The Shaman

A wild looking half-orc lumbers

through the forest, his arcane

tattoos glistening in the light that

penetrates the forest canopy.

A child from his tribe had reportedly

seen a group of goblins cutting down

ceremonial trees in their sacred grove.

Slicing his hand the half-orc smeared

his blood on a the hilt of his heartwood

maul. His weapon now pulsed with a deep

green energy as he ventured forth to deal with

the fools that would dare profane their grove.

They would pay for desecrating the resting place

of his ancestors.

A hunched over, elderly halfling grips his necklace

as he faces down the leader of the hobgoblin war-band. The necklace, made from the finger bones of the previous Shamans of his tribe, allows their spirits to take charge of his body. With their aid his life force is enhanced by theirs and he moves with the vigor of youth. Quick as lightning, he strikes at the hobgoblin’s head with his ancient club. As his foe slumps to the ground, he reflects on his time defending his people as their champion. Soon his time would end, and his body would die, but his spirit would join the previous Shamans, aiding the next champion of their tribe.

A hunched over elvish woman uses her primal connection to life-magic to conduct an ancient ritual on a stolen lock of hair. Far across town, the village fool comes down with a mysterious illness, and within hours he succumbs to the strange pox. The townsfolk suspect dark magic was at play, but after a few days they bury the fool and move on. The man who had dared to insult the old elf had paid for the transgression with his life.

Conduits of Primal Energy Shamans are the rare few that learn to open themselves to the natural energy that exists in all living things. Using their connection to this power, they are able to use primal energy to enhance their bodies, place curses on foes, or heal the sick. Shamanistic magic is ancient in its origins, and the teachings of shamans that are passed from one generation to the next trace their beginnings to the dawn of the world. Most shamans embrace the old ways. They find civilized society uncomfortable, instead preferring to spend time in the wild.