Proposal - Nature Spirits

Azhira Styralias

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Proposal - Nature Spirits

« on: 06 September 2008, 10:42:15 »

The Bard's comments in this thread got me thinking...and it has been on my mind for awhile now.

I agree that we have alot of demons and malicious apparitions in Caelereth and not enough goodly, benevolent spirits. Along the lines of what Judy mentioned, I thought to develop some nature spirits that dwell in the four different elements - fire, earth, wind and water - and actually help and protect their domains. These spirits could be connected to the actual deities of the different elementals and function as demi-gods or helpers. While the gods themselves are seemingly unknowable and distant, these nature spirits will be more "accessible" to the common man and be made more believable.

For example -

Dryads and nymphs - Water spirits who dwell in lakes, streams, rivers and any water source.

Salamanders - Fire spirits - Help with growth and heat.

Sylphs - Kinda similar to elves, but would be air spirits. Help with air flow and wind and breeze.

??? - Earth spirits - According to my research, gnomes would fit this category, but we have them as a race so they wouldn't work. I may have to create something here.

Anyway, to counterbalance the darker side of the apparitions and demons, these spirits would be the protectors and actually have some evidence of their existence (although still be mythical).

There is alot of research and ideas to be found for this. I have Judy to thank for bringing this up...but if she allows it, I'd like to begin thinking about developing something like this.

Of course, any help is always appreciated! thumbup


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Nsikigan Ho´Tonanese Yourth

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #1 on: 06 September 2008, 10:48:55 »

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The Clans all believe in what they call the Wat'a'kan or the "Great Spirits." They believe that the Two Gods created several important spirits to watch over the Eyelians and to send the prayers of the Eyelians to her. The main spirits that they worship are known as the “Three Great Spirits”: The White Wolf, the Great Bear and the Golden Eagle. The Eyelians believed that when they founded their first settlement, these three spirits gave them knowledge from the Two Gods, which they needed to live such as the use of fire, tools, etc. The Great Spirits come in many forms; there are spirits that reside in plants, although most have chosen the animals. All of them are messengers of the Two Gods and it is through the spirits that the Eyelians receive their wisdom and spiritual renewal from the Two Gods.
...... They believe that the Great Spirits and the entire spiritual realm is a level between the mortal men and the immortal Gods.

Here are your earth spirits, Az'... the Wat'a'kan! Not earth as stone and dirt, but as the living things that come from it... earth as animals and plants.


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Nsikigan Ho´Tonanese Yourth

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #2 on: 06 September 2008, 10:51:21 »

As for a role, btw, the Great Spirits would keep the natural order of things going... keeping the plants moving, the prey plentiful for hunting, etc.


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Yurie Yileen

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #3 on: 06 September 2008, 14:48:13 »

I thought that only Eyelians believed in the Wat'a'kan. But for sure I think a similar belief system could be developed for the other tribes as well.

With regard to earth spirits, maybe you could develop a snake-like race, as snakes have obvious connections to the earth.


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Bard Judith

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #4 on: 06 September 2008, 19:01:17 »

You'd need to specify WHO believes in these. If this is accepted through the Santharian kingdom, for example, as a general 'variant' or addition to the Twelve, that would probably be fine. Are there any existing references to water spirits, dryads or nymphs, for example? A picture that would support the idea? We have wood spirits such as the Pendrowe and Drasil extant (though they have physical forms) and Talia's sub-Mer who live in fresh water....oops, I can't remember the name off the top of my head atm....

I'd prefer to avoid sylphs and salamanders (at least those names specifically) as Mercedes Lackey has used those exact two as half of her Elemental four. Kobalds, likewise, as the Dwarves won't have any truck with such things....

Develop some further ideas in this thread and let's get more input from others!


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Mannix

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #5 on: 06 September 2008, 21:05:46 »

I do love the idea. Just one question for now, would they be mythical or real?


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Alysse the Likely

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #6 on: 06 September 2008, 21:07:53 »

I think classically dryads are tree spirits--naiads are water nymphs. Though there's no reason we have to use that terminology. Perhaps we could call OUR nymphs/nature spirits "River-sons" and "River-daughters" (harking to our Tolkien inspiration) "Land-children", "Flamelets" (for fire spirits obviously), "Zephyr-young" or just "Zephyrlings" (for air spirits). Those are just off the top of my head, I'm sure we can come up with plenty more, not to mention regional variants.

They don't have to be human in form either, for that matter...

@ Mannix: My understanding is that they would be real presences if not necessarily corporeal. Does that make sense?

