Native American Fantasy

[Bone2pick]

Theme Music

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A new fantasy world drifted into my thoughts this morning. A place filled with mythology, primative settlements, romantic cultures, and dangerous predators. The people are simple, tribal, but carry an air of nobility. And the wisest among them receive visions from their long dead ancestors.





They pay honor to the mountains, the trees, and the creatures that share their world. Anything less would be an insult to the Great Spirits. Like the natives themselves, their land is beautiful; it's also ripe with adventure.

Magic flows and forks like a river. It is channeled in song, craftsmanship, and sorcery. But while much of it sacred, some of it was forbidden. Unfortunately, wicked hearts wouldn't be deterred.

Beasts of the Dark





The consequences were unimaginable. Evil, never one to miss an opportunity, clawed its way into their world. To go against the tenets of the Great Spirits was to lose their favor. One can only hope the natives can save themselves from their new horde of enemies. And maybe, if they're lucky, reclaim their harmony with the spirit world.

 

[Bone2pick]

The world will be set on an alternate Earth, specifically the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic coast. History, like the planet itself, will also get the benefit of an alternate timeline. It has to, this world supports magic, spirits, and monsters.

Spoiler

There are hundreds of tribes that call this mountain range home, so the players will get the luxury of creating one of their own. Those tribes, for a large period of time, were united under one nation (yet to be named). But when the roleplay starts, that nation will have collapsed and splintered from corruption. A corruption whose tendrils reached into the spirit realm.


In terms of tone for this, Conan the Hyborian Age comes to mind: gritty, mystical, romantic, ect.

 

[Bone2pick]

Spiritual Notes

I'll be adopting the Inuit idea of the soul for this roleplay. Per Wikipedia:


The Inuit believed that all things have a form of spirit or soul (in Inuktitut: anirniq meaning breath; plural anirniit), just like humans. These spirits are held to persist after death — a common belief present in practically all human societies. However, the belief in the pervasiveness of spirits — the root of Inuit myth structure — has consequences. According to a customary Inuit saying "The great peril of our existence lies in the fact that our diet consists entirely of souls." By believing that all things have souls like those of humans, killing an animal is little different from killing a person. Once the anirniq of the dead animal or human is liberated, it is free to take revenge. The spirit of the dead can only be placated by obedience to custom, avoiding taboos, and performing the right rituals.


And after a bit of research and cherry picking, I've compiled a list of the six Great Spirits of the natives.


Name - domains - totem animal


• Akna - spirit of the hunt, hide tanning, and survival - panther


•Chaha - spirit of corn, harvests, and feasts - dove


•Nanook - spirit of bears, battle, and fortitude - grizzly


•Orendi - spirit of thunder, honor, and duty - eagle


•Selu - spirit of rain, fog, and visions - dragonfly


•Tekkiet - spirit of song, dance, and art - stag


And this roleplay's primary antagonist will be the Impa, or Beasts of the Dark (based on Impa Shilup, a Choctaw myth).

 

[Bone2pick]

The Rise and Fall of the Natives

The height of their civilization was when all of the Appalachian tribes combined to create one great nation (yet to named). While their unity under one council couldn't bury every longstanding grievance between the tribes, for the most part it ushered in an era of peace. War and genocide were put to bed, so the natives turn their focus towards growth and wellbeing.


The most potent tool that they wielded was magic—a spiritual secret revealed to them by the six Great Spirits. It was a practice that aided so many aspects of their lives: rain dances, super medicines, vision smoke, curse removal, artifact creation, and more. Most magic was in harmony with the land, but the natives were warned by the Great Spirits to never align themselves with one particular strain of sorcery. A corrupting and vile strain that infected its practitioners an insatiable hunger for human flesh.


Centuries of obedience to the Great Sprits were wiped away by the depravity of one ruling council. Those council members were seduced by the promises of the dark arts, most notably its ability to extend lifespans. One by one, the ruling council of the Appalachian tribes entered into a secret blood pact. They planned to practice whatever sorcery was needed, traditions and taboos be damned. And only one of their members refused to to follow them down the rabbit hole; he was the first one to be feasted on.


The wind blows colder and bites harder ever since the council's betrayal. Those eleven men and women unleashed a curse across the Appalachian territory; and the Great Spirits—crushed by the native's disobedience—turned their backs on their chosen people. Worst of all, the predatory spirits of the world, normally fearful of the Great Spirits, took note. Evil quickly began to march against man.

