The book of gods

So, as you know from the loa list, I'm working on my next pdf on troll rp. This one will be fully focused on religion. It will have waaay less real sources, and mostly be made up by me, with help of all of you. The loa list will of course end up being a major part of it, but there's so much else I want to write about as well. And probably things I should write about, and haven't thought of yet. This is where you come in!

My ideas so far, in no particular order:

Rituals and ceremonies
(explaining their purpose as well as giving history and practical examples. rituals will include: wedding, birth, funeral, rite of passage, everyday prayer, sacrifices, midsummer, midwinter, equinox ...and more?)

Spirits, gods and ancestors
(explaining the differences between loa, ancestors, elemental spirits, or rather the lack thereof, and how trolls turn to many different kinds of beings in their worship)

"Magic"
(in direct relation to the previous chapter, explaining both how the different spellcasting game classes work for rp (hopefully including the upcoming druids and locks too), as well as explaining how witchdoctors and priests work in troll society, how their magic is regarded and so on)

Death and the afterlife
(Exactly what it says, explaining trolls' view on life after death and how that affects their view on life itself. Will also bring up funerals, the importance of proper burial and explain why undeath is such a horrible thing for trolls)

The loa list
(You've seen it already =P)

Which is the loa for you?
(alphabetical list with the different attributes of the loa, to help people find what they need. "my character is going on a dangerous sea trip, who should he sacrifice to for safety?")

So, any ideas? Feel the urge to help me write? Something I forgot?

Ryleen wrote:So, as you know from the loa list, I'm working on my next pdf on troll rp. This one will be fully focused on religion. It will have waaay less real sources, and mostly be made up by me, with help of all of you. The loa list will of course end up being a major part of it, but there's so much else I want to write about as well. And probably things I should write about, and haven't thought of yet. This is where you come in!

ah, this sounds like my kind of deal, just where to start...

Well, from my observations, troll culture in WoW is something of a hotch-potch of meso-american society & architecture and African & Haitian voodoo religion (with some other random pagan practices sprinkled on top ).

You did a great job with the first one and I'm glad this 'book' will be focusing on the religious side of troll culture. It does indeed deserve a tome all to itself

My ideas so far, in no particular order:

Rituals and ceremonies
(explaining their purpose as well as giving history and practical examples. rituals will include: wedding, birth, funeral, rite of passage, everyday prayer, sacrifices, midsummer, midwinter, equinox ...and more?)

We already have a few nice rituals and ceremonies detailed in the very similarly named thread. There we've covered Marriage, Hunting, Initiation, choosing a patron Loa, funerals...oh and Snicka posted a link to a long list of voodoo celebrations that we could begin to incorporate. I've also conducted seasonal festivals on Vypra (mostly for the summer fire festival but i did the spring one this year) and of course we got a day of the dead at the end of the hallows end festival last year

Spirits, gods and ancestors
(explaining the differences between loa, ancestors, elemental spirits, or rather the lack thereof, and how trolls turn to many different kinds of beings in their worship)

As a starting point, here's an example hierarchy copied from the troll call forums (trinda's post is at the bottom of this page for more info on how one particular character viewed the relationship):

Lorekeeper wrote:Greater Being - Acknowledged as master of all, but not directly worshiped.
Greater Loa (Shango, Ogoun, Lukou, Samedi, Dambala, Legba... And Zanza being slightly lesser than them) - All are revered.
Primal Gods - Selected spirits are revered.
Ancestors - Selected ancestors are revered, even though they don't necessarily have any real power. Perhaps, with a great enough following, an ancestor could be promoted in the afterlife to a greater position.

As to where the elementals fit in, there is a slight difference in approach to worship between the shaman (and druids) and priests. The priesthood is Polytheistic, whereas the shaman/druid is animistic.

Wikipedia describes the difference as follows "Animism has some similar traits to Pantheism, and the two are sometimes compared. Some faiths and religions can be both pantheistic and animistic. One of the main differences is that while animists believe everything to be spiritual in nature, they do not necessarily see the spiritual nature of everything in existence as being united, the way pantheists do. In some ways, Pantheism is a form of animism, where everything shares the same spiritual essence rather than having distinct spirits and/or souls. "

"Magic"
(in direct relation to the previous chapter, explaining both how the different spell-casting game classes work for rp (hopefully including the upcoming druids and locks too), as well as explaining how witchdoctors and priests work in troll society, how their magic is regarded and so on)

i could wax lyrical on this so I'll make a separate post later on

Death and the afterlife
(Exactly what it says, explaining trolls' view on life after death and how that affects their view on life itself. Will also bring up funerals, the importance of proper burial and explain why undeath is such a horrible thing for trolls)

I linked back to a book on Voodoo with regards to this subject (as part of the post on funerary rites) and wowwiki has a bit on it too. we've also discussed it elsewhere i think but it will be handy to make a nice concise post with all the relevant details in ...again, i'd take RL voodoo tradition as a marker for this

The loa list
(You've seen it already =P)

Which is the loa for you?
(alphabetical list with the different attributes of the loa, to help people find what they need. "my character is going on a dangerous sea trip, who should he sacrifice to for safety?")

