Divination: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
Topic: Announcements
Message #: 51
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/12/2010 9:38:50 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Introduction
I write to you, my colleagues, to express my joy in my completed work, A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia, and to provide you with a copy of it. I have dedicated a great deal of my life to its creation. The work has been extensive, my travels, in observation of the various forms of divination used by religious orders, races, and cultures in Elanthia, amazing, and my studies rewarding. It is my hope that a better understanding of divination can be a bridge between the peoples of Elanthia and, as some of the wandering seers of the lands believe, a neutral ground where we can all meet to share our ideas.
- Introduction
The art of divination has long been in the lands of Elanthia and has followed us through many changes. It can be said, and is often debated upon, that the first prophet of the lands was an elf in origin, which is usually immediately followed by an argument in relation to the Lord Jastev being its originator. The debate can then further devolve into a religious discussion whereby Gosaena's name will be brought up and, with fervor, those mentioning her will point out that it is her ability to divine which soul passes to her at what time that can be considered the foundation of divination. Others will interject that Lady Lorminstra is also granted this power by her ability to decipher which souls are worthy of return, but then more still will interject that Arkati as a whole use divination as a tool by which to share their otherworldly wisdom, advice, and influence. And yet still, some small faction of individuals will claim that Zelia too had a hand in fashioning the first seers, for aren't most seers touched by her loose grasp on the reins of sanity? They will also argue, though none can provide proof, that she has a day of warning, surely she must have warned against something.
The word divination is fashioned of two parts. It is easy for us to see that -tion has a standardized meaning throughout Elanthia and means "the act of", while divina- means the divine. Whether this means that we gain this ability from the Divine Arkati or that the very act of using the ability and study is divine can never been found to be clear. Searching through many tomes and manuscripts, both new and old, provides no clear answer on the source or originator of this art.
Yet, the fact remains that divination is alive and certainly has been proven to be accurate and reliable. This can be noted by examples of prophets speaking out in our history. If you look at the very distant past you can find the name of the elf Noi'sho'rah, who is given credit for prophesying the coming of Despana. In more recent years, the Oracle Urutei Meigeath of the giantman clans prophesied the arrival of the comet in the year 5102, and Lord Ulstram Chanerser, the prophet of Lorminstra, foresaw the coming of the Gryphon Sword War.
It should also be noted that those who use the Art - often referred to as those that are "gifted" with the ability, or simply referenced as "he or she has the gift", - seem to be drawn together by a bond of camaraderie that spans religion, race, culture, and even war. They are many times joined together by their common belief that their ability can aid, though they may often be persecuted or condemned as doomsayers. Indeed, many times those that receive visions are labeled "insane," "misguided," and a number of unsavory epithets. Yet, at every corner you can find a practitioner and clients that flock to them for answers.
A wide variety of names have been assigned to those that use this art and can range from oracle to prophet, seer to diviner, scryvner to gypsy. In the end, it doesn't matter what name they go by because no matter where you are in Elanthia a practitioner of the art of divination can be found.
Learning the art, or craft as some call it, varies from culture to culture, land to land, and sometimes even family to family. There are those of the giantman clans that train the art of divination as a craft. It is due to this unique perspective that the clans are the first race that will be discussed in this tome.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ OOC Note ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Over the next several days, I will be releasing various parts of the document until the entire document is released. Watch both the Calendar and here on the Forums to find out information on this release. Everything that is released in Prime will be echoed in Platinum (and vice versa) on the same day.
Some documents, because they have previously been released, will be posted on the forums in lieu of being released in game. Specifically, the Halfling, Elven, and Giantman portions of the document.
It has taken a good while to get this all completed and I'm very proud of it. I want to thank GMs Kaikala, Sirina, and Xynwen who helped to push this through and make it possible.
I also want to thank Scribes, Andraste, Lusus, Auchand, Naionna, Galene, Aiza, Cirath, Itzel, and Naos for their input and/or support of this work.
Lastly, GM Flannihan had the arduous task of QCing this document and it was/is massive. She did an amazing job.
It is my hope that you find it enriching and informative. Enjoy!