 

[Bone2pick]

If you're reading this please feel free to post any of your thoughts or feelings about this setting. Do you think a roleplay of this stripe will find an audience here on RpN? Do you think the world and direction, at least what you've seen of it, has enough appeal?

Impa Shilup (Impa, Beasts of the Dark)


Whenever an animal is slaughtered by a native, its spirit must be placated through ritual. This is a custom and tradition carried by every tribe that calls the Appalachians home. But occasionally, for whatever reason, the beast's spirit isn't given the proper respect. And when that happens the enraged animal spirit seeks out a new vessel to anchor it to the living world, in order to score revenge against the natives.


They possess the infant corpses of other species: a stillborn calf, a smothered piglet, a fallen chick, or a frozen pup. The unholy union of mad spirit and dead babe produces a ghastly beast, a creature only partially alive. The spawn wastes little time; the Impa Shilup (its formal native name) forms overnight.

Spoiler

As long as there have been natives there have been Impa. Hideous, murderous, brutes who ambush their victims from the cover of night. But the death toll they inflict, while still tragic, has always been very low. The Beasts of the Dark were kept in check by the Great Spirits, for the natives were Their sacred people. But the recent fallout between the tribes and their spiritual guardians has unleashed a never before seen uprising from the Impa. Now the creatures gather in hordes, and they have already overrun several vulnerable native villages. The ability of the fractured tribes to repel the raiding Impa is uncertain. And many tribal elders have talked openly of their fears of their people's extinction. The present is a time of fear and hopelessness.


•Primary Atagonist - threat type (physical)

 

[Grey]

Something worth looking at: Ehdrigohr: The Roleplaying Game - Council Of Fools Productions | Ehdrigohr | DriveThruRPG.com

 

[Bone2pick]

Hashok & Hui'ga

Long ago the six Great Spirits elevated themselves above the terrestrial land and into a heaven known as the Sky Vault. But underneath those supreme entities are thousands of lesser spirits, who the natives call the Hashok. Most of these spirits are charged with the stewardship (domain) of a geographical feature: a forest, a waterfall, a river, a gorge, ect.


It wasn't uncommon for tribes of natives to form close ties with particularly powerful and benevolent Hashok. A lake spirit of a frequently visited body of water was a wonderful ally to have, and it pleased the Great Spirits to see the natives and Hashok align in harmony.





Hashok - river spirit


But when the Great Spirits turned their backs on the natives after the betrayal, so did most of the Hashok. The Appalachian tribes were left without spiritual guidance. But worst of all, a minority of the Hashok—rather than ostracize the natives—went mad. Those spirits would look to haunt, harm, and even destroy any human who dared to tread through their domain. The natives call the rogue spirits Hui'ga, which means "bad blood."





Hui'ga - forest spirit


•Secondary Antagonist - threat type (magical)

 

[Bone2pick]

Magic

Magic is a revered art form among the natives. Their ability to command it has helped keep them safe, fed, and healthy for centuries. Most of village elites, no matter their tribal path, have access to supernatural tools. And like any important aspect of native life, magic—more so than any other—is wrapped up in ritual and customs.





Tribal Paths: common native walks of life


Path [associated Great Spirit] - areas of focus (magical circles)


Gatherer [Chaha] - cooking, fishing, animal husbandry (food preservation and purification magic)


Medicine Man/Woman [selu] - healing, ancestor summoning, spirit warding (healing, summoning, and banishment magic)


Shaman [Orendi] - celestial observer, talisman crafter, spirit sight (weapon enchantment, animal familiar)


Storyteller [Tekkiet] - native lore, ceremonial dance, song (communication magic and song (group) enhancement)


Tracker/Hunter [Akna] - scouting, survival, ranged combat (speed, stealth, and perception magic)


Warrior [Nanook] - strength, courage, close quarters combat (strength & fortitude enhancement)


Shilombish (the inside shadow)


The forbidden art. A force whose rituals often require the blood of non-willing participants. It continues to be a forbidden practice by the Great Spirits, so its practitioners are forced to keep their ceremonies secret. The sorcery of the Shilombish erodes empathy, and it rewards predation inside the species. In return, it does what traditional magic can not: it extends the lifespan of its masters. Old age, hunger, disease—none of these can slay the followers of the forbidden art.


Cannibalism takes over. And once it does a Wendigo is born. A demon of the Shilombish, it lies dormant in its host, only transforming into its true self to feed. The unholy enemy walks among the tribes unseen.