I'd make a point of emphasising that even the 'darker' loa can have a lighter side and vice-versa when doing this bit

So, any ideas? Feel the urge to help me write? Something I forgot?

I think we have plenty to be going on with for now. Gaps will most likely become apparent once the work starts to be compiled

managed to find that book on voodoo on amazon. prepare for mucho input

looking forward to see this put together.
I am working on a few hunting based Rituals as Hads every day life involves that alot.
Also have I always viewed the beast mastery side of the hunter class some thing of a "animal priest/shaman". Ye sure it can also be "just" animal trainers, but some - and at least Hadunka - is more. In a way will the druids fill that role later on ... but.
In any case cold I write the "animal priesthood" as what is the beast masters job. I have imagined that some beast masters are tasked with similar things as shamans ... just with animals rather than ancestral spirits and elements.

For example: Before a important hunt there might be a ritual to offer to a Loa, handled by a shaman/priest. however there is also the beast master that is included in the ritual as a link to the animalistic part of things. Said beast master is the leader of the hunt and also the one to give the offerings of thanks for the hunt on the field, as well as making sure that the balance of nature/animals is not upset and the local residing animals spirits do not get angry.

Non of this is to my knowledge rely supported by lore ... but to me it makes sense that a beast master do not only deal with live animals, also dead ones. And even if most animals on death return to some kind of death kingdom (there patrol loa probably) will some remain.

If I may, I'd like to offer a few thoughts on this topic. Not my own ideas, but things written by others that, in my view, seem to capture the flavour of troll religion.

From a long story ('A Voodoo Story') on the forum of the Darkspear Tribe there are several useful ideas:

LOAS
- The Loas are plentiful, and the trolls are the favoured creatures of the Makers.
- Too many forget the old ways, and while they revere the loas, and thank them for their good will they have forgotten to fear their anger.
- The Loas are seldom silent, if one knows when to listen.
- For one to truly believe in the Loas, one must constantly be mindful of them. Lukou is there when you heal or rest, and she watches you. When in battle Shirvallah watches and listens, and from the stormcloud Shango sees your every move.
- But for the Loas to listen you need to sacrifice. You need to pay tribute. It can be blood, or pain, or death... But it's the sacrifice made, not what is sacrificed, that makes the power. It doesn't have to be blood. It can be effort, or time. Going to find a rare thing is often done, but the thing itself matters little. It's the quest that matters. The story walked.
- The Loas are forever. Sometimes they forget that what is years for us can be like the blink of an eye for them.

SPIRITS
- The spirits are powerful, and they work fast, with much flare and grand proofs of existence. The Loas are patient, and they move at the pace of Loas, not the living. Faith is needed.
- The spirits are our ancestors. They wish us often neither well nor harm, but the shamans sometimes twist their powers for their own purposes. Do not blame spirits for the use they are being put to.

ELEMENTALS
- The elementals are servants of their own masters.

AFTER LIFE
- The trolls used to revere their dead, and their ancestors, singing songs of their deeds, and reciting their lineages with pride.
- Your soul lives in your memory, and in the honour your children and your children's children place in it. A troll will have eternal peace and glory in Zul, but on this earth that we tread, memory is important.


And from a story in many parts about travels around Azeroth (from 'destron.blogspot.com') we have the imagined view of a Zandalri priest:

- Normal Zandalari priests dedicate themselves to a single Loa; a few serve all.
- The five Primal Loa are eternal; they were, they are, and they will be, all at once. The Lesser Loa were once trolls who became gods through their actions.
- The Loa are above all of us, we cannot expect them to heed our every whim. They grow angry at servile worshippers who implore them for every little thing. A troll must be strong, not dependent like an infant. In times of crisis though, they will speak to us and give us advice.
- The Zandalari do not worship the nature spirits. Some of the more remote tribes serve them as gods though they should not. Nature spirits are to be respected, but nothing more.
- One can learn much from the spirits, but they are bound to this world as much as we. In some ways, even more. The Loa are beyond this world. Nature spirits shield their eyes at the approach of the Loa. We consult these spirits for material matters; weather, hunting, and such. The Loa deal with righteousness, with the ways of our people. We Zandalari have few shamans. On our blessed isle, the nature spirits exist to serve the trolls, as it is the chosen land of the Loa.


Hmm. I hope these ideas are useful.

The hierarchy of the Loa seems to be a bit fuzzy. There are Greater Loa, Lesser Loa... and Primal Gods.
Vypra's post implies that Shango, Legba, Samdi and the others are Greater Loa that are above the Primal Gods - the former are generally, the latter are locally worshipped (i.e. jungle, ice, forest primal gods).
Zanick's post, on the other hand, implies that the five jungle Primal Gods are eternal and above all, and other Loa are "Lesser Loa" below them - trolls that gained godlike status thanks to their deeds, more like ancestors.

