Re: Big spirit dudes

From: KYER, JEFFREY <jeff.kyer_at_...>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2000 10:26:49 -0400

> I have some problems with spirit cults.
>
> I don't like giving them traditions, doing this would make Dew Maid as
> powerful as Waha (for example)and I don't like giving them little spirits
> either.

Not really. Remember, a tradition is somewhat (greatly?) limited by the spirits it provides. Waha has an INCREDIBLE array of spiritual folks. Dew Maid has moisture spirits and little else. Not really much comparison.

Remember that a tradition only provides lore and spirits for its own minions, and anything else encountered is probably not going to be very helpful.

But I could make a case for Dew Maid and spirit cults providing spirits that have a single Talent or just a community magic sort of thing, in that your village/tribe has lots of dew around which helps with the fodder.  

> If all Lightning Boy does is give access to lightning spirits for shamans
> why bother with Lightning Boy at all, he is just a middle man. The rules

He's a middle man. And you cannot get *friendly* access to Lightning spirits without his intercession.

> seem (imo) to encourage a player shaman to come up with all sort of nifty
> ideas for fetishes/integrated spirits. There is nothing to prevent any old
> shaman going up to the spirit plane looking for a lightning spirit and
> putting it in a fetish.

Yes. And now you are trying to intergrate a hostile spirit into your body. Tradition lores make this easier as you know what to appease and bargain with them. Spirits are, afterall, not plug and play components but become a part of yourself, especially when you intergrate them...

> Also it's the big spirits themselves that are supposed to have the special
> power not the little spirits that hang around them.

They provide the power TO the little spirits. Afterall it comes from someplace, yes?  

> Lightning Boy and all the other big spirit dudes must give something unique
> or else they wouldn't still be known, sort out and "worshiped".

They provide the safe access to these spirits.

I, for one, would not want to go to Oakfed's part of the Spirit Plane without a deal present. One could get seriously burned by poaching on his spirits without permission...

Jeff

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