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Public News Post #19343

In the Dark

Written by: Bluef Shayan'Kor, the Somnolent Wytch
Date: Monday, January 6th, 2014
Addressed to: Ovate Werin


Your understanding of the origins of our class is flawed,
but I share in your intent to share how shamanism's
practitioners are individuals, untethered from their
genesis to serve those Gods and philosophies they
individually choose, so herein I seek to better inform
you of our shared history in hopes you might grasp the
what side of the ever-widening rift you now find yourself
on.

Lord Twilight was the Divine Patron of the Shamans
from the time of their creation when Hashan was just
a forest. In those early days they served as the
laity of His clergy because their grasp of His philosophies
was unrivaled. A cursory review of your House's history,
newsboards, and tomes should have informed you of this
and the fact that the development of shamanism was
something the Dark Father was very concerned with
(Spiritwalkers 2 and Public 10143).

Since the inception of shamans, however, there have
been many other developments. The original Guild grew
into a House that has been watched over by the Gods
and Goddesses of Dream, Sin, Moon, Death, and Suffering.
Each patron touched the House and influenced its membership,
philosophies and practices. Lord Twilight's own words
indicate that it was never His intention to monopolize
the class (PUBLIC 10150) or its membership.

The advent of Houses offered shamans the additional
opportunities to walk as individuals independent of
any House or Patron's alignment or philosophies.
The diaspora of the Curia in 499 to escape the
interventions of Suffering is a demonstration of
this freedom and the capacity for those of thise
class to turn away from the darker side of mysticism.

Lord Twilight's return around 554 AF brought a
renewal of Darkness and its teachings to your House,
but not to the class as a whole. He still looks toward
the Spirit Walkers today, rapt with their potential,
but there are those of the class who turn away from
Him entirely.

Such individuals are generally nonaligned and impartial to
your House. They represent the earliest shamans, untainted
by Lord Twilight's teachings of the Manipulation, Strife,
Intrigue, Deception, Lies, and the Mysteries they promise
to unveil.

Shamanism in your House was once more than a tawdry
invocation of spiritual gateways to effect change and
help Darkness gain a foothold in our realm. Outside your
Fortress' walls, it still is.

Although Targossas does not recognize our efforts as
pure or noble, there do exist shamans who are healers,
dreamers, spiritual warriors, and prophets. There are
those too who follow the Shamanic code who do not embrace
the shamanic arts at all. To paraphrase a good friend,
"The problem with (anyone) creating an absolute definition
(of shamanism) is that it precludes and closes out variation,
creativity or innovation...WE ARE Shamans all, defined by
what we do, and not which skills we practice."

Penned by my hand on the 20th of Ero, in the year 644 AF.


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