I think the hierarchy may differ depending on what group you fall into.

Also, the Primal Loa may come below the Greater Loa due to their vulnerability. We saw in several cases how the primal Loa are overcome and their power stolen by others. That doesn't happen to the likes of Shango, Damballah et al.

However, i understand Zanick's view too. It's likely that the earliest trolls would have worshiped the primal animal spirits to help them when the Hunt was one of the most important parts of their lives. This would then make it more likely that the primal Loa ranked above the greater Loa.

I guess it's down to the individual which order the take the Hierarchy in. as you'll see in my next post, troll religion is a complex and changeable thing

Okay, so i've taken a little time to consolidate as much info as i can from wow-wiki regarding troll religion...here goes:

Troll religion is a strange and varied thing. Their overlying faith is Voodoo where Deities called Loa are worshiped. Voodoo also involves veneration of the dead and protection against malign forces.

More recently, outside influences have seen the development of Shamanism (and soon, Druidism).


Some scholars view voodoo as a type of animism, and to an extent that theory is true. The trolls’ religion takes a decidedly different dark bent than the shamanistic beliefs of the orcs and tauren, though. Trolls have a complex belief system involving malign spirits and their effect on the world, but no scholar has established what is truth and what is simply long-held belief. The Darkspear trolls come from a dark and bloodthirsty history of sacrifice, cannibalism and black magic. They consider spirits to be individuals much like living creatures. Spirits are greedy, hostile and dangerous. Trolls also believe their ancestors linger on as jealous spirits who miss the land of the living and require blood sacrifices to appease them. Trolls sacrifice and eat their enemies. They conduct these practices for two reasons. First, they believe the sacrifice of sentient creatures appeases malicious spirits. Second, they believe that after death, an enemy’s spirit can visit misfortune on its killer. By consuming the flesh of their enemies, trolls believe they can also consume their enemy’s spirit, or at least damage it enough to render it impotent.

The orcs’ influence tempers the Darkspear trolls’ spiritual beliefs. The trolls willingly support Thrall and the Horde, and they understand that their destructive rituals offend their allies. Under Thrall’s tutelage, the Darkspear trolls abandoned the sacrifice of sentient creatures and took up animal sacrifice instead. These trolls no longer eat their enemies, but practice other methods of trapping, injuring or destroying enemy spirits. These methods include witch doctor blessings, the burning of enemy hearts, drowning corpses and head-shrinking.

Witch doctors hold an important position in troll society. Trolls respect their witch doctors as the wisest and most powerful tribe members, and show them courtesy and deference. Trolls are superstitious. They see bad omens everywhere and rely on witch doctors to interpret and excorise these omens. Witch doctors govern success or failure in battle almost more than the warriors do; trolls believe that a witch doctor who reads the portents correctly and conducts the proper rituals can guarantee success in any endeavor. Until Thrall’s involvement with the Darkspear trolls, only male trolls became witch doctors.

Female trolls have since seen the equality other Horde women possess and crave their own emancipation. Despite their efforts, few female witch doctors exist, and those who attempt to take on the role of tribal witch doctor meet with much derision and resistance. Trolls call female witch doctors “zufli,” a corruption of the voodoo master prefix “zul.” “Zufli” is a derogatory term and literally means “baby witch,” but some females have taken on the title as a mark of pride.

Troll death rituals used to involve ritual mutilation of the body. The trolls believed that simulating the sacrifice of a corpse distracted nearby malign spirits. The spirits, drawn to the pretend sacrifice, would fail to notice the new spirit entering their world. This allowed the deceased’s spirit to pass more easily into the next world and find a place for itself without harassment. Now trolls avoid these rituals because the Horde finds them disturbing and the rituals evoke unpleasant associations with the Scourge.

Trolls frown on cremation, as they believe the body provides the spirit with a tie to the mortal world, and to destroy it sets a spirit adrift and confused for eternity. Recently the trolls have taken to cutting the eyes out of a corpse, thus opening a path into the skull where the spirit resides. Often a witch doctor sacrifices an animal nearby to distract any hungry spirits; if the mourners have no time for such a ritual, they may instead cut their arms and let their blood spill to achieve the necessary distraction. To avoid the possibility of undeath, trolls either bury their comrades’ bodies in hidden places or in sections (usually the body in one place and the head in another).

The main practitioners of voodoo are the Hexer, Shadow Hunter and Witch doctor.

