Kath

 

Kath shaman can be male or female. Some of the more powerful ones live away from the tribe with one or two followers of the opposite sex they teach the ancient ways. While others who can stand what they call 'the voices' live amongst the tribe to help with mundane spiritual issues. Kath invocations are associated with totem creatures; shaman can perform any they know, but in Harshlands Kath shaman are only Eagle totems. Although other totems followers can learn invocations of their own spirit animal. Some of the more spiritual of the Kath  have even been known to not be attacked by their totem animal even if it is normally aggressive.

 

The Kath practice animist and totemic beliefs. Each clan worships one of six animals( see Totems/Clans) and carries a standard that represents their totem. Tribesman wear symbols of their totems such as bear claws, boar tusks,  eagle feathers, or carved totems of the animal spirit. Kath hold all creatures of the forest sacred, but especially their own  totem.

Wandering shaman live alone and practice drug-enhanced magic with ancient arts from times long before the Kath left Lythia. Accounts have reached Kaldor of powerful shamans such as the Green Witch (see Kath Myths)

The Kath cling stubbornly to their religious beliefs despite numerous attempts at conversion by Laranian and Peonian missionaries from Kaldor. Many a Laranian priests have been discovered bound to a tree and pierced with spears, a favorite mode of execution. Priests of other gods have no great success, but are generally spared if they depart quickly and never return.