The Ancestral Speaker, along with the Guardian of the Totem, started as ideas to partially emulate D&D 5e subclasses but give it a very Mythras bent. In this case, they take inspiration from a couple of berserker subclasses – their Combat Style and Frenzy are clues here.

The use of a Fetch in this cult allows for channeling several abilities without requiring the shaman to negotiate many services from spirits. This is intentional, as it gives the feeling that the Ancestral Speaker and the Guardian of the Totem are self-sufficient, as befits a defender of the tribe. The additional fetch abilities provide variety and growth potential, as well as delving into different ways to benefit from the spirit.

With the Ancestral speaker, Abdication in the Sagacity ability prevents the power from being quite as predictable as one might like, as even a friendly fetch may have their own agenda. An ancestor with Sagacity (Lore - Strategy and Tactics) who was a great warlord may still bear some grudges against the friends you are trying to help. An Ancestor with Sagacity (Gambling) may be a notorious flirt or seducer and cause quite a scene.

The Ancestral Speaker isn’t intended to be especially strong at using spirits outside the ancestors as tools. He has some Ancestors who can help for a long-term mission, but most everything else is going to be single use. On the other hand, they are not particularly limited in their use of fetishes, so binding a neutral spirit can provide easy access.

The Guardian is a representation of an animal totem warrior, someone who might have embraced the tribe's totem, and their powers reflect that. While they are likely to call on their totem-fetch for many of their abilities, it has more of a relationship with other spirits in the environment than the Ancestral Speaker. It is less likely to have bonuses to skills, however, and have more limited access to fetishes.

Setting Suggestions

The inspiration for this, a tribal berserker, is a clear path to use, but this is by no means the only one. A medieval noble family, with a long line of ancestors and burial grounds, could just as easily become a “tribal” defender. A modern political family would work as well – imagine being able to call on a dead ancestor’s knowledge of a political friend for favors or a foe’s weaknesses for finally destroying a rival faction. It could even be flavored to represent previous lives in some far-future lineage-manipulating priesthood, calling on nearly supernatural skills at a moment’s notice.

Ancestral Speaker

Mythos and History

The myths and history of the tribe are the lifeblood of the Ancestral speaker, as she invokes and abdicates her body to the tribe’s ancestors. The stories are told, often in the voice of the ancestor, as to the creation of the world, how the first game was hunted, how a particular waterfall gained healing properties, and how the world will come to an end.

Nature

Tribes in the wilderness often show respect for the spirits of their ancestors - making offerings, telling stories, and otherwise continuing their memories. This allows them to maintain an oral history, teach their offspring, and continue their cultural traditions.

Ancestral speakers, however, make this communication bidirectional, giving the spirits a voice and a presence that would not be heard otherwise. They can abdicate their bodies to the great people that have come before in the tribe, giving them a say long after the ancestor has passed to the spirit realm.

And when the time of war comes, they can allow the spirit to defend their tribe even after death, driving the speaker into a terrifying and lethal frenzy.

Speakers often show a connection to an ancestor at an early age - maybe a favorite story, or maybe they are the progeny of a particularly heroic figure in their tribe. Over time and the repeated performance of rituals honoring the ancestor, the fledgling speaker learns to communicate with their ancestor, and in return gains access to the spirit’s knowledge.

Organization

Many tribes have a single ancestral speaker who guides rituals to honor the ancestors and has a duty to remember and pass down the stories of those who came before.

Those fortunate enough to have several often see divisions reflecting politics throughout the history of the tribe, with speakers being favored by one faction or another. This can prove troublesome for the tribe, as it makes it difficult to let old arguments go. Even relations with other tribes may become tense, as political alignments in the physical realm may not reflect the views of a spirit who was at war with another tribe when they were alive.

Membership

Standard. Only tribe members are allowed to become Ancestral Speakers as a rule. Occasionally, a worthy hero undergoes a ritual and becomes a tribe member after some great service – saving multiple tribe members from death, feeding them in times in starvation, and so on.

Restrictions

A Speaker speaks for only one tribe, and must take an Oath to that tribe, starting at 30%+POW+INT. There is also a Taboo on body snatching and binding souls to living creatures.

Skills

Binding, Lore (Ancestors), Trance, Combat style (Cultural), Customs, Perception

Magic

Every Ancestral Speaker of Spirit Worshiper rank has been blessed with an Allied Fetch representing an ancestor. The Fetch offers the Endowment (Frenzy) via Augmentation and has the Eternal and Persistent spirit abilities. Each Fetch also offers Sagacity in one Professional Skill (other than Binding and Trance), manifesting as Abdication.

