Shuar Magic
Shuar shamans and Shuar magic itself is indigenous to the Jivaro Indians of the Ecuadorian Amazon exclusively.
Shuar shamans in this area are sharply divided into two distinct types, determined early in the shaman's career. Bewitching shamans are those that utilize Tsentsak (Shuar spirit creatures) to curse and kill. Curing shamans, on the other hand, utilize their Tsentsak to cure, heal and counter the evil Tsentsak of bewitching shamans.
In order to become a shaman a supplicant must convince a practicing shaman to grant him a Tsentsak of his own. Under the influence of Natema (see below) the potential shaman ingests the Tsentsak and secludes himself, remaining inactive (especially refraining for sexual intercourse) for a period of one month, all the while regularly imbibing green tobacco juice to placate the Tsentsak and prevent it from deserting him. During this period if the shaman is able to maintain sexual discipline and avoid vomiting up the Tsentsak involuntarily it will emerge from his mouth, ready to be wielded. At this time the new shaman suffers a strong compulsion to use the Tsentsak to kill. If the shaman resists the urge and consumes the Tsentsak again instead he becomes a "curing shaman". If he does not and uses the Tsentsak to kill or curse, he becomes a "bewitching shaman".
The use of Shuar Magic requires a D10 "Shuar Magic Ability" Asset.
Natema -
Natema is a potion derived from the Ayahuasca jungle vine (Banisteriopsis caapi*) that allows a Shuar shaman (or anyone else who drinks it for that matter) to see into the spirit world, specifically granting the ability to see the spiritual aspect of Tsentsak and other Shuar spirit creatures (see below). For the Shuar shaman this is a prerequisite to manipulating these creatures for use in bewitching or curing others. Thus the potion is a necessary element in all Shuar magic.
Natema (and traditional ESP as well) also allows anyone under its influence to detect a shaman's use of Shuar magic, whether used to cure or curse. The Shaman can be seen to project a halo-like glow about their heads that is quite obvious to anyone able to detect it in the first place. Further, even shaman not actively employing Shuar magic but nonetheless carrying Tsentsak or Anamuk on or within their bodies can be sensed in this manner. The Tsentsak/Anamuk can be seen hovering near the shaman, perched on his shoulders or poking out of his skin.
It should be noted that Natema is a fairly strong hallucinogenic. For a shaman used to the drug the effects are only mildly debilitating and some may have become so accustomed to it that they aren't effected much at all. Those unaccustomed to its use can expect to suffer a hefty 2 step penalty to all actions while under the influence, unless they first succeed in a Formidable Resistance check when imbibing the potion. Even in such a case the person in question is still saddled with a 1 step penalty unless they managed an Extraordinary Success in resisting the drug's effect. Regardless, either level of resistance prevents the use of the ESP properties of the drug entirely. The hallucinogenic (and magical) effects of a standard dose of Natema can last up to several hours.
The GM may allow enterprising player characters to use Natema as a temporary form of ESP, opening up access to that ability to players who otherwise do not possess the asset. However, I would recommend firmly enforcing the debilitating effects of the drug as well as penalizing continued use with a hefty Addiction complication. The pseudo-ESP effect lasts for as long as the hallucinogenic effect lasts, effectively granting the user a D4 ESP asset (assuming they've failed the Resistance check). The Natema effect does not grant the ability to pick up on any actual surface thoughts from others, being strictly limited to detecting certain auras and spirits (specifically Shuar spirit creatures).
Green tobacco juice -
While Natema use is required to perceive and manipulate Shuar spirit creatures, imbibing green tobacco is necessary to retain both Tsentsak and Anamuk. Shamans do not typically summon up such creatures but rather quite literally ingest them, carrying them about inside or perched upon their own bodies until the shaman is ready to use them. A shaman must partake of this tobacco juice at least every few hours or so to keep his Tsentsak satisfied and placated, else they're likely to simply desert him or wander off. Although green tobacco juice makes an effective purgative, any skilled shaman is able to "vomit up" the appropriate spirit creature when ready to deploy them.
Resisting the purgative effects of this nasty little concoction is an Average Resistance action (Easy for those accustomed to regular ingestion, automatic for those who've used the juice regularly for some years).
Tsentsak -
Tsentsak are the form of Shuar spirit creature most commonly used to attack or curse a bewitching shaman's enemies. Like any other spirit creature they can be detected, collected and wielded by Shuar shaman under the influence of Natema. The shaman, once he has a Tsentsak under his control, will literally ingest it to carry it with him, ready to be deployed. The shaman is then required to drink green tobacco juice at least every few hours in order to placate the Tsentsak until he is ready to throw or shoot these "spiritual darts" at an enemy. (Curing shaman utilize the same technique to ingest and placate Tsentsak for healing purposes as well.)