Hexer

All shaman and witch doctors know of ways to invoke spirits to do their bidding. The hexer (or hexxer) takes this craft to a new level, calling the wrath of spirits down upon his enemies. With a dance and a chant, he weakens and debilitates his foes. If a particular enemy becomes troublesome, he can bind a hostile spirit into an idol, delivering a permanent curse.
Hexers attract spirits to do their bidding through the use of music, chants, dances, or other types of performance. Therefore a high skill in performance is desirable. The idols a hexer creates usually take the form of carvings or other types of figures (the classic voodoo doll, for example), so some ability to craft is also necessary.[1]
The hexer can invoke a hex chant. Although termed a “chant,” hex chants can involve ritual dance, hand motions and the like, they do not necessarily have to produce sound. A hex chant produces a supernatural effect on one or more creatures in an area, within a specified range around the hexer. The hexer can freely designate which targets are affected and which are not. He may include himself. A hexer can continue a hex chant as long as he is concentrating. A hexer can begin a new chant while the effects of an old one persist.[2]

A hexer can create a hex idol, which takes the form of a wood or bone carving, voodoo doll, or similar object. The idol is attuned to a specific individual creature, giving the hexer power over that creature. Crafting the hex idol requires some piece of the creature such as a lock of hair, fingernail or claw clipping, discarded scale, and so forth. He can use any appropriate craft depending on the type of idol such as woodworking, bonecarving, stonecutting, and even glassblowing are all good choices. Success indicates that he has successfully called upon a spirit hostile to the creature and bound it to the idol.[3]

The typical hexer is the stereotypical voodoo priest, dressed in animal skins, dancing wildly about a bubbling cauldron as he calls forth spirits to do his bidding.

Shadow Hunter

The shadow hunters, masters of voodoo magic, are the highest authority of the jungle trolls. Their spirit powers both heal and curse, walking the line of dark and light in hope of saving the future of the jungle trolls. The dark gods will channel themselves through the shadow hunters when they use their ceremonial rush'kah masks.[1]
Like other practitioners of voodoo, shadow hunters deal with the darker aspects of the spirit world. Unlike witch doctors and members of other professions associated with this ancient faith, shadow hunters claim to develop a special bond with voodoo spirits called the Loa. Able to channel the essence of some of these extremely potent beings - and often acting with their blessing - shadow hunters gain special abilities only the Loa can grant. As they grow in experience, the shadow hunters' bond with the Loa strengthens and their connection to these powerful voodoo spirits eventually gives them the ability to curse and heal at a whim.

Brave practitioners of rituals and dark rites, shadow hunters tread a cautious line between darkness and light. Often misunderstood but always respected by those who have witnessed their eerie powers, shadow hunters rely on faith in the Loa and the ability to communicate with them. Through the magic of prayer and ritual, a shadow hunter spends a lot of time maintaining the particular relationship he shares with the Loa.[2]

Roughly spoken, shadow hunters are former headhunters who have gone deeply into the arts of voodoo and Loa. However, they have not forgotten their hunting skills, which makes a shadow hunter very dangerous in combat. They can stand far away from their enemies while throwing weapons at rapid speed, track down enemies with ease, and also heal themselves and allies. Of all trolls, shadow hunters are the most feared.

The voodoo faith of the shadow hunter deals with beings they call the Loa. Supposedly, these spirits are mighty entities that grant the faithful extraordinary powers. By calling upon these voodoo spirits, the shadow hunter gains special blessings with which he can combat darkness and help those in need. The abilities granted vary according to the Loa the shadow hunter calls upon.

The Loa Legba is a master of swift motion. Through him, the shadow hunter learns to bestow great speed and grace to his allies.
Lukou is the Loa of healing and respite. She grants the shadow hunter the ability to heal his allies. With a word, the shadow hunter can invoke a scintillating rain of positive energy, which drops from the sky to heal all living allies it touches.

Samedi is the Loa of cemeteries and the restful sleep of the dead. In Samedi’s eyes, the undead are abominations that should be destroyed. A shadow hunter with this ability may attempt to smite an undead with one normal melee attack. If the shadow hunter accidentally smites a creature that is not undead, the smite has no effect.

Shango controls the realm of storms, and he guards the secrets of lightning and mayhem. By channeling the fury of this powerful and often unpredictable Loa, the shadow hunter can throw a lightning bolt that deals electrical damage.

Ogoun, the Loa of war, teaches the shadow hunter to place dire curses upon his enemies. The shadow hunter may change a single targeted individual into a frog. This ability functions like a mages polymorph spell except that it always turns the target into a frog.

Dambala, the Loa of serpents and treachery, teaches the shadow hunter to move swiftly and quietly by changing his shape into that of a serpent.

