The magical world of Shadowrun is more diverse than even Street Magic would have us believe. While several European and Asian traditions are lavishly detailed (as well they should be), African magic only got a cursory nod from the writers in the form of the Voodoo Tradition... and the faith is as much Western as it is African, having been influenced (or contaminated, depending on one's perspective) by Catholicism and other faiths. Dismissing Africa this way isn't uncommon among gaming writers, but it never fails to annoy me.
Thus I've created two very different Dark Continent traditions, one based on Masai beliefs and the other reflecting the Olodu faith of West Africa. The Psionic Tradition is one I felt was unfairly glossed over in SR4, and I give it the full tradition treatment here.
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Concept: Mystical powers exclusive to the Masai culture, channeling divine powers to augment their physical and mystical prowess.
Drain: Willpower + Intuition
Note: Masai magic is a possession tradition.
Traditional Masai theology is less thick with deities than many African faiths, but no less rich. It's technically monotheistic in that it recognizes a single god: Ngai, the Creator, neither male nor female. However, Ngai has two primary aspects: Ngai-Narok, the benevolent creative aspect, associated with black; and Ngai-Nyokie, the angry, destructive and red aspect. There exist many other lesser aspects, all of which are associated with either the Narok or Nyokie aspect, and all are ultimately Ngai. Masai pray to Ngai-Narok for good fortune, for ceremonial blessing (like weddings and births); they appease Ngai-Nyokie to avert disaster, to gain an advantage in war, or to harm others. (This concept of one all-powerful entity broken down into lesser aspects isn't unlike Hinduism, though there's no known connection between these faiths.) In addition to Ngai, the Masai believe each person is born with a spirit companion which remains with them until death. Also somewhat unusual among African traditions, the Masai don't engage in ancestor worship, though they respect their ancestors and take pride in their family lineages.
A laibon (plural laboni) is a Masai priest and medicine man or woman, a title claimed by any magician or adept of this tradition. While granted no political power by virtue of their gift, laiboni are respected by their communities, especially if their powers benefit their tribes. Laiboni are believed to be imbued by Ngai through their spirit companions; those spirits serve as conduits through which divine power is channeled. Without his spirit companion, a laibon is powerless. Thus, laiboni respect their spirit companions, often performing ceremonies in their honor.
Adepts are more common than magicians in Masai magic. Adept spirit companions are said to occupy their bodies and empower them; whether this co-habitation is actual or symbolic isn't clear, and the distinction doesn't seem important to adepts themselves. (In any case, this isn't treated as actual possession: the adept is in full control of her body and faculties.)
Laiboni magicians are able to cast spells and summon, but have a more complex relationship with their spirit companions. Many prefer Spellcasting to Ritual Spellcasting, especially those that lead "active" lifestyles. The companion serves multiple roles for a laibon -- every time she summons a spirit, it's her own spirit companion. However, the abilities and demeanor the companion manifests (spirit type and Force) depends on the purpose for which it's summoned and the magician's raw power. For example, when the companion is summoned for Combat, it takes on the aspect of a Guardian Spirit; for Detection, that entity takes on the attributes of a Spirit of Man. However, the spirit retains the same core identity no matter what its purpose or Force, and answers to the same title and/or name. Laiboni treat their companions with respect when they summon them, and never have them perform demeaning tasks or order them about like minions. So a companion spirit's default attitude toward its summoner is friendly; the trade-off is that if that spirit ever feels slighted, the laibon will have trouble until he can make restitution to it.
Mystic adepts of the Masai Tradition function somewhere between adepts and magicians: most of the time the companion occupies and empowers the body in a "passive" way, but can be called upon actively for casting spells and summoning. Mystic adepts are about as common as full magicians.
Masai foci and magical accouterments tend to be simple and utilitarian, and designed around a nomadic lifestyle. Grass is considered a divine gift and is used to bless or heal. Idols carved from wood and bone, hand-made beadwork, and specially cured bone serve as fetishes. Cattle are sacred to traditional Masai, since they're so central to cultural identity and survival; even now, Masai tribes still herd cattle across the Eastern African grasslands. One (in)famous magical focus is Masai blood-milk, made from mixed cow blood and milk; while a staple of the Masai diet, when consumed by adepts and magicians it takes on potent mystical properties. (In gamespeak, blood-milk doesn't offer any direct systems benefits beyond that offered by other foci unless the game master decides to create rules for it. Regular consumption of blood-milk can well be the source of Masai mystical potency; if this is the case, the character suffers from a mild (5 pt.) Foci Addiction when denied his elixir for more than a few days.)