~*~ Thandiwe ~*~
(At this point, I tried to summon the crows, by doing a tribal dance in the barrows and singing "Heerre crowie crowie crowie. Oosh oosh." That didn't work.) -- Coyoterre
Giantmen
Topic: Giantkin
Message #: 1300
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/12/2010 9:40:20 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Giantman
Nomadic are the clans of the Giantmen and their secrets run deep. History is shared by oral recitation and their lores are their own. Methods of Divination among the clans can vary, with some experiencing visions, as in the case of Oracle Urutei Meigeath, while others can utilize simple means of divination by using a rod that will guide them to water.
One particular method of Divination is something called Ikarrak - simply put Vision Rock - and is employed by certain members of the Ariame Clan. This art is taught by the pairing of a mentor with an apprentice and follows various stages as any other craft does. Those interested, or those gifted as is usually the case, are paired with their mentor at a relatively young age and begin minor tasks that will guide them on a path to understanding the runestones. The apprentice learns through observation, study, and by the completion of tasks set forth by the mentor. The process can take many years and be filled with tasks whereby the apprentice never knows if they have achieved their mastery until they are specifically given that title.
Indeed, in this unit there is no rank other then mentor and apprentice. When an apprentice is finally given the title of mentor it can frequently be said that the bond between the pairing has grown to such a degree that the apprentice will only accept the title of mentor when his or her own is no longer able to complete the task of divination. It is only then that the apprentice will become the mentor and take on an apprentice of their own, while frequently providing care for their own mentor in the case of old age.
Part of learning this art is not confined to the ability to memorize what each rune on the stones mean, but in the ability to create the runes and their place in clan life. Typically, the mentor will provide services for the band they travel with that range from inscribing runes on items of value to blessing and then, of course, the service of divination.
Typically, and most frequently, the runestones are found contained in a basket woven of natural, yet stiff, material. Fronds, river reeds, sea grasses, and other pliable but firm items are used in its creation and then dyed to colors that are appealing to the practitioner. The stones are also natural and it can be understood that a mentor and apprentice will search their entire lives for smooth stones that are uniform to one another. Once a set of forty-two identical or nearly identical stones is accumulated they are painted with symbols that fall into four categories - Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
Translation of the stones varies very little amongst the Ariame Clan, though many of the other clans have either their own complete set of translations or an adaptation of the base translation that the Ariame use. And while there are forty-two stones painted for this use, it is not confined to only forty-two translations, for if the rune is drawn upside-down, or inverted as the practitioners favor, then there is a completely different meaning for the stone. This allows that there are a grand total of eighty-four possible outcomes for one basket.
However, to further complicate the matter, the runestones are never drawn alone. Depending upon the elemental magics used to bond a basket to its owner, the runestones are frequently drawn in groups of three, six, and nine. Each of these groups is read as a whole and not alone.
Elves
Topic: Elves
Message #: 1345
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/12/2010 9:42:20 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Elves
Amongst the elves, the Art of Divination has wildly different schools of thought and varies from house to house and from city to city. A fine example of this can be seen by the difference in the reaction that an individual might receive from an elf of Ta'Vaalor and one from Ta'Loenthra. While the Loenthran elf may wish to sit and have a cup of tea with you, the Vaalorian would rather bid you leave for believing in such nonsense.
Loenthran
Indeed, it is by the use of tea that the Loenthran elf practices the art. It is believed that the future of an individual can be discerned by the remains left within a cup of tea that was properly brewed and consumed by the individual seeking an answer. When translating the tea leaves, the practitioner must consider a wide variety of symbols, letters, and images that can be found within the cup. However, before any of that can be done, there are certain rituals that must be observed.
First, the tea must be properly brewed by bringing a kettle or pot to a rolling boil. An infuser filled with the tea of choice must be added and then allowed to steep to a potency that is pleasing to the individual that is seeking the divination. While this all seems terribly simple and ordinary at first glance, when in the company of a Loenthran Diviner it is easy to see that it is truly an art form fashioned of style, grace, and dedication to genuinely aiding others.
Once the tea has been consumed, the cup is carefully examined for where the tea leaves are located. If they are found to be high within the bowl of the cup, then the time of the prediction is to be in the distance, while low in the cup means that the time is nearer to hand. Is there a place where the bottom of the cup is clear? If so, then it is suggested that the querent needs to find time to relax and rest. Clustered leaves can mean busy days, while a single leaf floating means that a friend will be at the forefront of the prediction.
The elven term for this type of divination roughly translates in common to "intention left in leaving", meaning that the drinker leaves behind clues to his future in the leavings at the bottom of his or her teacup. There are literally thousands of combinations to be considered when this method is used. A base of one-hundred and five symbols is looked for which can provide up to two hundred and ten possible translations, as each symbol can also be translated for a completely different meaning. A brief translation is provided herein, though there are many gaps in the chart.