Shaman prefer to ingest Tsentsak as a means of carrying them around as this allows them to keep the creatures at hand even when not under the influence of Natema. All that is required then to keep the creatures placated with green tobacco juice until he's ready to put them to use. Actually deploying the creatures does require the shaman to be under the effects of Natema and thus able to perceive and directly manipulate them.
Tsentsak, once deployed against a (necessarily) living target, either burrow into the victim or, if they're throw with extraordinary skill, shoot straight through them. A Tsentsak deployed so effectively as to pass directly through a target effects the target fully and is impossible to cure (or "suck out") by curing shamans. The Tsentsak has already done it's damage and disappeared. Tsentsak that burrow in and lodge inside the victim can however be "cured" by a curing shaman, deploying his own Tsentsak to simply "suck them out".
Shamans typically prefer to kill circumspectly and would have their victims and any witnesses none the wiser. Nevertheless, truly horrific Tsentsak effects are possible for a very skilled and evil shaman, though such tend to be quite obviously supernatural in origin. This will naturally clue victims and anyone witness to the effects of the Tsentsak that the person has been attacked by a bewitching shaman, something best avoided.
Attacking with a Tsentsak is treated as a normal throwing attack (see Supernatural rules, "Throwing", p. 88) utilizing Willpower + Ranged Weapons/Tsentsak.
The effects of a Tsentsak on a victim, whether the Tsentsak has burrowed in or passed through, are treated the same as an natural disease (see Supernatural rules, "Disease and Viruses", p. 91). Resisting the effects of the "disease" is an opposed action of the victim's Endurance versus whatever difficulty the shaman assigns to the "disease", up to the shaman's Shuar magic general skill or Tsentsak specialty skill dice. Thus a shaman with a Shuar magic/Tsentsak of D12 could prescribe the Tsentsak it uses with symptoms of anywhere up to Difficulty 12 to resist.
Symptoms and effects of Tsentsak infection depend on the shaman's skill level as well and determined by the shaman beforehand.
D2 - D6: Attribute penalty of -1 step for up to 24 hours OR 1 Stun damage per hour of activity other than light activity.
D8 - D12: Attribute penalty of -2 step for up to 24 hours OR 1 Basic damage per hour of activity other than strict bed rest, reduced to 1 Stun per hour with strict bed rest.
D12 + D2 or higher: Attribute penalty of -2 step for up to 24 hours OR 2 Basic damage per hour of activity other than strict bed rest, reduced to 1 Basic damage per hour with strict bed rest OR immediate Hard Endurance check to avoid a violent, gruesome death within 24 hours (a botched Endurance check resulting in immediate death, of a particularly spectacular sort).
Standard forms of supernatural protection that the GM might rule are applicable against Shuar magic are, naturally, applicable to whatever degree the GM rules.
Though the symptoms of a Tsentsak attack tend to mirror mundane illnesses they prove completely impervious to traditional medicinal cures. Non-magical medical treatment will have no effect on the "illness" and it will continue to effect the victim, doing whatever the shaman has designed the Tsentsak to do until the curse runs its course (the Tsentsak typically wanders off after 24 hours), the victim is dead or a curing shaman sucks the Tsentsak out.
Tsentsak, like all other Shuar spirit creatures, have both a physical and spiritual aspect. Depending on the particular Tsentsak these can vary wildly. A Tsentsak that causes a simple fever that causes an Attribute penalty may have the form of a stinging insect, such as a wasp or something similar, while a Tsentsak that causes bloody internal hemorrhaging and vomiting (and thus Basic damage) may take the physical appearance of a snake or worm. The spiritual aspect varies as well but tends to be a mirror of the physical with such additional qualities as brilliance, a putrid glow or an unnatural fluidity. While the physical aspect is perceptible to most anyone the spiritual aspect is not, requiring the influence of Natema or at the very least ESP to detect.
The Tsentsak itself, when burrowed inside the victim is completely undetectable by normal means, whatever it's physical aspect might otherwise be. Nor can they be perceived while being "shot" at a victim. Thus a Tsentsak carried inside a shaman's stomach, regurgitated and shot it at a victim is undetectable physically. Only after departing the victim once the curse is complete or sucked out by a curing shaman beforehand will the physical aspect be evident. Furthermore, the initial strike off a Tsentsak is undetectable physically as well and even the victim is generally unaware he's been "shot" by these "spiritual darts". An attacking shaman may be seen to be vomiting, tossing or "shooting" something invisible, should he do so in the open, but there is typically no other clue that the attack has even occurred. Shamans or those with ESP can however detect the spiritual aspect of the Tsentsak at any time, while carried within or upon the shaman, while burrowed inside the victim and when the Tsentsak departs the victim.
