PRALORI

WHAT THE SHAMAN SAYS

Are you really a man?

Yes. Although it is true that I was born as a girl and that my shape is still that of a woman, ever since I found my spirit guide, I have been a man. You can tell this from the way that I dress; have you ever seen a woman wearing clothes like these? Now ask me something intelligent or else go away and find some work to do.

Where did the world come from?

The first gods, Hykim and Mikyh, saw that the world was empty. So they mated with each other to produce many children, who then had children of their own, and so on. In this way the world was populated with all manner of animals, while the first dragons shaped the world into the form it bears today, raising the mountains and filling the seas with water.

Where did I come from?

At first there were no humans, and all animals lived together in harmony. But one day, Fralar and his children began to cause trouble. Trickster had shown them how to become the rulers among all animals, and being foolish, they believed him. So they began to chase the other animals, and to eat them. Antler Man realised that to protect his children there would have to be a new kind of being, one which would have special magics to fight the carnivores, such as fire, and language, and tools. So he took some of his children and reshaped them so that they had two legs instead of four, and had hands to wield weapons and make fire, although the men lost their antlers in the process. And that is why some Pralori are elk, and some are human, even though our souls are all the same, for all of us descend from Pralor, who was Antler Man's eldest child.

Why do we die?

We die for the same reason that animals die. When we hunt animals, or when a fox kills a rabbit, the death provides new life. That is the way of the world; everything dies so that something else may live. Even humans and elk must die so that babies and fawns may be born and see the world through fresh eyes again. If we did not die, there would soon be no food remaining, and then nobody would ever be born again.

What happens after we die?

Although our bodies die, our spirits are eternal, just as they are for animals. When you die, the herd will say prayers for you and I will intercede with the spirits on your behalf, just as we say prayers over the animals that we kill in order to feed ourselves. This allows the spirit, whether it be of man, elk or animal, to travel to the spirit world and to eventually find itself a new body, and so be born again. We Pralori are always reborn as Pralori, although it may be as either an elk or a human, and we will always be born into a different herd than that in which we die. That way, all Pralori are connected, for those who live in our herd now lived in other herds in the past.

Why am I here?

You are here as part of the herd; to help its other members. No person is as strong on their own as they are together with others. By being part of the herd, all benefit and all become stronger and fitter. Then we can have many children and fawns, and the herd will continue for ever, as part of the life-magic which maintains the world and prevents the return of chaos.

How do I do magic?

All magic comes from the spirit world, of which this world is merely a shadow. Shamans are those people who have found a spirit guide through which they can see the other world. Because of this, we can talk to the spirits, and persuade them to help the other members of the herd by teaching them magic. Of course, you must still prove yourself worthy to the spirit or it will not teach you its magic. In this way we know that the whole herd is worthy, and that we have good magic which works in harmony with the world.

Who are our gods?

The most powerful of all spirits that live in the other world are called gods. Most important to us is Pralor, the ancestor of all elk. He showed our ancestors the proper way to live and the first shamans how to do magic when the world changed. Many other spirits are important too, especially those which guard the land and bring life to the plants and to the animals which we eat. The sun and clouds have gods too, but they are remote and care nothing for humans. Trickster is also a god, and has caused trouble ever since he came into the world. He is never to be worshipped, because he makes everything wrong, and always falls prey to his own mistakes in the end.

I have heard of other powers. Can you tell me the truth about...

...Orlanth?

These people forgot their true ancestry when Trickster talked them into ploughing the soil and their gods deserted them. So now they must pray to the wind instead, who they call Orlanth. They are always fighting, and can never live in harmony as we can, which is their punishment for ploughing the ground.

...Malkioni?

When these people also began to plough the soil, they decided to turn their back on all gods and to do without shamans altogether. Instead, just as they tear the ground to force it to give them food, they tear the spirit world to force it to give them spells, although these are of an inferior kind to true magic. All Malkioni live in misery and can only survive by long and monotonous work or by hiding within stone walls. This perpetual misery is their punishment for ploughing.

...Damali?

As Pralor was Antler Man's oldest and best child, so Damala was his youngest and weakest. She did not understand how to make men and beasts strong and so went to hide in the hills to the north, where her children still cower today. They are weak people, and so are easily frightened, knowing the virtue of when to avoid combat, but not the virtue of when to stand and fight. This is why we may eat the meat of deer, provided we say the right prayer when we kill the animal. But the Damali are our cousins, and we must not forget that they have at least had the courage to keep to the old ways, unlike the Orlanthi and Malkioni. Thus, they are true people, and worthy of some respect.

...Mraloti?

Mralot was a brother of Antler Man, but lacked his wisdom. So his people today are ignorant and crude, knowing strength but not cunning. That is why they were defeated by the Malkioni, and their lands taken. Many of them have even allowed themselves to be turned from the old ways, and have lost their magic as a result. Because they lack the strength of the herds to unite together against the common foe, and because they lack the intelligence to find ways to overcome the miserable Malkioni, we can look down from our elk and know them to be inferior. But still we would rather help them than help the farming peoples.

...Other Hsunchen?

There are many other people who have maintained the old ways and can still use the true magic. None of them are as great as the Pralori, but all are worthy of respect in their own way. The Telmori are descendants of Fralar, who caused trouble long ago, but at least they know how to fight. The Galanini do not understand the herd, and have forgotten much magic, but at least they can ride - if only inferior antlerless beasts! The Udari and Falani do not know how to survive far from rivers, and cannot inhabit the whole land as we can, but at least they know how to protect themselves by working together. The Caroni can live only in harsh mountains, and so are few in number, but at least they know some virtues of the herd. The Lotari are worst, for they follow Trickster, and cannot be trusted. But even they do not plough the ground.

...Aldrya?

The pallid and cowardly non-humans who dwell in the deep forests to east and west follow this deity, who is the ancestor of all trees. While trees are useful to us, for they supply wood and berries, and leaves for the elk to eat, their spirits are weak by comparison with those of animals, which is why we can eat them without having to say a prayer. But Aldrya gives fearsome magics to her two-legged children, who cannot understand the true importance of animals in the world. So it is better to leave them alone than it is to fight them and get nowhere.

...Chaos?

Chaos is the result of Trickster's mistakes, and is the source of all harm in the world. Chaos warps animals and other powers, in order to kill and destroy all that is natural. Whenever you see a sign of chaos, you must let the shaman know, for it may become a danger that the herd must destroy if it is to safeguard the future.