Fire is sacred to the Outsiders. Once a year (winter solstice- sun weakest, fire needed most) the shamans make a ritual journey to the sun with their spirit animal in emulation of the first shaman. The name and gender of this shaman are long forgotten, but s/he was favored by the spirits and was able to go all the way to the sun - a feat whose mere attempt would burn not only the mind and body of any lesser shaman but would annihilate their soul as well. This has happened in the past due to hubris or foolishness. The brighest fixed star in the sky is said to be this shaman. The result was the harnessing of fire and the advancement of the human race. The spark of life is necessary, but dangerous in large quantities.
"We see only what the gods allow us to see. So why quibble over 'the truth?'" The Outsiders do not literally believe new stars appear whenever someone dies- the journey to the stars is a long one and many wander forever. Some spirits never begin the journey, haunting this world with some unfinished business. The stars are ancestors who have completed the journey and with that wisdom are able to look down on the world and act as messengers for the gods if one can read their signs. Shamans specialize in this. The soul is a piece of the Primal Force in each human, since each human contains within themselves the three elements, negative and positive energy, and the spark of life. Accessing this power directly is not possible without untold centuries of contemplation (path to becoming a Steward).
The shaman's response to Logan's questions about their beliefs that the stars are ancestor spirits (elements return to their proper places. The "fixed" stars are the dead because their stories are told, over with. The "wandering" stars (the planets) represent living beings whose stories are not yet told.
Even "re-framing" of ancestors lives does not change this. The changing is done by the living, not the dead, whose stories are frozen.
There are 6 other planets in the solar system. 2 for each element representing negative and postive energy. Th Sun is the spark of life and fire. When they all combine in a line the world will end (all together they create the Primal Force).
When the tribes meet, a local guide is assigned to each group, especially at night. The stars are different and it is easy to lose your way. Remember- no moon.
Planes match the cosmology. There is negative and positive energy acting on the elemental planes. Not lower or higher, but concentric spheres or shells. How does this work with positive and negative energy? How do they flow past each other without annihilation? Perhaps in each elemental plane there is an area for the other two elements to mix with the host plane (think yin and yang pattern). The planes have poles where negative and positive energy flow in and regulate the amount of each in the material realm. This would work with concentric circles, as the poles of each plane overlap and rotate together, mixing at certain "elemental magnetic" poles. This is a little confusing, but I think there is something here.
Are there shamans for the three elements only? Do they know the stars are other suns Underworld Shaman? Sun Shaman?
~p. 100. Do Outsiders leave some of their souls behind when going on dangerous missions or Incursions? Perhaps this is part of the rebalancing ritual. They take back the best parts of themselves which they left behind to make them better fighters. This may be why they appear so malevolent to Sweep Teams and other city dwellers- this is all they know. Shamans safeguard their souls while they are gone. What if a shaman dies while safeguarding souls? Perhaps they delay their journey to the stars, at tremendous risk to themselves as evil spirits (Chaos?) can consume them, and await the call of a living shaman who can be led to the soul's hiding place and return them to their owners and allowing the dead shaman to move on in safety. This would be a really cool quest for Logan.
Does the Monk foresee her own death as part of her enlightenment and prepare a place to wait? Perhaps she has shamans do that for her in the spirit realm or accomplishes it herself. Special instructions set aside?
Scene Idea: Perhaps full shamans are solitary travellers living off the land and gifts from the tribes they encounter. Some may have more permanent abodes and can be found when needed. Something like a wise man or woman can take care of the daily needs of the tribe and are responsible for storing elixirs and other elemental nessessaries. Do shamans order Incursions? Is this part of some larger plan. I think so. The hand of the Steward to test his subjects and see who can be trusted to send to other cosmos. And an attempt to bring more order and enlightenment to all humanity through a voluntary merger with the elements. Is this how Logan's wife is eventually brought to the Plant and combined with Baird? When they split, either Baird or the woman is given to the Monk since the husk has no consciousness of its own. Need to read more about integrating the Shadow and how this differentiation would work.
p151. Nature of spirits. Elves and dwarves in all naturally occurring substances and living things. Generally benevolent, but wild animals are wild animals. If the original spirit is present, it will not attack, only defend or flee.
Elementals who die on the material plane. Is this a thing? They are removed from their element and perhaps cannot rejoin it to be born again.
Human souls. How someone died matters. How do hauntings and other things work? The soul doesn't care what the mind believed in life. This is different for shamans or those who purposely prepare for death. What they believe and the their preparations do matter, but those who do not know simply die and their souls take their journey.
Ruhaddad is a living spirit and commands awe if the shamans ever meet him.
Elementals are supposed to die in their realm abd be reabsorbed into their elements. What if their residue (physical and emotional) is like cancer causing free radicals? They are scars in Order and allow Chaos in. Chaos beings are truly deadly in the spirit realm. Perhaps one of them consumes a star, an ancestor, and this outrage is what alerts the Outsiders to the need to destroy the Plants. No doubt the City astronomers would notice.
Idea to show poverty/hardship: Teeth marks from bite in toast. Gaps show missing or crooked teeth.
It is a secret of the shamans that they each have a main elemental spirit guide as well as animal ones (elves and dwarves). Logan is unique (or the first of a new breed, really) in that his guide manifests in this realm.
Shamans or potential shamans are recognized by other shamans. A part of them is always walking in the astral plane/dream realm. They are not really taught by other shamans though, they are guided a bit or maybe there is some advice given, but the spirits are the true teachers.
p230. Ranking of Shamans.
