum and chant over the victim. While resting and eating the shaman needs to employ the help of another to keep up the drumming.

8- When the time is right the shaman will send his sprits into the victim’s body where they will drive out any illness or cure any internal injury.

9- With the victim is healed the shaman then dismisses his spirits. (He will need to perform the Ayahuasca ritual to regain them).

THE EKSTASIS RITUAL – The three rituals of ecstasy

From the Elvish ekstasis, ecstasy literally means to be placed outside, or to be placed. This is a state of exaltation in which a person stands outside of or transcends his or herself. Ecstasy may range from the seizure of the body by a spirit or the seizure of a person by the divine, from the magical transformation or flight of consciousness to psychiatric remedies of distress.

The Ekstasis ritual allows the shaman to visit more secret places than Geburah. With this ritual for a brief time they may wander any of the plains or even Bifrost or Hell. The ritual will only last for 1 hour per level of the shaman and during this time he is unable to effect or interact with anything on the planes he visits. He can only see.

THE RITUAL OF BURIAL

The priest can call upon the deceased’s fetch to protect their soul from interference as it guides t the fallen to their correct resting place.

In effect the person can only be resurrected or taken if the aggressor has a level higher than the dead’s WP.

The shaman may sacrifice one of his own spirits which will protect the dead’s soul at the priests level + the victims WP.

RITUAL TO CONTACT THE GREAT SPRITS

A shaman does not summon a great sprit he begs for an audience in much the same way that a priest would attempt to talk to their deity. Summoning a great spirit has no proven techniques. Different procedures are adopted in different parts of the world by the shamans.  It is agreed that the ritual needs a lot of concentration and metal powers and you should know that when you decide to summon a great spirit, you must have an open mind and an open heart. More so it is believed, that not all spirits enjoy being summoned, hence you should know for sure that the spirit you wish to contact wants to be summoned. If you summon a spirit who does not wish to be summoned, you may have a messy situation in your hands. Moreover, these are dangerous acts and one should know how to protect oneself and also how to have control over the situation. If you aren't careful, and the situation gets out of hand, you may face psychic attack or even Possession.

An ancient method for summoning a spirit or force, involves moving round certain sacred spots in a certain manner.

The great spirits are valuable sources of aid. They range is character from almost cute cartoon like characters to the cruel and insane. It must be remembered that the great spirits are not monsters but immortal beings and mortals should treat them with the upmost of respect.

To call or awaken a great spirit requires no magic or special ingredients, the shaman just needs to learn the necessary lures to attract them. With this then the shaman must show due reverence and respect or the spirits will simply not appear.

There are no stats or powers for the great spirits; if they want to do something then they can. If anyone is stupid to attack them, the spirit will disappear, leaving the aggressor with the most horrific malediction.

RITUAL OF VISION

The Shaman can also enter a trance that can only be broken upon his fetches’ return.

Whilst in this trance the shaman can send his fetch further than his level in feet away and:

a)       See through its eyes.

b)       It can be sent up to the Shamans power levelx10 in miles to deliver a message. The message is delivered sub-vocally.

c)       At power level 7 the shaman can send anywhere in the world.

d)       At Power level 10 the shaman can send the spirit to other planes.

e)       The fetch may attack undead (see below)

THE GEBURAH PATHWAY RITUAL – The ritual that awakens a novice to the spirit world and puts them in contact with their Fetch

The shaman puts the traveller into a trance and lets them search the spirit world for their fetch. Journeying is much like dreaming except it is conscious; the spirit world somehow being super-imposed over reality. The traveller will eventually find their fetch who will try to escape them; the traveller must then attempt to catch it. When they catch it they will permanently lose 2exp and 4BP’sThe ritual (chase) takes 1d100 hours to accomplish after which the traveller’s eyes are opened to the other side.

Go to a place sacred to the spirits.

Make sure the area is as dark as possible.

The traveller must clear their mind and relax (either by hypnosis or drugs). (Spend 2xp)

Allow a feeling of trust to envelope you.

Take several deep breaths in rhythm.

The Shaman will then start drumming in time with the breaths.

Ride on the drumbeat until you cross to the “other side”

Traveller must now find and capture his Fetch. When he does so he loses 4BP’s

On returning to the real world the traveller may now buy the SPIRIT MAGIC skill.

THE SAMHAIN RITUAL – The ritual of finding and binding spirits

NB: The Samhain Ritual can never been done on an adventure and can never be performed in a civilised or urban place.

 

The Samhain Ritual is used by a shaman to cross from this plane into the spirit world; here he can call out to the spirits that roam here in an attempt to contact them. Once a spirit is contacted using, the shaman must decide whether or not he will approach it to bargain with it. Normally, the risk is not great since spirits have little interest in fighting with each other unless there is an obvious gain for them.

If contact is made with a non-hostile spirit, the shaman may bargain with it. The deal or pact is for the shaman to give to the spirit two permanent points of BP’s per power level of the spirit. These Blood Points are lost permanently, affecting the shamans LP’s as appropriate.  In return for the loss of Blood points, which empowers the spirit, the spirit, will serve the shaman for ever more.

 

A spirit when bound can never be killed and can always be contacted again after being used or fetched with the use of the Samhain Ritual

THE AYAHUASCA RITUAL – The ritual of re-contacting spent spirits

The Ayahuasca ritual can only be used off an adventure. It can only be performed in total solitude at a site that is sacred to the shaman and the dead. This site needs to have the Shamans Totem here. It involves the shaman entering a trance and leaving his body to roam the spirit world where he will call his bound spirits back to him. Entering the trance is a personal choice, some shamans use powerful narcotics, other trance like music and some use dance.  

RITUAL OF TOTEM EMPOWERMENT

The shaman is able to fashion his totem without which he will not be able to complete the Ayahuasca and re-contact his spirits. Usually the totem is carved from wood and depicts the animal that is his fetch however anything that the shaman feels a true connection to could be used as a totem. His totem can be of any size but the design must contain the essence of their power and wisdom his fetch within it.

RITUAL OF TRANSMUTATION

Shaman may take the form of his Fetch.

This invocation allows the shaman to leave his body, becoming non-corporeal and invisible. In this state, he cannot interact with the physical world, but can interact directly with ethereals. This effect is brief, lasting ten minutes with a marginal success, and twenty minutes with a critical success. For the duration of the effect, the shaman's body is unconscious and vulnerable to attack, although the shaman may return to it at any time. The shaman must take tasparth or a similar drug before using the invocation.