Ardenai
Also clinging to a more naturalistic approach to the Art, the Ardenai have developed a method of Divination called Wind-sight. The manner in which this particular form is employed is rather simplistic and involves a querent drawing near to mind the question or matter that they seek to have resolved. After careful meditation, the individual must go outside to a clearing and carry with them some manner of natural debris. Dirt, leaves - oak leaves are popular for this - or even flower petals are lifted above the head and then released into the air; the answer comes in the pattern or means by which the debris reaches the ground. Things that are noted in particular involve the speed that the items travel at, the distance, and whether or not they remained clumped together. Unlike the Loenthran, the Ardenai hold close to them the means to translate this method and it is passed down from mother to daughter and from father to son. Some speculate that there are even different translations based upon the sex of the translator, thus making it difficult to pinpoint any one meaning.
Nalfein
In contrast to the three Houses mentioned above, the House of Nalfien has their own twist on divination that is more tailored to their conspiratorial natures. At some point in the history of the House, an artist gifted one of its noblewomen with an elegant deck of paper-thin, teak cards. Painted upon one side of each wooden card was the ebon rose of the House, while the other had elaborate images of various flowers and plants that could be found throughout the whole of Elanthia. It is speculated that the gift was intended to be a means of divining the future from an artist of House Loenthra. The noblewoman, however, scoffed at the thought that anyone but she could predict, and facilitate, her own future and thus the deck took on an entirely different purpose.
Ladies of the House can frequently be seen to employ use of the deck during women only functions, teas, or other gatherings as a means of communicating their feelings towards another woman. The two-hundred and eighteen cards would be shuffled and artfully arranged with skill and panache into the sequence that the shuffler wished and then flipped upon the table, while all present would feign their ignorance that the cards had fallen in anything but random patterns.
This is the reason behind the famous elven saying, "playing a Nalfein's hand", which is to say that any hand dealt by a Nalfein is arranged. This phrase is frequently seen in games where one player seems to be favored by the odds.
It is believed by many true practitioners of the Art that a Black Rose Deck could still provide a true prediction if properly employed, but there isn't a Nalfein alive that would give it any credibility, though I have provided a translation chart herein.
Illistim
Lastly, amongst the elves are those of House Illistim. The practice by which they study is difficult to pin down to one question one answer. Indeed, it takes an Illistim practitioner years and cycles of study to come to a single answer. However, when an answer is discovered - typically by studing years of weather, climate, migration, and global changes - it is more along the lines of a doctrine or almanac in its length and can frequently span a great distance of time.
Halflings
Topic: Halflings
Message #: 369
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/12/2010 9:52:20 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Halflings
Each of the tribes of the Truefolk have a unique method of foretelling the future, with the exception of the Paradis who are both from every tribe and yet belonging to none in their search for peace. While the "Homeless," as the tribe's name means in the Halfling tongue, do not lay claim to their own particular brand of scrying, they are not without, either, in that they brought into their self-exile the method of whatever tribe they belonged to originally.
Brughan
Due to the Horse Wars between the Truefolk and the Ardenai, the method of scrying favored by the Brughans has been lost to the annals of time. Their method was simplistic at best, but involved a process by which they would split a single horse hair with a piece of flint. Unfortunately, and understandably, there is not a Brughan alive that is willing to share how this particular method worked, nor will any of the other Tribes break their trust in sharing it with what they term "Outsiders."
Mhoragian
The Mhoragians, being a nomadic lot, spend plenty of nights beneath the stars as they wind their way through the plains of their homeland, and their method of scrying is a reflection of the nature that they find as a daily part of their life. Amongst this tribe, the children are closely watched, and if one among them shows signs of the "Sight," the family unit, and those they travel with, take it upon themselves to nurture that gift.
Fashioning a plain rectangular box, very similar in design to a handfasting case, the tribe will paint it to the child's favored colors and then wrap it in weather-treated leathers to create an air-tight seal. A single slit is cut down the center of the top, from short side to short side, and each member of the family unit begins to work on various slats to place within it. Typically, the pieces are not only carved, but painted, and fashioned of various types of wood as well. As each slat is completed, the child is taught its meaning and allowed to play with it using rhymes and hymns to remember the various pieces. In this fashion, the child is able to learn each piece separately at a very young age and, obviously, the easiest pieces are the first gifted. By the time the child reaches maturity, she will have a complete set that she is not only comfortable with, but has grown up with her like a childhood friend.