A single victim can host only one Tsentsak at a time, though Shuar shaman have methods of immediately replacing those removed by curing shaman or simply outlasted by the victim (see below). Shuar shaman can carry practically as many Tsentsak as they like and some have been known to ingest hundreds, maintaining them with a regular regimen of green tobacco juice.
Perceiving Tsentsak with ESP or while under the effects of Natema is an Easy Willpower + Perception/Vision action.
Anamuk -
While bewitching shaman prefer to attack, curse or kill discretely (so as to avoid retaliation) they have a more overt attack available as well. Anamuk are Shuar spirit creatures taking the physical form of dangerous animals which can thus attack physically like any other. Anamuk can be ingested or carried on a shaman's body in an innocuous and inanimate physical aspect (small shaped stones, pieces of bone or wood carvings, typically). The spiritual aspect of these types of creatures are, like Tsentsak, typically a mirror of the animal they're intended to take the form of. If ingested they must first be regurgitated before use but whichever method the shaman uses to transport them, they need only be thrown at the target to take the shape of the desired animal and attack.
Anamuk can also be used by highly skilled shamans to guard specific areas or objects but still require the shaman to either imbibe tobacco juice while handling the inanimate physical aspect or applying it directly to the Anamuk itself every few hours. Anamuk used in this manner remain, to all physical senses, in their inanimate physical form until prompted to repel intruders and trespassers or to attack those disturbing whatever object(s) it guards. Their spiritual aspect is at all times perceptible to those with ESP or under the effects of Natema with a successful Easy Willpower + Perception/Vision action. The form of animal it is possible for a shaman to use depends again on the shaman's Shuar magic/specialty skill dice level and the GM's discretion.
If the GM requires a general rule I'd suggest this should be roughly the animal's average Attribute level value. A shaman with a Shuar magic skill dice level of D10 could then utilize an Anamuk whose animal form's average Attribute dice level does not exceed D10 (or less if the animal has Assets and properties the GM feels render it more potent). A standard Boar, for example, has an average Attribute dice level of 6.5 but considering it's combat abilities and armor value I might render it more on the level of 8 or so.
A Shuar shaman may utilize only one Anamuk at a time, whether to attack or guard, and may carry only one at a time. Anamuk require at least 24 hours to replace if lost or killed.
Wakani Birds -
Wakani birds or "spirit birds" are another form of Shuar spirit creature. Unlike Tsentsak and Pasuk they are not used to covertly curse or kill. Rather they serve to simply frighten or startle intended victims, making them more susceptible to the subsequent spiritual attack by the bewitching shaman with Tsentsak. A shaman, when able to approach an intended victim undetected and in the proper setting, will send in his Wakani bird first to render the target more vulnerable to attack, then strike quickly with Tsentsak.
The Wakani bird's physical aspect is a bird of largely any generally "small" type (no seagulls or American eagles, folks) and are as vulnerable as any other bird. Killing a Wakani bird physically is a straightforward method of dealing with them but as they've probably already served their purpose by then (frightening the intended victim) it's usually immaterial.
Resisting a Wakani bird's attempt to frighten is a Hard Willpower + Discipline/appropriate specialty action. If failed, the target of the Wakani bird's "attack" suffers a 1 step penalty to the Endurance check (to resist the initial Tsentsak infection) of any Tsentsak attack occurring immediately thereafter (see Tsentsak above).
Wakani birds also have the ability to cast Tsentsak that have been given them by the shaman controlling them, "shooting" them from their beaks. Usually this is only done to ensure the victim remains "infected" in cases where the bewitching shaman expects a curing shaman might come along and suck out the initial Tsentsak. The Wakani bird, sent by the attacking shaman to remain near the victim, is then on hand to "shoot" additional Tsentsak into the victim, infecting him all over again. Wakani birds are less often used in this way as most shaman prefer to deploy the less vulnerable Pasuk for that purpose.
Shuar shaman can employ only one Wakani bird at a time and require 24 hours to replace any that are lost or killed. Like any other form of Shuar spirit creature Wakani birds require the direct application of green tobacco juice to maintain their employment (or ingestion of the juice while in physical contact with the shaman.)
Pasuk -
A fourth type of Shuar spirit creature, the Pasuk can be deployed for one of two purposes. Primarily they are sent to remain near a victim the shaman has already infected with Tsentsak. As Pasuk have the ability to shoot Tsentsak they've been given into a victim the bewitching shaman has previously infected, this is used to hinder curing shamans from undoing the bewitching shaman's curse. As the curing shaman sucks out the Tsentsak, the Pasuk is on hand to shoot another into the victim to replace it. