Members of the Seven Winds spirit society are learning animism in a theistic culture. They lack the cultural support; most Heortlings do not understand spirit magic beyond a simple charm or two they know how to use - their sacred stories emphasize that spirits are *others* (see Heortling Mythology). Only Kolat and his sezings really knows how to deal with them.
I've seen two types of characters play members of the Seven Winds. The first are spirit magic specialists - ie, apprentice shamans who intend to become full shamans. They focus on becoming a shaman and get their Kolating Tradition up to 11W in a few sessions (and if it was necessary for MGF, I'd bend the rules to let them become a sezing with a later ability rating) - at which point they are the spirit magic specialists and quite powerful.
The other type is the character that joins the Seven Winds in addition to a theistic cult. Maybe they become a sezing at some point in their character development; until then, their spirit magic is more flexible but weaker than their divine magic. I suspect that this type is over-represented amongst player characters.
In a more animistic culture (like the Praxians or Hsunchen), ordinary spirit society members can release their charms as described in the rules. They have a basic cultural understanding of spirits that Heortlings (and other theists) lack.
Jeff
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