Skinwalkers were green elven priests that were taught the secrets of skinwalking, a special magical form of shapechanging that involved using hides and other animal parts to transform into an animal form.[1]
Activities[]
Before an individual became a skinwalker, they would enter the woods and meditate. After some days had passed, the skinwalker's future totem animal appeared. The elf then had to follow the animal for a few days. At the end of that pilgrimage they gained the enlightenment and wisdom necessary to change form into that of the totem animal.[1]
Skinwalkers were there to help their tribes in dangerous times, and to learn more about nature.[1]
Culture[]
Skinwalking was taught by elder priests to those who had lived in solitary priestly existence long enough, far from other green elves.[1]
Skinwalkers were considered to live even more "primitively" than other green elves.[1]
Skinwalkers worshiped Rillifane Rallathil, or one of the other wilderness-oriented Seldarine deities such as Solonor Thelandira or Erevan Ilesere.[1]
Green elven tribes treated skinwalkers with great fear and respect, as they were said to be uncontrollable. Other green elves tended to avoid skinwalkers, but turned to them in times of crisis, or for advice on major problems.[1]
Abilities[]
A skinwalker would have skills in at least one of the following activities: fishing, foresting, or hunting. Skinwalkers learned the usage of simple weapons at the beginning like bows, clubs, daggers, javelins, knives, and spears. These priests had good directional sense and also often learned about fire-building, swimming, weaving, healing, and herbalism.[1]
There were twelve possible animals that could appear to a future skinwalker: crow, hawk, coyote, cooshee, fox, otter, raccoon, rabbit, lynx, mountain lion, cath shee, and bear. Skinwalkers specialized in non-lycanthropic shape-changing. They could freely change from animal to elven form, and retain their intelligence. The frequency and duration of the priest's changes increased with their experience and skill. Novice skinwalkers could transform only once every three days and only for a few hours. The most experienced skinwalkers could transform any time, and stay in their animal shape indefinitely. If a skinwalker was "killed" in their animal form, they sometimes avoided death, but stayed in a coma for at least two days.[1]
History[]
The traditions and practices of Evermeet skinwalkers were well established by the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR.[1]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
- Skinwalker skeleton