Idea for Outsider culture: Only one warrior in a couple- one cares for the home. Shamans cannot have children. Maybe a warrior woman takes to Logan, but she cannot have children so avoids him. When he becomes a shaman (or begins the path) this problem is solved and they marry. I do don't know, this seems kind of lame. Will need something better. Why can't shamans marry?
The dark side of shamanic elemental guides giving them the power to channel raw elemental energy into the world (elixirs) or walk across the Planes are the Conduit Cities. Taking instead of asking, plus quantities are completely different.
Attuned instruments are analogous to shamanic drums or flute instruments.
The imbued gnomon is the symbol of a full shaman. It is the same one that led them to their initiation ritual. Is it their staff as well? Gotta have a staff, they're badass. Can they channel elements into it and make it grow or shrink as needed? No. I think it's a focus for their power like the Wizards in LotR. They can also use it to draw elemental energy through their bodies out into the world, but that is very taxing and not done except in extremis or during specific rituals. They need to cleanse themselves afterward as well. All shamans have their own way of doing things.
Humanizing idea: Shaman's have their vices- tobacco, coffee, chocolate. Their assistants never ask for these things, but the people learn to know each shaman and make sure there are a few delicacies stashed away.
Back to ancestors who have "finished" their journey. Think Buddha's very Bohdisattvas- those who could become Buddha's but chose to stay behind as guides. These beings guide the lost souls of the dead back to the Sun. The lost souls can always see the Sun, but do not know the way. Think about switchbacks in a mountain pass. The straightest way is sometimes the longest. Listening to souls explain themselves could be a great way to show how humans make excuses or deceive themselves.
Children born from imbalanced parents cannot leave this world. They haunt the family area where they are born. Imbalanced people are not themselves and must be watched by their friends until their Ritual is complete.
Positive/negative energy spirits? Why not? Disease caused by them as well? Requires the shaman to have enlist the aid of all three elemental spirit guides in order to cure this. Only powerful shamans can channel this kind of enery and only with the help of their guides.
The part of the story of the first shaman that is not told is taht s/he was not the true first, only the strongest. S/he went to the Sun to humiliate a rival and conquer them. Humanity was granted fire as a side-effect.
This is why, despite honoring their ancestors in the stars, they do not worship them. They actually have more respect for the ones who refuse to complete their journey and stay behind to guide them as shephards. It is dangerous and requries courage. There are malevolent spirits - and worse - in the astral plane.
What souls are considered dangerous? Stillborn souls. A mother's womb is sacred because it is the place where a soul matures. They believe each baby has two umbilical cords- one physical one for nourishment and one (silver) cord into the astral/dream plane. As they grow, more of their soul comes into the world. If a baby dies in the womb soon after conception, this is not a problem. The soul returns and will try again later. It is sad, but not disastrous. If the baby makes it to full term but is stillborn, a shaman must be summoned to find the soul and help it find its way back, otherwise it will cause tremendous problems and death in that area. It is afraid- it came into this world but its body did not come with it, basically the soul was born but not the body. This is terrifying. Even if an infant dies within moments of birth, if it is born live the soul can seat itself in the body and anchor to the material realm, allowing it to find its way back to the Sun. Keep thinking about this, there is something here. Birth is a liminal experience, regardless of what "science" has to say about when something is "alive."
Why do souls come from and return to the Sun at birth and death? They bring the fire, the spark of life, with them.
Imbalanced people are dangerous because they leave the best parts of themselves behind when going to battle. Whenever they return, everyone except the shaman, in full spiritual battle dress, hides. They are confronted as an enemy, but one who can be redemed.
A shaman's gnomon is driven into the earth during a journey to maintain their connection to this plane. Their assistant is taught to read the play of light, shadow, and elements that dance inside a ritual circle around the gnomon. These give a map of the shaman's journey, which spirits are present, and can also show if any danger is approaching. Think of it like spiritual radar.
There are varying strengths and types of shamans, but one thing is true for all: the spirits do the work, the shamans intercede for the patient/client.
Cleansing ritual idea- shaman uses the piece of soul left behind (the good) to find its more violent other half. There is always a battle and the bad side cannot be reasoned with.
What happens when a shaman dies? Are they allowed to return to the Sun like regular souls? Must they choose to stay and guide others or head to the stars? My feeling now is that when they die their soul is known and the spirits either show them a path back to the Sun or the path to the stars. The path to the Sun must be taken and they will return for another lifetime. The path to the stars may be taken at anytime, that souls is finished with its cosmic journey. Many decide to stay and guide others, using their hard won knowledge of the spirit realm. They stay because they are sad- there is nothing else to do or accomplish. They are finished living and have played out their soul to the utmost. Many wish to delay this end, despite the danger of remaining behind. Most of the souls have many and powerful spirit helpers who warn them of danger and protect them. All eventually make their way to the stars though. Nebula and the death of stars is another transformation of the soul that none can speculate on. Perhaps they do not become the stars, as many Outsiders believe, but they travel to a new sun and begin the soul's journey again from the beginning. This make the fear of an end as mentioned above, a false one, as most fears are. The only true fear is to be annihilated by Chaos. That is true death. Evil spirits can torment, harm, mutilate, torture, imprison- but they cannot destroy a soul. Chaos alone has the power to snuff out the spark of life and eliminate Order.