Traditionally, most shadow hunters remain in their homelands, providing sound counsel to tribal chieftains and warriors as well as lending a hand in battle and during other times of need. Today, many shadow hunters roam the world in search of adventure while seeking to further their faith as well as the interests of their people. In olden times, shadow hunters donned special rush'kah masks when performing ceremonies. As they travel throughout the lands of Azeroth, many shadow hunters wear these unique ceremonial masks to cover their features and inspire fear in others.[2]

Witch doctor

The witch doctor is an alchemical and spiritual master, skilled at not only simply brewing potions and alchemical goods, but at awakening the spirits of the ingredients that go into his goods. A witch doctor at work can be unsettling, for he croons and chants to the herbs and animal parts that go into his brew, shaking a rattle to awaken them from their slumber, and sometimes even bursting into dance to appease them and make them favor him. The powers that witch doctors revere are creatures of wild, ecstatic worship who demand dynamism from their servants.[1]

The witch doctor's arcane magical art is formed from the ability to twist and turn nature through a crude yet effective science called juju. Often the more cunning and savvy members of the savage troll tribes, witch doctors are uncommon among other, more civilized races that instead rely on shamanistic aid in times of need. During war, the witch doctor's juju can give a troll tribe a needed edge.

Witch doctors teach that worthy trolls receive dominion over various aspects of nature upon their death - whether plants, weather, beasts, or even disease. When witch doctors exhibit their supernatural powers to cure the sick, control nature, or assist in battle, it is said that ancestral spirits are riding them.

The witch doctor's seething cauldron contains a hallucinogenic mixture of herbs, poisons, crushed insects and other noxious materials. He may add drops of this Shaka brew to improve the efficiency of any potion or alchemical item he creates. The Shaka brew maximizes all variable, numeric effects of the witch doctor's potions or alchemical creations. Drinking a potion treated with the Shaka brew leaves the imbiber with a euphoric buzz.

The Bambe brew is a secret recipe that extendes the effectiveness of magical potions. Drinking Bambe brew potions leaves the imbiber with a faint crawling sensation over their skin.
The witch doctor can add drops of the Zuvembi brew to any potion. The brew creates a powerful suggestive state in the imbiber that he can trigger and control. After drinking a Zuvembi brew potion, the imbiber can be dominated by the witch doctor.

Creating curses and hexes is a specialty of the witch doctor. The witch doctor can make a deadly doll of wax or tallow containing a specific person's hair, skin or blood. He can affect the target with a harmful touch attack spell as long as the person is on the same plane. The doll disintegrates after a touch attack. Using shadow and voodoo magic, the witch doctors can also cast spells without the use of dolls. By repeating old ritualistic chants, the witch doctor curses the target into feeling pain without physically harming it, only mentally. This might still prove deadly.

The witch doctor can shake and rattle the gourds and necklaces that he carries to create a frightening rhythmic effect. The juju of the highly skilled witch doctor becomes potent enough to kill (the Death Rattle). The reagent required to use this ability is a death gourd, which must be cursed and carved by the witch doctor himself using bizarre and disgusting components. The witch doctor can rattle his death gourd, targeting a number of living creatures, the closest creatures are affected first.

Witch doctors are also benders of will, as they can control other lesser intellectual beings with their mind. These tricks can be fatal for several enemies of the witch doctor, not knowing whom of their allies to trust anymore. They are also able to sear through a targets mind and erase or create new memories as they please, causing the target to get confused and not knowing what is real. These rituals will also inflict massive pain onto the target.

Much like a wizard, the witch doctor relies on his ability to bend magic to his will. Juju secrets can only go so far, though.[2]
They also served as spellcasters for the Horde during the Third War, being able to create several types of wards for such activities as healing, trapping, and watching over land.

Trolls are the ultimate witch doctors. It was the trolls, so they say, who invented the art. Their pots ever bubble with strange concoctions, and they scatter protective and decorative totems around their dwellings. They speak in tongues most can't understand, communing with the strange voodoo spirits from their tribal religion that grant them their power. They decorate themselves with ritual tattoos and designs, and shrunken heads dangle from their staves. The iconic troll witch doctor focuses on helping his allies with his strange blend of science and faith. He plants magic totems to help his allies, which may start a bloodlust or an adrenaline rush in his body. A powerful witch doctor may even transform their foes into frogs. He's not a particularly skillful combatant, but when the Horde is in a scrape, somebody calls for the doctor.[3]

Although they are savage and nefarious in the extreme, the troll witch doctors have aligned themselves with the Horde out of pure necessity. These dastardly magic users are adept at manipulating the chemical processes within their fellow warriors in order to augment their combat abilities.

Supposedly, upon his death, an enemy’s spirit lingers in his body for a short time. Then the spirit flees the corpse and is free to wreak havoc and revenge on its killer. Troll witch doctors believe that a fallen enemy’s spirit lairs in the corpse’s head before fleeing the body. Trolls who wish to trap enemy spirits often turn to head-shrinking.

To shrink a head, a troll first decapitates his fallen enemy. Then he makes a slit up the back of the head and carefully removes the skull (which he saves or discards). The troll then sews up the incision and boils the head for two hours to shrink. The troll uses scalding hot rocks and sand to fill the head cavity and shrink the head further. When the head is fistsized and rubbery, the troll sews up the eyes, mouth, and neck with elaborate stitching.