Mentor Spirits: As the faith is monotheistic, it's unusual for laboni to follow mentor spirits. When they do, they always follow a lesser aspect of Ngai; most mentor spirits listed in the books have an equivalent Ngai aspect. Common alternative disadvantages include being forbidden to break the ground or harm cattle, as both are sacred to Ngai and the Masai.
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Anyone ever tie the Masai taste for blood to HMHVV? Any connection there? > Grendel
I'm sure people have connected the two. Probably the same kind of people that persecute metavariants and declare anything not of their faith "devil worship."
Oh spare me the politically correct grandstanding. I'm just asking a question, okay? |
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Concept: West African religious practices that channel the powers of ancestors and divinities to protect and empower the faithful.
Drain: Willpower + Charisma
Note: Oludu magic is sometimes treated as a possession tradition; see below for details.
Oludu is the complex interplay of faith, culture, music, story and history which make up the Yoruban religion and society. While the traditional faith of Yorubans had been on the wane for centuries due to Westernization and the introduction of Islam, it's bouncing back lately, boasting a growing number of converts among those that honor their traditional faith and culture. While Oludu is originally a Yoruban practice, its inclusive nature and the resurgence of African Pride movement has allowed it to spread throughout West Africa, into central and southern Africa and even the Caribbean. Oludu has incorporated divinities, ancestors and practices from the many cultures that practice it, but at its core the tradition remains true to what it has always been.
Voodoo (originally Voudon), by contrast, has roots in Oludu but has diverged significantly from it, largely due to the introduction of Catholicism, European and Native American influences. Voodoo gained a dark reputation among whites, and incorporated its bad press, becoming something of a "black magic" practice; it even eventually adopted "Voodoo" as its name, which was originally a derisive slang term developed by white American Southerners merging Voudon with their word for witchcraft, "hoodoo". Santeria and Candemoble are derivations of Voodoo, and are further divorced from their Oludu roots. This isn't to suggest these Caribbean "spinoff" faiths aren't valid, or that there is any enmity between they and the African traditionalists; generally, practitioners of the three traditions have much in common. But Voodoo is as African as Christianity is Judaic; Oludu stands as a distinct practice in itself, rooted deeply into the fabric and beliefs of West Africa.
To understand the nature and role of magic in Oludu, one has to understand the faith's cosmology and the place of all things. Creation can be thought of as an upward-pointing triangle. The two heavens, where dwell the orishas (gods) and the ancestor spirits, form the upper sides of the triangle. The physical world forms the triangle's base; this encompasses everything from animal and plant life to Augmented Reality and the astral plane. Mankind ideally exists squarely within the triangle, connected to the heavens while living in the base physical world. The asogwe -- Oludu magician -- is the binding force that tethers mankind to these three realms and binds them together so that all is proper and harmonious. An asogwe plays the part of priest, councilor, physician and historian. He observes the proper rituals and reminds people of their obligations to the ancestors, the orishas and one another; and as a conduit to the heavens, he also humbly reminds the orishas and ancestors of their responsibilities to mankind. The asogwe's magic comes from the interplay of these forces and his efforts to balance them, and are both the rights of his station and his duty.
This is the ideal, of course. The reality is that most modern people are fully grounded in the physical world, and comparatively few venerate worry about traditional beliefs. Not everyone can even afford to. So an asogwe's flock is often fairly small. Some people appreciate what their magical benefactor does for them but don't respect the abstracts. And asogwes are as prone to the same failings as anyone else: some abuse their power and station, while others simply don't have the desire or talent to properly attend their responsibilities. Asogwes that set off on their own and pursue personal goals or become runners aren't uncommon. However, the majority of asogwes serve their communities and manage to strike a workable balance between modernity and tradition, helping West Africans to find purpose and strength in the old ways. Oludu priests in humble shops advertise their services to passers-by in Augmented Reality, and they minister to their flocks via PANs and on virtual message boards. They remind people that an ancestor or god is never further than a prayer away, wearing away the spiritual ennui so endemic to these bleak times. In addition to acting directly to benefit the faithful, asogwes advise them where their talents can best benefit their brethren -- a cybernetic doctor is directed to a girl with a crippled arm, runners are advised where they can find work, a family is urged to sponsor a needy parishioner. Over time social bonds form and strengthen, forming true tribal communities in the Sixth World; asogwes serve as the catalysts and nuclei of this unity, as they did in times of old.