The way this method works is very basic: a question is asked of the case, and the child, reportedly using her gift, calls for the answer from the piece. Tilting the case back and forth, a single slat falls free, and she lifts it clear to read its translation. While this may sound simple, the translations can be rather complex as each wood, color, animal, and combination thereof has a meaning. A simple chart is provided below.
Malghavan
Probably not surprising is the method in which the Malghavans practice their art. Blindness is a rarity amongst the Malghavans and considered to be not a curse, but a gift. This gift is their own version of the "Sight," and thus once someone becomes blind they are gifted with a special set of tools. These tools are an awl, a lathe, and a smoothing pumice, which are used to create tiny, rounded beads. It is believed by the tribe that a blind person has given up their ability to see worldly things for the ability to see other-worldly things, and so the loss of their sight is not a hardship.
Using the instruments she is given, the Seer will take any gemstone handed to her and work it with these tools in a method that is not readily clear. She then will gaze, though she is blind, at the results of her workings and feel the surface of the stone. Having witnessed this method myself, it is amazing to me the accuracy in which she can craft a rounded object each and every time. However, I have been told, though I have not been allowed to touch, that there are imperfections in her bead, and through them she can tell various things about a person, an event, or a time. It is unclear whether this is from what she feels and associates with that feeling, or from the use of her "Sight." Whatever the answer may be, the resulting method is remarkably accurate.
Paradis
As mentioned previously, many of the Paradis carry with them some form of the methods of their brethren and, while they learn new methods from the world that they roam through, they still manage to maintain the traditions of their people and honor them as they can.
Author Note: If a child is born sightless then she/he is taught by an elder and is considered very precious to the tribe as a whole. There is a superstition among this tribe that something of great import will happen during her/his lifetime, and it is that child's duty to prepare their family and tribe for it.
Dwarves
Topic: Dwarves
Message #: 189
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/13/2010 10:41:19 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Dwarves
Contrary to the other races of Elanthia, dwarves find divination to be both a mixture of nonsense and humor. It would not be unheard of for a dwarf to say something along the lines of, "I make my own luck, ill or will, let the pointy ears try to figure out what their tea leaves mean. I drink ale."
There are rumored types of divination amongst the dwarves, most of them in mockery of the other races. For example, it is rumored that in the Bawdy Bard Inn in Zul Logoth that Gnerp, the barkeeper, has witnessed several drunken miners interpreting the depth, aroma, length, and resonance of a belch in order to determine the fate of the belcher. Unfortunately, the accuracy of this technique could not be verified by this writer as her fortitude could not reach the drunken state of her companions, and thus, she was not able to witness the stage at which one would divine.
Another rumored type of divination, which has never been witnessed but often whispered about in dwarven gem shops amongst snickers, is that of the "Cracking of the Geode." Taking fist-sized geodes, dwarves hurl it against a large stone wall with as much force as is dwarvenly possible. The resulting fissures, fractures, pieces, sizes, and shapes are reportedly measured and, based on their specifications, a future can "supposedly" be divined. No dwarf of repute will verify, or even acknowledge, the validity of this practice.
Burgham Gnomes
Topic: Burghal Gnomes
Message #: 434
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/13/2010 10:59:19 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Burghal Gnomes
At first glance the attitude of the burghal gnomes in regard to the art of the divination is very similar to that of the dwarves. Though they don't label it as "a pansy elf" art, they truly do not practice it either. Their dislike of fortunetellers, however, departs from the dwarven philosophy completely. Where the dwarves mock the art by the methods that they tell outsiders about, burghal gnomes show outright distaste instead of humor.
To the tinkering, scientific burghal gnome, the art of divination is fanciful and unpredictable. It strays completely from a pattern that they can discern and upsets them that anyone could "grasp at straws" to tell them what their future would or should be like. Almost every burghal asked of divination will give the same time honored response, "You might as well just spin a flywheel around and see where it stops. It's just as random!" As a result, burghal gnomes not only dismiss seers, oracles, or fortunetellers, but have also been known to reroute their pathways in order to avoid them and would prefer that diviners left them alone as well.
