Totems

[David]

Howdy folks,

I would like to make a request of all players with active characters (that means anyone who is reading this and/or intends to play): please CAREFULLY and THOUGHTFULLY define your characters' totem animals on your character sheets.

There are a number of reasons this is important -- it help establish personality and thus aids in role-play, it smooths issues dealing with tribal/shamaic PCs, and, most importantly for me right now, I have a campaign-wide "need to know". I won't say more now -- I can't -- but trust me; it'd be SOOO much better if you just thought out what animal best represents your character's personality and direction (or intended direction, for those of you in the "totems bring life-long evolution" camp). If not, I'll just have to roll randomly on my nifty, new list.

Thanks,
David

[David]

For those straining their brains to figure out totems for their PCs, here are a list of 90 "basic" totemic animals from a variety of cultures. Please feel free to let me know if I've missed an important one (I have another list of 20 inanimate and 10 mythical, for special cultural contexts, but in general I'd REALLY like to limit totems to real-world animals).

ant
badger
barracuda
bat
bear
bee
beetle
boar
buffallo
bull
butterfly
camel
carp
cat
chicken
crab
crow/raven
deer
dingo
dog
dolphin
duck
eagle
eel
elephant
fox
frog
gazelle
gila monster
giraffe
goat
grasshoper
grouse/turkey
gull
hawk
hippo
horse/zebra
humming bird
hyena
iguana
kangaroo
komodo
lion
lizard
lynx
mantis
mole
monkey
moose
moth
mouse
octopus
opposum
orca
ostrich
otter
owl
panther
penguin
python
rabbit
raccoon
ram
rat
ray
rhino
robin
salamander
salmon/tuna
scorpion
seal
shark
skunk
sloth
sparrow
spider
squirrel
swan
tiger
toad
tortoise
turtle
viper
vulture
wasp
weasel
whale
wolf
wolverine
wombat

See, PLENTY of ideas...

David

[David]

And if those examples weren't enough, here are some of my more well-known PCs to use as examples/samples/models:

Moorak -- lion
Caeleia -- polar bear
Shang-Lung -- wolf
Venturus -- wolf
Garlok -- mustang
Robyndella -- rabbit
Malok -- raven
Torr -- ram
Tarquin -- dog
Mandar -- goose
Kara -- cat
Raitan -- rooster
Flora -- otter
Vladimir -- leopard
Bethany -- mink
Jasmine -- hamster
Ushari -- baboon
Wing -- badger
Kalavor -- bear (duh!) -- note this makes Kalavor, Caeleia, and Black Robe "totem brothers"
Phillipe -- fox (again, duh!)
Dancing Horse -- fox
Brandy Foxwalker -- bear
Daisy -- ant
Rhanee -- bee
Gamoth -- tiger
Soren -- lion
Thumper -- rabbit (okay, now I'm just being silly)

Okay, YOUR turn...!

[Admin]

david said:

Caeleia -- polar bear

This explains why everyone calls her an "Ice Queen"

[Admin]

Here is a quick list of Animal Totems and the meanings associated them in at least one culture...other cultures may give different meanings...

rap.midco.net/spiritualstew/animals.html

[Andy]

Hmm... this is a tough one..

Jyoli / Jellie - Cat
Kee'o - Cat
Slee - uh... Cat?

okay, here are a few non-feline ones:

Kephalonia - Crow / Raven
Tetsuko - Dolphin
Arod, Son of Elfus - Eagle
Nishiki - Sparrow
Solinane - Stag

Tyris=Flare - I can't think of any natural animals for her...perhaps a Roadrunner...screw it - Lion.

I think that's pretty much everyone of note I have left on Oerth.

[Jenn G]

Thera: Cat

"Cat: Independence

...Cat's medicine is independence, curiosity, many lives, cleverness, unpredictability, healing, the ability to fight when cornered, seeing the unseen, and protection. He also represents love and can assist us in meditation. If Cat is your Power Animal, then you have magic and mystery in your life. You are independent and a free thinker. You probably feel energized at night. You will stay with a person or situation until it bores you, and then you're gone. You have a great talent for organizing things. "


www.crystalinks.com/totemanimals.html

[David]

Cool! I appreciate people working on this. I'm going to send out a new copy of "WhoWhere.xls" and I'd really like people to add their PCs' totem to the column there. Trust me, this all makes sense and will become clear in a muy cool way...

One thing to keep in mind: totems and their meaning vary GREATLY from culture to culture (the owl to the Greeks is wise and insightful, but to the Chinese, it's a bringer of death and unclean psychopomp, while modern science says it's pretty dumb as birds go). But the important thing (from a far-too post-modern sense I'm afraid) is what the animal means TO THE PC IN QUESTION'S CULTURE. I know this isn't perfect in a cosmos that has "absolute" and "meaningful" morality, but again, humor me.

On the flip side, if people could, as much as possible, try to give distinct and interesting/unique totems, that'd be cool. I think we have PLENTY of bears, lions, wolves, and cats already. As Paul once mentioned, there are far too many PCs with "macho-cool" totem animals and not enough with odd or non-combat ones. Ja, ja, mea cuple, auch!

Oh, yeah, and although hengeyokai are REQUIRED to have the same totem animal as they are (they're spirits themselves, after all), lycanthropes are not. Sure, many nascent-lycanthropes gravitated to being werelords BECAUSE of their totem, so there should be a much higher correspondence than in the general population, but I do think there should also be some variety too; not every tiger-werelord has the same personality, thus not all have the same totem.

As for non-humans, I would say only those that are basically "human-like" should have to have totems. Dragons, giants, lammasu, kenku, etc, may or may not, depending upon their species and nature (lammasu shouldn't as they're spiritual creatures themselves, while a giant should, but it'd probably be different than what humans tend to have).

Thanks again!
David

[Admin]

Here's another site that I found interesting...it does have a few animals..but mostly it shows various common symbols w/ the differing meanings, depending on culture or historical context.

DISCLAIMER: Certainly not definitive and there are probably quite a few inaccuracies and/or omissions....let the reader beware...

www.radioliberty.com/Symbolsandtheirmeaning.html

[Admin]

Years and years ago, Jessica was told her totem animal was Deer (based on a roll of a die...nothing too fancy or thought out...) Well, I just found this description of the Deer totem and I think it fits rather well for her...what d'ya think??

www.crystalinks.com/totemanimals.html


Deer: gentleness, caring and kindness

Deer blend very well with their environment but are very sensitive to every sound or movement. Often twins, even triplets, are born in the spring. Does and bucks live in separate groups until the mating season. The white-tailed deer are moderately gregarious, and family members forage food together along with other family groups, giving the appearance of a large herd. People with Deer Medicine are often described as being swift and alert. They are intuitive, often appearing to have well developed, even extrasensory perceptions. Sometimes their thoughts seem to race ahead, and they appear not to be listening. Deer's medicine includes gentleness in word, thought and touch, ability to listen, grace and appreciation for the beauty of balance, understanding of what's necessary for survival, power of gratitude and giving, ability to sacrifice for the higher good, connection to the woodland spirits, alternative paths to a goal. The gentleness of Deer is the heart-space of the Great Spirit which embodies His love for us all. Deer teaches us to find the gentleness of spirit that heals all wounds, to stop pushing to get others to change and to love and accept them as they are. The only true balance to power is love and compassion.

[Artec]

Hey all,
Here is my small list:
Black Robe: Bear
Artec: Dog
Moonleaf: Fox
Boodan: Armidillo
Woodenthighs: Mt lion
Zevi: Elk
Bruenor: Squrriel
Ishmopah: Lion
Sabuto: Elk
that is my short list so far see all later