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Oludu magic works through folk medicine, ritual and invocation of divine forces; generally magicians prefer the Ritual Spellcasting skill over Spellcasting. Asogwes channel the favor of heaven, opening their bodies to possession by orishas and beseeching ancestors to appear to their flock; occasionally a god may manifest an avatar directly or an ancestor spirit will act through the magician's body, but this unusual. (When summoning, players may choose to summon a "standard" spirit with the Manifestation power or one with the Possession power, depending on his whims or the story.) Animal sacrifice, drumming, fetishes, herbs (especially the medicinal patonmo plant), dancing and chanting are all part of Oludu ritual and foci. All asogwes practice divination to some extent, using sixteen cowrie shells or palm nuts; 16 is a sacred number in Oludu, and it appears often in the faith's symbolism and practice.
Those awakened to the sacred mysteries of Oludu are likely to be magicians, though adepts aren't altogether uncommon. An Oludu adept is known as an akin, her body and spirit empowered by ancestors and orisha. Adept blessings are personal, and so they take a less visible role in their communities; they claim a lower status in the Oludu faith, and often employed by asogwes as warriors or enforcers. Of course, some akins serve of their own accord or strike out on their own. Mystical adepts are considered asogwes if they have blessings which can be used on behalf of the community, such as healing or divinatory abilities; those that don't are regarded as akins, respected but below asogwes in status.
Mentor Spirits: Not all asogwes or akins follow specific orisha, and instead serve the faith's pantheon. However, it's common for one to serve (or be claimed by) a particular deity; many are called into service this way. While many of these orisha would be familiar to Voodoo as loa, the asogwe follows purer forms of the deities predating the Caribbean diaspora. (Curiously, the deities themselves don't seem to favor any one faith or the other.) Orisha are listed with two or three mentor equivalents -- for example, Damballah is listed with Gryphon and Mountain. This reflects the multifaceted, complex and sometimes contradictory roles these gods play. An asogwe doesn't gain the advantages and disadvantages of both mentor spirits, but picks one aspect or the other. Thus, two asogwe that serve Damballah could be quite different, one following his lordly aspect and the other his earthly mien. It's possible for one to "switch" aspects, gravitating toward another aspect of the same deity, but the asogwe must learn to commune with his deity a different way; this costs 5 Karma and takes at least one month, during which time the character suffers the disadvantages of both mentor spirits but doesn't gain the advantages of either.
The major orisha include Damballah the Earth Serpent (Gryphon, Mountain), Aida the Rainbow Serpent (Great Mother, Moon Maiden, Snake), Anansi the Trickster (Adversary, Raven, Trickster), Legaba the Teacher of Ifa (Fire-Bringer, Trickster), Oranjun the Sun God (Fire-Bringer, Sun), Shango the Storm King (Horned Man, Thunderbird, Wise Warrior), Olukan the Ocean Lord (Dark King, Sea), Ogun the Divine Smith (Artificer, Wise Warrior). Those interested in a detailed descriptions of these deities are encouraged to Google for them or (even better) find books on West African mythology; a quick stat block isn't going to tell you much about a god.
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Cultural sensitivity is great and all, but I don't care for any religion that involves animal sacrifice. It's inhumane. You have to wonder what sort of twisted gods would demand that. > Delia Sol
The animal sacrifice here isn't any more inhumane than slaughtering animals for meat. Not everyone eats soy substitutes, you know. A chicken or a goat or whatever is slain quickly and humanely during a ceremony, cooked, then eaten -- with the asogwe and community's needy getting the first portions of the meat. What does it matter if a prayer is said before the animal is slain? Even Muslims do something like this for the meat to be considered halal (acceptable).
I still don't like it. It's just one step away from sacrificing humans and other sentients.
Just curious Delia, what faith are you?
I'm Catholic.
You are aware your own god, Yahweh, demanded animal sacrifice from the Hebrews? He also demanded Abraham sacrifice his own son. That the sort of "twisted god" you're condemning?
That's different and you know it.