The enemy spirit now remains trapped inside the head forever. Most members of the Horde look askance at the practice of head-shrinking, but consider it a step up from human sacrifice and cannibalism. Some trolls have techniques to shrink skulls as well, which involve removing key pieces and reconstructing the skull as a smaller version using animal parts and resins to hold it together.

Shamanism

The shaman do not worship plant life and nature as the druids do. Instead, they honor the spirits of their own ancestors and the elemental forces. The shaman are not themselves imbued with the ascendency of the spirits, rather they harness it through ceremonial totems. They carve these totems to represent the spirits and animals from which they draw power, and it is within these totems that the true potency of a shaman lies.

Much like the rebirth in Orcish culture, the Darkspear Tribe has found a savior in Thrall and the practices of shamanism. The old ways of voodoo hexes, cannibalism, and non-animal sacrifice are being replaced by a more divine set of beliefs. No longer do these trolls feast upon the corpses of their fallen as the undead do. However, they do still practice voodoo and they taught Hex to their allies. They have brought out a different elemental totem, as well as teaching Orcs and Tauren more about restoration and regeneration. They are finding, under the guidance of the older shamanistic races, more civilized ways to appease their bloodthirsty ancestry. As the Orcs found guidance towards the divine from the Tauren, so now do the Trolls find their path through the Orcs.

Shamanistic Philosophy

Everything that is, is alive

All shamans gain their power from the Elemental Spirits, so most shamanic philosophy is the same no matter which race practices it. Access to the power of the shaman is borrowed, rather than taken. Unlike the rigid disciplines of the Holy Light which bends the power of the Light to its user through spells, shaman practitioners refer to the act of using their magic as calls, not spells.

The power imparted by the elements to the shaman has a wide berth, and encompasses many forces. A shaman can diagnose and cure ailments, harness the power of the elements to defeat their opponents, and enhance the natural power of themselves and other. And these abilities are but a mere fraction of the ability of a shaman. By traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with the spirits, shaman have gained access to divination, dream interpretation, astral projection, control over the weather, and a near innumerable list of abilities.

Shamanism is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by the invisible force of spirits that affect the living in a very strong and meaningful way. Shamanism can therefore be seen as the practical application of the concepts of animism through specialized knowledge and abilities. Shamanism is not, however, organized into full-time rituals or spiritual association as priests are. There exists a very distinct chasm between a Priest serving the Earthmother, and a Shaman of the Earthmother.

The Spirits

The shamans call upon the Elements in their magic. There are five elements, or Spirits: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and the Wilds. At their simplest, the elements may cause an earthquake, summon a storm, conjure fire or finding water. As their most complex, the elements are the very world we live in.

The Spirit of the Wilds is the most complex and least understood of the elements. This element is tied to life and the living things that grow when the other four elements are in harmony. The Wilds is rarely used by shaman, and lies more in the domain of the druid. It is invoked by the shaman only during the ritual of Ancestral Spirit, a call so powerful it can rewind the mortal coil, bringing life to the dead, and binding the spirit of a being back into their corporeal shell.

Druidism

Druids are keepers of the world who walk the path of nature, following the wisdom of the Ancients and Cenarius, healing and nurturing the world. To a druid, nature is a delicate balance of actions, in which even the smallest imbalance can create storming turmoil from peaceful skies. Druids draw their power from this wild energy, using it to change their shapes and command the forces of nature.[1]

Traditionally druids chose the path of a specific animal totem. Since the invasion of the Burning Legion, however, most druids have undergone a number of reforms, including encouraging the study of magic from all totems. Druids who do this are known as druids of the wild.[2]

The druids live a very spiritual life: firstly acknowledging and honoring each spirit as an individual life; secondly honoring the goddess Elune (known to the Tauren as Mu'sha), the only true deity on Azeroth. The druids seek guidance — or interference — from the spirits, asking the small spirits for small tasks and entreating Elune or one of the other wise and powerful spirits of the forests for more significant tasks. They see their forests as havens for living spirits, and as such are bound to defend them. It has become the highest priority for the Druid's Cenarion Circle to heal the corruption of their precious forests caused by the demonic and undead invasion of the Third War. As the spirits have served them for thousands of years, the druids seek to give back to the spirits by healing the very living woods.

This close proximity to nature imbues the druid directly with the power of the spirits, allowing them to harness the power of nature, and assume the form of the animals they worship. Because of this direct power infusion, the druids can be seen as the purer parent of the humans' paladin. Unlike the traditional paladin, however, druids still view themselves as servants of the divine, rather than agents.

Through their deep connection to life and nature, druids are able to take on an unusually large variety of roles. Probably a druid's best-known role is that of a healer. Druids are justly famed for their ability to restore life, cure poisonous wounds, and remove curses. Indeed, restoring and protecting the planet is one of the top priorities for all druids. Still, to regard a druid as merely a healer is a dangerously simplistic assumption that has led to the defeat of many an unwary foe.