Spoiler

•Secondary Atagonist - threat type (covert, investigative)

 

[Hellfire]

This is a really cool and unique idea.

 

[Bone2pick]

Thanks for the comment!

 

[Silanon]

I just had a brief read read over the ideas posted so far... at least from my point of view as a completely unexperienced roleplayer, it seems like a world worth exploring. It has some fitting enemies, both clear and well-hidden (wendigos) enemies, and something like an ultimate goal built in (reclaim of harmony). Besides that, it offers some interesting possibilities between actual survival (at all cost) and responsibility - what keeps you alive for a short moment, might actually provoke the Great Spirits even further.


At the moment, I'm quite curious about the actual connection between magic and the Greater Spirits: It seems as if both are basically separated. I would assume that the magic was there without the spirits (if that makes sense?), they just told the humans how to use it according to their fundamentals. The natives, however, were not satisfied with just those paths, took the forbidden one and therefore paid the price. This would mean that magic would still be useable even after the Greater Spirits turned away. Did I get that right?


Do you learn magic by experience? So for example, would a good tracker by time get a feeling for the path of Akna, if you call it like that, or is it the other way around - so someone gets an idea of how to use the tracking magic, and therefore becomes a tracker? The first way would lead to everyone learning magic at some point, at least if he finds out what he is good at. The other one would open the possibility of some elders teaching the younglings whatever is needed - so for example, a tribe living mostly off the hunt would teach their children mostly the path of Akna.


Lastly, I got another question: Would it be reasonable to be against the use of magic in general? On the one hand, the spirits showed it to the natives. On the other hand, you might reconsider that after the world breaks apart because of people who wanted more than they should have ever gotten. Basically, I'm wondering if it would be a sacrilege to refuse the gift of the spirits, the gift being the knowledge of magic - or if there would be a way to find your way through this world in a spirit-satisfying way without using it. This question would of course be irrelevant if you learn some magic by experience anyway...


I don't know if anything of this makes sense, probably not... feel free to ask, I'll try my best to clarify things... for now, though, thats it from my part... as I said, seems like a good idea for me, although I'm probably not the perfect measure for that - there are far more experienced people out there.

 

[Bone2pick]

@Silanon I really appreciate you taking the time to write up so many of your thoughts and questions about this setting. That's what I was hoping to get out of a member or two! Anyway, I'll try to answer everything to the best of my ability, here we go.


I'm quite curious about the actual connection between magic and the Greater Spirits: It seems as if both are basically separated.


They are. The Great Spirits reached out to the natives (through visions, dreams, and avatars) centuries ago and revealed the safest and most beneficial way for mortals to harnass magic: through Tribal Paths. Each path has a patron Great Spirit associated with it, but a native following the warrior path might also pay respects to Chaha, despite her favoring the Gatherers.


This would mean that magic would still be useable even after the Greater Spirits turned away. Did I get that right?


Correct! Magic is woven into the land, with or without the consent of the Great Spirits. But now, as a result of the betrayal, the Great Spirits no longer send visions, protect them from natural disasters, or send their avatars to the Tribes. The wicked forces of the world see this as an opportunity.


Do you learn magic by experience? So for example, would a good tracker by time get a feeling for the path of Akna, if you call it like that, or is it the other way around -


Only the exceptional natives (top 10%ish) ever unlock the gift of magic. It is revealed to those of great ability, accomplishment, and spirit. So only elite gatherers can magically purify food, and only elite hunters can mystically meld into the brush. Those that have earned the secret are referred to as "walking the path."


Basically, I'm wondering if it would be a sacrilege to refuse the gift of the spirits, the gift being the knowledge of magic -


That rational would, at least partly, blame the Great Spirits for ever revealing magic to mankind. So, in a sense, yes it would be sacrilege. Further, any tribe unwilling to use magic in all of its uses (warfare, medicine, travel, spirit defense, healing, ect) would be at a mighty disadvantage against all of the other magically active tribes. The most likely outcome, considering the present is a volatile time, would be that the magicless tribe would be conquered, and brought under the rule of a stronger tribe.


Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[Silanon]

Sounds great to me... thanks for explaining. Just got another question, if you don't mind.


