RE: Animists and ancestors

From: David Cake <dave_at_...>
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 10:08:21 +0800

>Here is a solution that I use:
>
>The [Spirit] Tradition Knowledge ability works just fine as the basic means
>of peacefully dealing with spirits. Due to the lack of another
>peaceful-interaction-with-spirits ability in a shaman's keyword, this seems
>like the best ability from the keywords. I also add [Spirit] Tradition
>Knowledge to the Grazer Shaman keyword on HW:RiG p. 108. (A trained shaman
>can lack tradition knowledge? Is this errata, Roderick?) The extended
>description of Tradition Knowledge on HW: RiG p. 207 gives some nice
>guidelines for improvisational penalties for dealing with spirits outside
>of the tradition.

	This sounds reasonable to me.
	For example, tradition knowledge represents things like 

'Spirits of Marsh Flies can be propitiated by offering them a sacrifice of sugar' or 'after Brother Bloodsong performs a curse for you, give him a sacrifice of an ox liver or he will be angry'. Or even Tradition Knowledge includes simple spirit contact techniques like divination that you can use to work out what will be most favourable to the spirits. Or details of spirit society (the Whispering Grass spirits will always tell you what they know without asking. Before summoning the Biting Dog, ask the Whispering Grass spirits what mood he is in, so you will know the right sacrifice.)

        I don't think it should be used as a replacement for bargaining or spirit combat in general, but it might allow you to avoid the need for these skills in many cases. Enough that most shamans might get by without the need for a separate communications skill (which would imply that spirits they deal with are either safe (can be handled using tradition knowledge) or must be fought).

	Cheers
		David