Editing Yotori Quickspirit

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Yotori is not a member of the clan, though he is welcome and is in fact invited to all ceremonies.  He moves between clans who have hearths in Brother Hills.  They all support him with food and other goods, while he intercedes with the spirits in the region for all them.

==Wisdom of a Shaman==

''Where did the world come from?''

The world was created long ago by the Creator who was assisted by the First Four Companions, Turtle, Loon, Otter, and Sea Eagle. Creator made the world but then lost interest in it and leaves us alone. After a long golden period when berries were on every bush and there were no hills something went wrong. Cold Wind slew the Sun and threw the world into Darkness. All was lost and dying in Darkness until Hearthmother found a baby which she fed her famous three meals. This baby was Foundchild who taught us how to hunt. Foundchild was the father of Votank who taught us the right way to live.

Votank's ten sons are the founders of our tribes.

''Where did I come from?''

In the golden age prey and predator were the same. During the Darkness we were lost until Foundchild told us how not to be prey. Now we are predators and we eat of the prey of the world. Votank gave us laws and wisdom to live by and this makes us humans.

''Why am I here?''

Once long ago men and women were one creature until they were separated by Squirrel the Trickster. Since then men and woman always try to become one creature again. They always fail but every attempt is a holy summoning, inviting one of our ancestor's spirits to live again. You are, were and will be a Balazaring and Votanki until the end of the world itself.

''Why do we die?''

We die because that is the lot of prey and predator alike. Without death there can be no prey and no predator.

''What happens after we die?''

When we die our spirits return to the ghost hearths of Votank's sons to be reunited with our ancestors. There we wait until we are called back to this world again.

''How do I do magic?''

Magic comes to us from the spirits, small magic from the small spirits and big magic from the big spirits. Outsiders call these big spirits gods and say they are different than spirits but we know better. The big spirits also give us small magics along with their big magics. Different spirits offer different magics.

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

''...Aldrya?''

Aldrya is our enemy and our friend. Our enemy because her forests wish to cover the plains we love and our friend because she too hates the dark men (trolls) and those who would build stone tents. We treat her people with the respect they deserve but always remember that the Balazarings have killed the people of the trees and burnt the forests in the past and we can do so again.

''...Chaos?''

Chaos? Do you mean the spirit of Cannibal whose name should not be spoken? You must not refer to Cannibal by his name as you do not have my magical protection. Rather you should refer to him as the old friend of the Votanki who is always cold and hungry. This is the hunger that exists to break the laws people hold dear and wishes to devour the world itself. It is the source of all evil. Resist its lure, destroy it when you can and flee when you have to.

''...Ernalda?''

Who? Is this another name for Grandmother Earth or the Wild Mother? Grandmother Earth is a goddess women worship. She is very important but I know nothing of her worship and but little of her many names. The Wild Mother is source of wild animals and plants. We offer her thanks for her bounty.

''...Kyger Litor?''

The Mother of the dark men is our foe. Her people claim to hate the Cannibal spirit as do we but her people eat ours so they are clearly contaminated by Cannibal. No alliance between the Balazarings and the dark men has ever benefited us for long. We have used them against the other not men in the past and may do so in the future. Trust them not but fear their might.

''...the Lunar Goddess''

The Red Goddess was brought to our land by the outlanders who conquered Elkoi. She brings strange ways and beliefs to our land. She is not to be trusted any more than any other outland deity.

''...Mostal?''

This is the god of the stone men. They are our enemy because their way of life is so alien to us. Fortunately they have no interest in us or our land. They know much that is strange to us but fear the open air we love. Beware their weapons and magic.

''...Orlanth?''

We know this one as Cold Wind. His worshipers once came in large numbers to our land but do so no longer. They are outsiders like the rest, no better and no worse.

''...Spirits?''

All the worlds are full of spirits if you have the eyes to see them. Many are our friends and allies but some are enemies.

''...Yelm?''

This is what outsiders call the sun. Since he is now dead and deaf we have no need to worship him. Warriors and chieftains worship his son Yemalio.

Balazaring Gods
Votank, Rulemaker and Ancestor
Votank is the son of Foundchild. He taught us the rules we use to live by and gave us
our tools and weapons. He taught us how to be people and through him we contact our
ancestors thus keeping our ancestral wisdom fresh.
Hearthmother, Woman's Goddess
Hearthmother is our woman's goddess and very important. She has at least three faces,
maiden, woman and crone (Flower Maiden, Hearthmother and Grandmother Earth) and
may show more to women. She discovered Foundchild during the Darkness when we
couldn't find plants to eat and he taught us how to hunt. Hearthmother teaches women 
their special skills. She also teaches women the special song they need to sing in order
not to offend the spirits of plants when they are harvesting them. She knows all the
attributes of plants.
Foundchild, the Hunter
Hearthmother found Foundchild and he taught us how to hunt so we could eat. He also
taught us how to tell the difference between people and animals so we can avoid
Cannibal's lures. He brought Brother Dog to us to be our helper and companion on the
hunt. He fathered Votank on the Hearthmother and he in turn taught us how to be who
we are. He also fathered Rigtaina, she who wed Balazar on the Wild Mother
Yemalio, God of Warriors and Chieftains
Balazar the founder of our kingdom brought Yemalio to us. Warriors and chieftains
worship Yemalio as he offers special wisdom and magics to them. His father was the
Sun who now rolls mindlessly through the sky.
Brother Dog, Helper and Friend
Brother Dog went to Foundchild in the Darkness and said he'd rather be our friend and
help us put prey in the cookpot than go in there himself. Since then we have offered him
worship in return for his loyalty and friendship. On his sacred night people and dogs can
talk to one another.
Wild Mother, Goddess of Nnature
The Wild Mother is the source of all the plants and animals we depend upon. We offer
her worship for this reason and because her wrath is fearful to behold. She may be
another face of Hearthmother or Aldrya. Her daughter Rigtaina is mother of the hunting
nymphs, or vila who protect the wilderness.
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