Alysse


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Alysse the Likely

Bard Judith

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #7 on: 06 September 2008, 21:18:49 »

Ah, the lovely Goldberry....

Obviously they do exist all over Caelereth by different names and with different properties and appearances, but all fit into the four Elemental categories.Again, without getting too technical and scientific and taking away all the mystery, we'd need to roughly 'classify' them by which cultures believe in them or have tales of their deeds and existence.

Aha! We do have "Rivermaids", thanks to Talia, and 'Watersprogs' (Maryon) as well!

"Rivermaids or "ál'már'yonía" as they are called in Styrásh are seens as "the little sisters of the mermaids". They are said to live in all rivers of the Sarvonian continent where the winters are not too extreme, so that there is always some streaming water left and the creeks are not frozen to the ground. Though closely related to the mermaids, they show nevertheless some differences. All seem to be female, at least the gender cannot be distinguished. Unlike their seaborne relatives they are able to hibernate during the cold period in areas where ice covers the open water. They are sentient as well, but many claim that they are not as intelligent as the merfolk."

Maryon: "Waterchildren can be found in different sizes, but whether the smaller ones are younger, nobody knows. Similar to the rivermaids they do not seem to have different genders. But where the rivermaids are clearly female looking, the waterchildren look like - children. The overall impression is that of a lightness in their appearance. They float in the water as if they would fly, they climb and jump up waterfalls as if they would have no weight. While in the water their alabaster bodies seem to be as transparent as the element they live in, deceiving the eyes if one wishes to have a closer look. At times they love to jump out of the water like the dolpholk, the little fishtails then splash the water surface creating a fountain of water drops. There is no more fulfilling sight as a couple of Waterchildren playing in the sunshine..."

Our new Wisps might actually be frustrated air spirits.... and Zyphlings might be a nice addition as well - mischievous flurries of air that steal hats, blow hair into faces, push curtains aside at - er - inopportune times.... and so on.

The Dwarves might well have legends about creatures of flame - will have to think on that one!


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Mannix

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #8 on: 06 September 2008, 21:21:49 »

Yep, thanks Alysse.


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Miraran Tehuriden

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #9 on: 06 September 2008, 22:34:49 »

And on the other side of the ocean, there are spirits abound as well! The Ter'ei'Vikh believe that there are guardian spirits for every substance, place, and lifeform, and the Tsohamin are to an extent like the Eyelians, and venerate the spirits of the wild mountains and woods.

then there are the Shivering Woods and the Venlaken marshes, haunted and eery places, and the Broken Woods of Shar, where the cataclysmic Breaking that caused the Year of Darkness brought forth spirits and ghasts of all kinds by the thousands!


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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #10 on: 06 September 2008, 22:40:07 »

See? They exist! They exist! (stares wide-eyed around and starts waving a banner which reads: "Little Green (Wo)Men from Marshes are Real! Welcome in Peace!"

Whooo-haa-haa...... evil


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Alysse the Likely

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #11 on: 06 September 2008, 23:07:46 »

I bewieve in faiwies too!

: grin

Alysse


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Nsikigan Ho´Tonanese Yourth

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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #12 on: 07 September 2008, 01:02:30 »

So does that mean that the Wat'a'kan can be the earth spirits, seeing as we have versions of them across the sea as well?
If so...
Fire: Unnamed Dwarf creature
Water: Rivermaids
Air: Wisps?
Earth: Wat'a'kan
Here's something that holds a tie-in with the Wat'a'kan. Maybe a specific type? And yes, I'll write the Wat'a'kan entry, with Mira, if he's interested.
http://www.santharia.com/bestiary/watchers.htm


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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #13 on: 07 September 2008, 01:27:18 »

Quote

Zyphlings might be a nice addition as well - mischievous flurries of air that steal hats, blow hair into faces, push curtains aside at - er - inopportune times.... and so on.

Oh, no! The secret behind my name exposed!


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Re: Proposal - Nature Spirits

« Reply #14 on: 07 September 2008, 05:32:39 »

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The Ter'ei'Vikh believe that there are guardian spirits for every substance, place, and lifeform,

In my Ashz-oc creation myth "The Time of Becoming" (Found in Azhira's Prominent Mountains entry, I said that the Ashz-oc do not worship Kh'ahn'uck directly, but rather they believe that he sent giants to prepare the world for his return. Some of them are good, some bad, and some ~~ugly~~ in-between.

They believe in their existance, and that they are sleeping underneath mountains, oceans, and forests, waiting for their time to return.

Could these be the Ashz-oc versions of your elementals?


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Proposal - Nature Spirits