Spirits

Spirits are denizens of the ephemeral realm known as the Spirit Realm, which has its own unique rules and regions which overlap the physical realm of Lorithandar. These beings can be found in various locations throughout the world, and are able to connect with others on a spiritual level and communicate in whatever tongue their audience would understand. Some are powerful enough to travel between Lorithandar and the Spirit Realm freely - this is particularly easy near Hallows, places where the Veil between the Realms is thinned. "Bound" spirits are able to inhabit and control magical constructs created by their shaman - referred to as Manifestation, this ability allows them to lend their shaman more physical assistance in battle. For many shaman, though, the true draw of binding a spirit is in the abilities and spells that the spirit enables the shaman to utilize while Imbued.

Types of spirits include Ghosts, Animal Spirits, Elementals, and Dragon Spirits.

Mortal Spirits

Ghosts are the spirits of formerly living mortals who have since passed on to the spirit realm, but refused to retire to the Realm of the Dead, clinging to the memory of their life or unfinished business in the mortal plane. These tragic spirits are often bound to a person, place, or item relating to the unfinished business. Shaman may occasionally make arrangements with such spirits, or bind them forcibly into service.

Ghosts

Spirits who refuse the embrace of Su-Lan may linger in the Spirit Realm as undead beings called Ghosts. These incorporeal creatures often linger near their place of death or bind themselves to items or people from their life, unwilling to leave.

Without the aid of a shaman, it is often challenging for a ghost to manifest itself in the Mortal Realm. It takes a certain amount of power to manifest, so the vast majority of existing ghosts will never be able to do so freely. Weak ghosts in particular are rarely self-possessed enough to try - often they are simple shades or echoes of who they were in life, caught reliving a particular moment that led to their unfinished business. However, there are places where the barrier between the Spirit and Mortal Realms is weakened - Hallows - where even the most fragile of ghosts can be seen walking the world once more.

Animal Spirits

Bound Animal Spirits

Scout Animal Spirit

Scouts are nimble and dexterous creatures with great utility. They are able to travel farther from their shaman while manifested than any other spirit, and often serve as a lookout in the skies, trees, or even underwater to keep their shaman safe. Examples: Bird, Squirrel, Spider, Fish.

Predator Animal Spirit

Predators are powerful and stealthy - and excellent trackers. These beings are powerful combatants and very valuable companions when investigating dangerous territory. Examples: Wolf, Wildcat, Wolverine

Protector Animal Spirit

Protectors are most often sturdy, lumbering beasts whose primary purpose is to guard their shaman's life. Solid and defensible, they can take multiple hits and keep coming back. Examples: Bear, Boar, Horse, Rhinoceros

Elementals

Wild Elementals

Elementals are powerful spirits that embody the natural elements of Lorithandar. They are drawn to manifestations of their nature, and often become protectors of specific regions.

Fire Elementals

Proponents of cleansing and renewal through destruction, Fire Elementals are often unpredictable, dangerous and fickle.

Water Elementals

As with the creation of all elemental spirits, Water Spirits (or Water Elementals) were a naturally-occurring phenomenon that began to appear when the sentient races of Lorithandar began encroaching on its wilds. Water spirits are among the most diverse spirits in Lorithandar ranging from happy nymphs inhabiting a peaceful brook to cruel and deadly ice spirits of the Northern Wastes.

Air Elementals

Air Elementals are often referred to as zephyrs. They are most often found on windswept plains or high in the mountains, and are said to embody both the brutal power of storms and the gentle breeze of spring. Their personalities are often mercurial and they can be unpredictable. They may seem playful and energetic - but anger them at your peril, as they make deadly foes.

Earth Elementals

Earth Elementals were born of the sleeping mind of the Green Dragon God of Shamanism, Kevalth. As more and more sentient races began to settle Lorithandar, the wilds were mercilessly cut down as settlements, villages and eventually cities were created. The earth could not protect itself and so the first Earth Spirits were introduced to safeguard the wilds and their inhabitants. These first few were mindless beasts; weak and undiscerning, they lashed out indiscriminately and the wrath of the sentient races was brought down upon them. Those few nature spirits who survived grew with time, learning and evolving as they did so - many eventually achieving sentience and developing hierarchies of their own in various regions of the world.

All Earth Spirits draw their energy freely from Kevalth’s stores for their shared purpose: to protect/preserve the wilds of the world. Earth Spirits, as such, very rarely have reason to move locations or come into conflict with one another - they live and die with the land under their care, spreading the influence of nature spirits primarily by propagating more nature spirits to guard land nearby, and cultivate spiritual energy to sustain themselves and contribute to the pool of Kevalth’s power.

As they gain the ability to wield more shamanic power, they grow in size. As they age and gain sentience - becoming self-aware - their forms often change, beginning to more closely reflect the inhabitants of Lorithandar. The oldest and most powerful of these spirits (i.e. The Lady of Thorns) are able to, when the need is greatest, draw massive amounts of power and call upon the collective will of the other earth spirits of the world to aid them in their task.

Earth spirits are creatures of habit who guard the wilds of their chosen regions. They root themselves in the stone and dirt of the world and resent intrusion at the best of times. If the intrusion is hostile they are implacable foes.

Bound Elementals

Elementals are often highly sought after spirit companions - they make formidable allies both in and out of combat. Some are willing to bind themselves to shaman they encounter: for a price, for a purpose, for entertainment... whatever the reason, these elementals have agreed to tether themselves to a shaman and travel with them, providing assistance when called upon.

Dragon Spirits

Dragons are more than mere animals. They have souls like mortals, however they are not gathered to the Goddess of Death when they are slain. Instead, their energies permeate Lorithandar and they are eventually reborn anew. However, in the intervening period - which sometimes spans thousands of years - their spirits may continue to live on as though they had never died, save for their lack of interaction with Lorithandar.