How exactly should one imagine the fall of the empire (however you call it)? Something sudden, or more in a slower way? At the moment I'm imagening the latter: The circle eats one of its members, the Greater spirits turn away. No message gets sent, probably, so that almost noone is prepared. Some tribes are lucky enough to have someone with them to read the futures visions and are prepared. Others are rather unlucky and get wiped out by a mad lesser spirit. The rest notices some changes, since no visions appear anymore and the spirits can't be found. Beasts are getting more aggressiv, but it takes a few days until they realize that the Greater Spirits turned away once and for all (probably). Then the fighting begins, beasts against humans, and tribes against each other, just to get whatever is of importance under their control. Many die, only a few tribes are well-guided, big or strong enough to resist the first couple of days. What remains are the ruins of a civilisation. Is that the way you are thinking of, or does thunder appear as soon as the rituals are done, and hundreds of beasts (Impa) come out of the woods, and within a few seconds the world burns (maybe less dramatically, but you get the point, hopefully)? Or does it take even longer, several years in which Wendigos slowly undermine the tribes, bringing them a slow death? I personally would assume the Wendigos to be some sort of second wave, being the ones that tried to survie at all cost in the first one, but I might be wrong with that.


And completely without any context: What kind of technology level are we talking about? I'm imagening something where iron is available, but pretty rare, am I too far off with that?

 

[Bone2pick]

How exactly should one imagine the fall of the empire (however you call it)? Something sudden, or more in a slower way?


A multi-year crumble. It took a few months before all of the natives came to terms with the reality that the Great Spirits had abandoned them. Many of their leaders fed them lies and false hope in order to quell fears and maintain order. And the folks in power—many of whom who were apart of the betrayal—were desperate to stay atop the pyramid. But word eventually got out on the Wendigo, dark magic, and the web of lies that the council continued to spin. One by one, tribes broke off, and the Appalachian empire splintered.


What kind of technology level are we talking about? I'm imagening something where iron is available, but pretty rare, am I too far off with that?





You're spot on. Some iron, but lots of bone, wood, and stone. I'm hoping players will view that as a nice change of pace.

 

[Coal seam Fire]

If you're going to create a multi-nation, pre-Euro-contact union in the Appalachian and Great Lakes area, why not research and incorporate the exact thing you're talking about that already existed? The Haudenosaunee had that region pretty much on lock, and if you want to fictionalize your world a bit, adding the Cherokee as signatories from the southern reaches of the range wouldn't be too offensively random. They had linguistic ties, just migrated away before the political body was established. For basic starting reading, Iroquois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is as good as anything else here.

 

[Bone2pick]

[QUOTE="Coal seam Fire]If you're going to create a multi-nation, pre-Euro-contact union in the Appalachian and Great Lakes area, why not research and incorporate the exact thing you're talking about that already existed?

[/QUOTE]
Because I want a completely fictional tribal nation in order to plug-in any religious, mythological, and or cultural elements that I see fit. Something completely free of historical baggage, but immediately recognizable as Native American fantasy. It also flows in the same direction that the players will be encouraged to take, which is to create their own district tribe for their character.

 

[P U R I T Y]

I have a deep curiosity regarding the native culture, and even one of a fictional foundation holds all the enchanting elements I look forward to in a story. Was waiting for the Wendigo, or skin-walker of a sorts, to appear; the description provided fits my expectations of the creature.


Have you considered, as a beast of many, antagonistic or not, the "thunder bird" of course adapted in your own way, with a different purpose? I watched a documentary on natives and their beliefs regarding the creature jus t this evening, might be something worth considering at the least.


This is amazingly detailed, and absolutely worth exploring as there's so much potential. I look forward to potential updates, as well as further elaboration on the great spirits and dispositions attached to individual members that betrayed the old customs.


Can't really add more at the moment, I'm content with what I see! Best of luck! Would love to join when it's up and at it. (:[/font]

 

[Bone2pick]

Thanks for the feedback! I've got my fingers in a few other pots at the moment, but I hope to get back to this over the winter. I'll outline the heroic trajectory for the players with the next update.

 

[papachan]

@Bone2pick


Hi. I want to say that I am at awe with how much thought you put into this. It is amazing and obvious that you put a lot of time and thought into the nation that you are building. I am going to ask you one question at a time, since I am going to have to re-read a lot of this. So I hope you can bear with me. My first question is: You said that there are hundreds of possible tribes so each RPer will RP as one. I have never roleplayed in a Nation Building RP, so please keep that in mind. I just want to know when the RP would start and how the RPer would go about controlling a whole tribe.