A druid's empathy with the creatures of the wild also allows him to shapeshift into the forms of other animals. For example, a wounded druid whose magical energies are running low might abruptly take on the form of a bear in order to better withstand further injury. Alternatively, the druid might shift into the form of some large cat, sneak up behind an enemy, then pounce and deliver a fierce flurry of melee attacks. Even the deepest oceans can be explored by a druid, who can simply shift into an aquatic creature, allowing him to stay underwater as long as needed.

Until the end of the Third War, druids periodically visited the Emerald Dream to monitor the ebb and flow of life on Azeroth. Today such a visit has become more difficult due to Nordrassil's poor health. Druids possess a deep understanding of the way in which all living things depend upon one another. Whenever this delicate equilibrium is disrupted, the druid works to restore the balance. To that end, a druid can use his connection with the Emerald Dream to exert a calming influence over animals, even forcing some into a temporary state of hibernation.

Just as the druid can wield peace and somnolence, however, the druid can tap into the fury of nature itself. Terrible storms have responded to a druid's call. Thorns have sprouted from the druid's skin to wound his attackers. Even previously harmless roots have grown up out of the soil at greatly accelerated speeds in order to entangle a foe.


As noted above, i've pretty much copied and pasted all this from wow-wiki. Druidism is included as we'll have them come Cataclysm (and apparently we've had them all the time anyway )

Thanks for all the ideas and texts. I'll use them when putting together the ones that'll go into the book.

(also, here's the cover art: https://2img.net/h/i37.photobucket.com/albums/e89/Aldriona/frontsketch.jpg
Not finished, but getting there)

oooh, i likey

Nice cover art - just as much as any piece of your art from under your hands, Ryleen!

Vypra wrote:I think the hierarchy may differ depending on what group you fall into.

Also, the Primal Loa may come below the Greater Loa due to their vulnerability. We saw in several cases how the primal Loa are overcome and their power stolen by others. That doesn't happen to the likes of Shango, Damballah et al.

However, i understand Zanick's view too. It's likely that the earliest trolls would have worshiped the primal animal spirits to help them when the Hunt was one of the most important parts of their lives. This would then make it more likely that the primal Loa ranked above the greater Loa.

I guess it's down to the individual which order the take the Hierarchy in. as you'll see in my next post, troll religion is a complex and changeable thing

The contradiction in the hierarchy can be resolved another way: the Primal Loa are more ancient, but the Greater Loa are more powerful. A parallel between the Greek gods and titans came to my mind: the titans were born before the gods (in fact, all gods are the descendant of one titan called Kronos), but the gods were more powerful. Probably the animal-gods were born first, only to be overthrown by a new, more powerful generation of gods (that would be Samdi, Legba and the others)? It differs from the Greek parallel in one important aspect though: there, the titans were imprisoned by the gods, while the Primal Gods, though abused by their own priests and prophets, are still in power. Of course, that contradicts the family tree Ryleen posted in the other thread, which was based on Samdi being the "father of all Loa", both the primal and the other loa being his descendants...

...or perhaps I am just speculating too much.

I've already pointed out that the family tree isn't showing actual family bonds, but rather what has been created by their worshippers through stories told over the centuries, eventually merging them all together the way we seem them in the family tree.

Also, I don't see this focus on 'animal' loa. All loa can take the shape of whatever they want to. Most of them take the shape of animals or trolls when dealing with mortals. Some of them favour one animal more than all others, that doesn't mean they -are- the animal. It's a symbol and a representation of them. The tiger is Shirvallah, Shirvallah isn't a tiger.

As for which loa are the most powerful ones, I think that depends on where you are, who you ask and when you ask. Some are distinctly stronger than others, but I dobut you can make a list where you rank them one by one.

Ryleen wrote:I've already pointed out that the family tree isn't showing actual family bonds, but rather what has been created by their worshippers through stories told over the centuries, eventually merging them all together the way we seem them in the family tree.

Also, I don't see this focus on 'animal' loa. All loa can take the shape of whatever they want to. Most of them take the shape of animals or trolls when dealing with mortals. Some of them favour one animal more than all others, that doesn't mean they -are- the animal. It's a symbol and a representation of them. The tiger is Shirvallah, Shirvallah isn't a tiger.

As for which loa are the most powerful ones, I think that depends on where you are, who you ask and when you ask. Some are distinctly stronger than others, but I dobut you can make a list where you rank them one by one.

Of course, it is mythology we are talking about, so it would be surprising if there were no contradictions. Some tribes tell the story one way, some tell it the other way.