Additional fetch abilities can be gained by the Ancestral Speaker spending 5 XP per ability and performing a spirit quest (normally a month of fasting and ritual cleansing, the specifics differ per tribe). Common abilities include Bless Armor Points or Healing, Healing, Mana, Perceptive, Sagacity (in any professional skill the tribe knows), and Spellcasting (almost exclusively Folk magic, though your campaign may differ). Others are at the GM’s discretion. Only one such ability may be learned per rank in the cult, and how they manifest (Augmentation, Embodiment, Abdication) is left to the GM and the player.

Other Ancestor Spirits from the same clan or tribe are Friendly and have one spirit ability per Intensity. Most are found within the lands of the tribe, but some few may have been put to rest in foreign lands. Most other spirits are neutral, though bane, curse, sickness, and wraiths are hostile. Haunts and Undead, while hostile, are sought to put to rest or in rare cases bound to a fetish and unleashed on an unsuspecting foe.

Ancestral Speakers utilize fetishes but will not create them from Ancestors within their own clan or tribe.

Gifts

Those who reach the Overseer rank gain the Cult Evolution gift, representing a new Ancestor whose story is passed from advocate ancestors to the speaker. This story is told by the tribe so that the spirit may be venerated.

Guardian of the Totem

Mythos and History

Many throughout the ages have felt a strong connection to a particular animal - seeing it in their dreams or feeling the presence of a spirit near them always. For those who hear this calling, the urge to follow it can be strong, and those who make the spirit quest are rewarded with a deeper understanding of their guide.

Nature

Most guardians became so after experiencing their connection to one animal species. This may have happened at a distance, as a Guardian of Caribou observing the Great Herd and running with them or a Wolf Guardian howling in the night with his brothers, or up close, as the child who miraculously survives a close encounter with a man-eating tiger, or the eagle hunter who grows a close bond with a favored companion.

Organization

Many Guardians are loners, though some take on an apprentice who follows the same Totem. In some places, whole tribes follow the same totem, though not all become Guardians.

Membership

Standard.

Restrictions

A Guardian can only be so for one Totem. They take an Oath to that Totem, starting at 30%+POW+INT. It is Taboo for them to kill an animal represented by their totem, resulting in inner conflict and the loss of access to their fetch until the act is atoned for.

Skills

Athletics, Evade, Combat Style, Binding, Trance, Survival

Combat style varies by tribe and by animal. Some examples include:

Bear - Club, Great Club, Batter Aside. Shield splitter
Eagle - Spear, Javelin, Net, Intimidating Scream
Elk - Spear, Short bow, Cautious Fighter, Skirmisher
Tiger - Unarmed, Bagh Nakh (dmg 1d6, size and reach as the wearer’s unarmed, Bleed special effect, enc -, AP/HP 5 / 6), Assassination, Do or Die
Wolf - Spear, Shield, Battle axe, Broadsword

Guardians can learn the Trained Beast combat style trait for 3 XP a month of close training with an animal represented by their totem.

Magic

Every Totem Warrior of Spirit Worshiper rank has been blessed with an Awakened Fetch that has the Endowment of Frenzy and has the Eternal spirit ability. Each totem gains additional abilities as follow:

Bear - Endow Intimidate, Endow Night Sight
Eagle - Endow Flying, Endow Diving Strike
Caribou - Bless Evade, Bless Movement
Tiger - Endow Leaper, Endow Camouflage
Wolf - Bless Endurance, Bless Track

These are examples of totems, and other totems may exist in your campaign. In most cases, the fetch uses Augmentation or Embodiment to bestow the abilities on the Guardian.

Additional fetch abilities can be gained by the totem warrior spending 5 XP per ability and doing a spirit quest (normally a month of fasting and ritual cleansing, the specifics differ per animal). Endowments and Blessings match many totems, emulating animal abilities, as well as Comprehension, Conjugate, Domination, and Shapechange (into the totem animal). Occasionally, the fetch will gain Manifestation, which always appears as the totem animal. Others are at the GM’s discretion. Only one such ability may be learned per rank in the cult.

Nature Spirits and Predator spirits allied with the totem are Friendly. Most other spirits are neutral, though bane, curse, sickness, and wraiths are hostile.

Guardians do not make fetishes of predator or nature spirits, as it is offensive to them to enslave animals and the environment in this fashion. They will make fetishes of hostile spirits, however, binding them to prevent harm.

Gifts

Those who reach the Proven rank gain the Reincarnation gift, their spirit being reborn as their totem animal. In this way, many tribes have previous Guardians continue to protect the tribe after their deaths.

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Saturday, June 17, 2023