Forest Gnomes
Topic: Forest Gnomes
Message #: 243
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/13/2010 10:59:19 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Forest Gnomes
In complete contrast to their city dwelling cousins, the forest gnomes find the art of divination perfectly suited to their poetic mindsets. As a result, their method is well in tune with their practices of landscaping the area around their compounds and is very much connected to the area they live in.
Called "ohoc nuu", which loosely translates to patterning the future, the methodology of the forest gnome's divination is one of extreme observation. Specifically, they look for an area where particular kinds of moss or lichen grow. Most popular is the arctic reindeer moss, found in swamp regions. Other options are mountain moss, found in pine forests; marine lichen, found in coastal regions; and oak moss, found in deciduous forests. The gnome will locate a rock or tree with heavy growth on it and claim it as their own. It should be noted that other gnomes respect a seer's choice and will not travel near or around the area that they have claimed.
Using anything from a simple knife, a large clam shell, or a favored bowl, the forest gnome scrapes the lichen or moss from the area where it has grown, effectively shaving it like a man shaves his face. Then, throughout several days of observation, the gnome will take note of how the moss or lichen grows back. Does the moss grow in concentric rings? Does it grow in a cluster? Does it grow in piles or flat? Does it grow left to right or up and down?
The answer to all of these questions, as well as many others, will lay the basis for the foretelling that the seer will provide to whomever he/she is currently working for. Though, it should be noted that many times the forest gnome seer doesn't work for any particular person or goal but to further their own curiosity. Sometimes, the practice is simply done to teach a new generation of seers. Remarkably accurately, the forest gnome seer is frequently intractable with the details of the whys and hows of the practice and strictly shares this information with those of his/her race only.
Dark Elves
Topic: Dark Elves
Message #: 2207
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/13/2010 11:07:19 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Dark Elves
Methods of divination throughout the various cultures of the dark elf race are not as diverse as many of the other races. For example, while the seaports of the Turamzzyrian Empire have their small niches of the art, the Sisters of the Hidden Eye have an extremely different style and take on the art. The same, however, is not true of dark elves. There is a common thread throughout seers within this race, and it is that of smoke.
Faendryl
Igaeshian Readers
Frequently restricted to females, and typically those that are sorcerers, divination within the Faendryl culture is accomplished through the use of a demon called the igaesha. Known as an Igaeshian Reader, the sorceress in question will pull the demon through the Valence and trap them within a flat, cylindrical vial that is then fused closed. Some readers will house hundreds of these vials within their study chambers at a time and have incantations, or basically alarms, set to each piece. Because of their nature, the mist-like igaesha can escape through the vial; this is what causes the alarm to be triggered. Instantly, the reader will be notified and is able to discern distinct patterns in the smoky residue that the igaesha leaves behind. These patterns are recorded, time-stamped, and then translated immediately. All such translations are stored in a central library.
It is not uncommon for someone of nobility to seek out an Igaeshian Reader. The Reader, upon request, will store the demon in a vial as she always does, but instead of leaving it upon a shelf in her study, she will place it in a special vault that has a time, date, and name stamp set upon it. When the igaesha escapes and the pattern's translation recorded, the document is handed to the requester and not interred among the library's records.
Smoke Seers
Among the common, working class dark elves, the divination form that is used is fundamentally the same. Though devoid of demons, the Smoke Seers of the dark elves will utilize candles bathed in oils, heavily smoking incense or smudge sticks. When removed to a quiet place, the seer will contemplate the lazy spirals and patterns of the smoking object to determine their meaning and will also record what they see. Though not regarded as highly as an Igaeshian Reader, the Smoke Seers are frequently sought out by the commoners for readings.
Dhe'nar
Highly suspect of any form of divination, though some have expressed a passing curiosity, nearly all Dhe'nar are highly opposed to any who claim to be seers. When asked to explain why they do not believe in divination, Dhe'nar throughout history have frequently recited that there has only ever been one prophet and to believe otherwise is to dishonor his name.
Half-Krolvin
Topic: Half-Krolvin
Message #: 1142
Author: GS4-THANDIWE
Date: 9/13/2010 11:34:19 PM
Subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia - Half-Krolvin
Through the hardship of the half-krolvin existence there have been specific and clear differences in the way that they interact with the world that they have found themselves thrust into. Various historical facts point out those half-krolvin that have decided to follow in the footsteps of the more barbaric forefathers of Glaoveln, while the colonists of Krint have a legacy of following in their non-krolvin ancestors' footprints (which, while once a slave practice, perhaps forbidden by the krolvin has over the centuries of their freedom become just a part of their everyday lives). This can easily be seen by the two extremely different ways that the race as a whole views the art of divination.