Because it's West Africans that are performing sacrifice, or that the sacrifices aren't made to your god? This is the same god whose blood you drink and flesh you eat during your communion rituals, right?
You're about to cross a line here, Hex.
You crossed it first, Omae. Don't knock my beliefs and I won't knock yours. |
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Concept: Psychics call upon their internal energy and personal potential to create desired effects, independent of spirits, deities or external forces.
Drain: Willpower + Intuition or Willpower + Logic (pick one)
The Psionic Tradition shouldn't be confused with the theory of psionics espoused by the Psionic Studies Institute and Markov Foundation. These groups seeks to define all magic as expressions of psionic potential. While a few psychics believe in these groups' anti-mystical theories, most psychics awaken to their mystical potential on their own and don't conform to the dogma and beliefs of those institutes. Psychic practice isn't by definition opposed to a mystical worldview: many psionic magicians have no problem accepting other forms of magic, and don't insist on defining what shamans or some critter does through some sort of pseudo-scientific framework. They simply call upon their own personal energies rather than the forces of sorcery, spirits or divinities. Psionic characters follow the same fundamental rules as other magicians, but they do stand apart from magicians of other traditions in a few important ways.
First, there are two distinct approaches to psychic potential. Some psychics develop their powers as "wild talents," initially having little understanding or control of their magic. Eventually they gain control over their magic, but continue to access it through intuition and self-realization; such psychics resist Drain with Willpower + Intuition. Others control their magic through strict discipline and rigorous mental exercises, honing their minds to wield their powers with surgical precision: these "mentalists" use Willpower + Logic to resist Drain. Mentalist magic expresses itself through intense and often silent concentration. Meanwhile, wild talents are often emotional, channeling a magic through rage, fear or pain. So while a mentalist may let loose a powerful spell with a grimace or a measured gesture, a wild talent may yell and convulse as the psychic energy plays havoc with his mind and body. Bulging veins and nosebleeds often accompany psionic Spellcasting. Mentalists often prefer Ritual Spellcasting, calling forth magic through meditation and self-focus; most wild talents use Spellcasting exclusively. It's possible for a wild talent to adopt a more disciplined path, or for a mentalist to simply let loose and choose a more instinctual approach. However, this requires a process of "re-learning" magic, as the psychic rewires his mental pathways and adjusts to channeling magic a different way; this costs 5 Karma and takes no less than one month, during which time the character can still cast spells and summon spirits but resists spell Drain with Willpower alone.
Owing to the internal and focus of the Psionic Tradition, psychics don't rely heavily on accoutrements like foci and talismans; when they do, these items typically take the form of crystals, meditation beads and objects with supernatural resonance (like an item "owned" by a ghost).
Psychic magicians find it difficult to summon and task spirits. Psychics rely heavily on their own potential, and while they can sense and reach out to spirits, calling upon them (or any external force) for empowerment doesn't fit well with their philosophy. Thus, they Suffer a -2 penalty to Banishing, Binding and Summoning tests. When summoned, spirits often appear to psychics as ghosts, poltergeists, psychic constructs and similar "paranormal" manifestations. Psychics never have mentor spirits, as such patronage falls outside the purview of self-empowerment.
And finally, one significant (and largely unrealized) advantage psychic characters have is that while psionic characters tap into the ambient mana field all spellcasters do, they aren't strictly bound to it; with great effort, they can use magic where it normally doesn't operate, such as outer space and magic-dead areas. They make up for the lack of magical energy in such areas by drawing entirely on their own life forces. However, Drain damage is always lethal, regardless of the Force of the spell they cast or spirit they summon.
Psychics are at least as likely to manifest as adepts and mystic adepts as magicians, if not more so; adept turns their inner potential inward, empowering body and mind. Mystic adepts combine self-empowerment with either wild talents or disciplined mental powers. Psionics lend themselves well to Detection, Health and Manipulation spells, though more than a few powerful "psychokinetics" (utilizing Destruction spells) and illusionists hail from this tradition.
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As the subject is psionics now, it's interesting that the Masai were discussed earlier. > The Parakeet Shaman
Oh? How so? I admit I don't know that much about East African traditions.
Yeah, there are a significant number of psychics that hail from that culture.
Wow, I didn't know that.
Me either.
Yeah. They're called the MaPsi.
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Who the hell is this guy? Why's he spamming our feed? |
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