I never thought that the primal gods are animals themselves - they are gods that chose an animal as a symbol, and like to appear in the form of that animal. I focus on the distinction between the Primal Gods and the other Loa mostly because the term "Primal God" exists. Shirvallah, Bethekk, Halazzi and Akali are referred to as Primal Gods, Legba, Mueh'zala, Ula-tek and Zim'torga are not. It suggests that there is a qualitative difference between the former and the latter.

linked from troll call: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=26560508740&sid=1

discussion about troll mages

Browsing WoWWiki, I bumped into this: http://www.wowwiki.com/User:Minshuja/Loa_Spirits
It's another fan-made list of Loa, quite different from Ry's (and with a lot less research on actual voodoo).
I noticed that it makes a very clear distinction between Great Loa and Primal Loa, too.

As promised, here's just a few tidbits of info for you from the Voodoo handbook…

This one I only found out after I’d decided ‘Bats was having twins…

'Besides the Loa, there are a 2nd category of supernatural beings in voodoo: Twins. According to voodoo belief, twins are endowed with great powers. This comes from the west african belief that the first humans were twins and as such, all twins are the embodiment of the first humans and the ultimate ancestor spirit.

Twins are also sacred because they represent the balancing forces of voodoo belief. They represent the connection between the mundane and the divine, the mortal and immortal, the physical world and the world of the spirits.

Twins must be served with offerings and sacrifices or they will retaliate and use their powers by bringing misfortune on the family. This usually takes the form of stomach pains though they can allegedly cause even death if their whims are not catered to.

Haitians also believe that twins don't get on and so must have everything the same to prevent one getting jealous of the other and misusing their powers.

Twins are said to be able to bring rains and heal the sick and can pass on herbal remedies to heal the sick from the spirits. They are also guardians of children, protecting those who live and honoring those that died and comforting parents who have lost babies.'

and finally: 'The next child born into a family with twins is said to be even more powerful as 1) they form a sacred trinity and 2) the third child contains all the powers of twins in one body.'

Now a bit on Magic : 'Voodoo practitioners do not cast magic spells...rather, they manipulate spiritual forces to change the natural course of events. Magic, like everything else, is powered by the Loa.' The voodoo priest creates a charm or a spell and by means of a ritual invokes the correct Loa to use their powers to effect the change.

In other words, it’s the Loa that performs the ‘magic’. The priest merely persuades them to do it.
This sounds pretty much like the shaman of WoW who use their 'calls' to ask the elements for their aid...of course, the difference is, in WoW, we know that mortals have their own source of power...so I wonder how troll mages view that...?

There was plenty on honoring the spirits and Loa too:

First, in your home, you would build an altar to the spirit you have a special relationship with ( what we've called the patron Loa) which should have things like a candle, four stones from the ground near your home, a bowl/ cup of water and anything that you might use for divination/ spirit communication eg a crystal, stones or even shells. You'd also have something to represent the symbol of your Loa.

Once a week you give offerings and perform a simple ritual to ask for any help you need from your Loa. They all have their favorite foods and items that are associated with them but all the Loa will accept an offering of rum!

Usually, Legba is invoked to open the gateway to the spirit world, then the Loa you wish to honour are called. You then make your offerings of rum and food and light the candle. To celebrate the Loa you should sing and dance until you work up a sweat, then, once you feel the Loa are close, ask for what you want. Spend some time sitting quietly before the altar to give the Loa time to respond to your request and , if you are inclined, now is the time to do some divination. When you've finished, blow out the candle and leave the room so the Loa may absorb the energy from the food.

A separate altar is made for your ancestor spirits. A candle and bowl of water should be placed on this altar too along with pictures or treasured items of family members. The ancestors are usually honored once a month. Ring a bell or shake a rattle and light a candle and incense to mark the start of your meditation, then gaze into the water while you meditate on your connection to your ancestor spirits. When you feel they are with you, signal their arrival by splashing some of the water on the ground. Talk to them about how you feel and any problems you;re having and ask them to bring you happiness and success and drive away misfortune. When you're finished, make offerings of food (making sure there is no salt!), then leave the room and allow the spirits to 'consume' the offerings.

not sure of this is the best place to post this but it seems Bizz have actually used some sense and made a half decent go at explaining how troll druids have come to be. Check out the troll call site: http://www.trollcall.net/

i can make a seperate thread for this if you like and copy the whole post although i've already already copied to it WAL already.

Oh, thank you Blizz for showing that I wasn't wrong, hoping that you wouldn't stick to the stupid explanation of 'oh, but they were there all the time!"

But why, oh why, did you name a loa 'Gonk'? Gods, what were you thinking?

Maybe Blizzard has changed the lore for better because of the unfavourable reactions to the original explanation.

And... Deni'kuz is a much nicer name than Gonk indeed.

Why can't we just have both?
After all, nobody said those two absolutely have to be the same loa.

Yeah, I was thinking that.. Maybe is just nown as 'Gonk' in some parts of the myths.. The ones.... where loa get a way with having ridiculous names.....

<.<


>.>

...yeeeah, that'll work..