Isle of Krint Oracles
Revered and respected, the half-krolvin oracles of Krint are reverentially called "Apso gno Koask", which literally translates into "She of Sight". One such woman can be found within any large community upon the island and is always held with the utmost respect, superstition, and fear. Frequently, she will be housed at a distance from the main body of the village or community for fear that the taint, her ability to use her "Sight," will somehow reflect poorly on those within the village. It is believed that her sight comes from her touch with the Divine, a guardian of the afterlife, and that by having the woman close she will somehow change or taint the fates of those close to her. Always attended to by a young woman, the Apso gno Koask is frequently a woman well into her dotage who is on the path to blindness. Some say that she is frequently also on the path to madness, though many more will argue that she only speaks of what she sees. She is well cared for by her community and never wants for anything. However, she is not a rich woman either, owning no possession that couldn't easily be reabsorbed into her society for another to use. Her dwelling is simple and never more than one room.
Known to have visions, the half-krolvin woman is also frequently known to employ an "aun'hoont", which translates to "bowl of care". Within this bowl are pieces that she has gathered through the course of her life. Ptarmigan, puffin, and penguin feathers are prevalent, as are moose teeth, walrus tusks, bones of small animals, incisors from various small animals, sharks teeth, and whale bones. Even small, irregular stones may be of importance to her and can be added to her aun'hoont.
If the Sight is required, and the Apso gno Koask has had not recent visions or ramblings she will be asked to use the aun'hoont to provide a foretelling for her people. Sitting within her dwelling, the woman will gather a handful of the items at random from her bowl and toss them onto the ground in front of her. Murmuring to herself, she will lower her face close to the items and translate them from where they lay.
The complexity of this is enormous. Each item houses a different meaning, frequently a different meaning for each Apso gno Koask. The way in which they fall either together, on top of one another, separated, or alone can vastly change the course of a translation.
While crude and simplistic to the extreme, the translation provided here for very minor things was obtained from the caretaker of an Apso gno Koask on the Isle of Krint.
In recent years, the attendant of the Apso gno Koask has become almost violently the successor at the elderly woman's death. Oddly enough, the items of the previous oracle are neither bequeathed to the successor nor buried with the predecessor, but instead are returned to the youngest child of the family that the predecessor hailed from. This item is held with the utmost of respect and becomes a cherished family heirloom, especially if the woman was exceedingly good at her duties.
Wandering Shamans
While the oracles of Krint are respected and revered, the wandering shamans that frequent the larger raiding vessels or traveling ships of some half-krolvin fleets are mostly held with a great deal of dread and respect born of fear. Called "Apdo Gno Burzka'ask", which literally translated means "He of Corpse Sight", the shaman is always a male of significant stature who has some sign of facial marring. He is surrounded by a handful of fervent followers that not only answer to his will, but also bow to his prowess.
Often a captain who is trying to change his stature among his crew or fleet will employ such a man and house him within his ship. The Apdo Gno Burzka'ask will almost never come above deck during the normal day-to-day activities of the ship; however, he can be frequently seen to prowl the decks at night. This causes him to be "pritza gno goortpritz" or "moondark" in the common, which means that he is paler then the average half-krolvin.
Also known to have visions, the Apdo Gno Burzka'ask must frequently find his answers by hunting down an animal and eviscerating them. Frequently, this hunt cannot take place at sea, and the shaman can, and will, force the crew of the ship to land and hunt out an animal large enough to meet his needs. Digging through the various lengths of its intestines, the shaman will find the answers he seeks by determining the length, the width, what the creature last ate, and various other grisly details.
Much of the fear and respect that surrounds this shaman is based upon his possible ability to be a conduit for the Divine. Again, this causes the half-krolvin that surround him to grow concerned with his ability to draw disfavor from the guardians of the afterlife. As means of instilling fear, respect, and cooperation from all crewmembers, a captain will often threaten insolent crewmen with the duty of being "Burzka gno Koask", which literally means "Corpse belongs to Sight". Such a task would cause them to be in the presence of the shaman for such a long time that they may inadvertently draw the eyes of the guardians of the afterlife and thus be condemned with eternal disfavor.