The Sjorefasclo

The Sjorefasclo are a minor tribe within the Vasadlan kingdom, mainly sticking to the rugged and cold north where they heard sheep and yaks. They were a solitary, not being involved in national politics until very recently, with the current Dovoi of the tribe now being a common site in the cities of Sigadanret and Dangrifilo. This increase in contact with the government has also seen their skills become in much higher demand than before. The tribe is only made up of a few thousand people and should be all accounts be dominated by other groups in the region, but they aren’t, and this can be put up to their ability to harness the powers of Eoca and Awa. This has allowed them to remain fed and strong despite the poor soil they live on.

This magic is not widespread, with only a handful of powerful shamans having this gift, being selected and taught from childhood. The trials and education required to enter the upper echelons of the tribe are brutal, requiring a mastery of the physical world around them, their own bodies and minds, and an innate understanding of the gods who they will learn from. Those that make it through will enter the leading caste and perform the miracles and services that keep the tribe alive. Most spells can be performed by a single shaman, such as creating the herbal mixes and infusing the required spiritual energy to form the healing salves and illness cures that keep the people of the tribe well.

A handful of magics will either need the help of multiple shamans or a collective prayer of the tribes people. One spell that is exceptionally culturally and physically straining is transmutation, needing 2 sharmans, the soul of a horse, a slurry of horse blood and herbs, and the prayer of the entire tribe to complete. Another, less extreme, examples would include needing a handful of onlookers reciting prayers to Eoca and Awa to cure a horse of any illness it might have.

A very important part of the magic process for the tribe is animal souls, being the embodiment of the gods power on earth. When casting spells the power gained from the soul is very important, with salves and many liquid potions only requiring a soul from either a sheep or yak, that the tribe have in abondance. For more complex spells it is more likely you will need the soul of a stronger willed creature, commonly a horse. There is an issue with this, however, as to kill a horse in Vasadlan culture is extremely taboo, with it seen as a transgression against the gods. However, it is common for sickly horses to be put down to prevent the beasts from suffering and this is how the tribe gets around the taboo as they bread very sickly steeds to use in their magic.

Recently, as the tribe increases its contact and interaction with the courts of Dangrifilo and Sigadanret there have been attempts to hire their shamans to enter the ever more powerful central army, being able to increase the movement as they would negate the need for long supply trains. These attempts have yet to bear fruit, but a compromise had been agreed where in the tribe would educate a small group of 10 children who they deemed worthy in the ways of the mystic arts. This has allowed the army to begin to develop strategies of how to use the otherwise peaceful intentions of the soon-to-be shamans in combat, from turning fortresses into food and then breaking into them to creating poisonous liquids that can be sprayed over enemy armies.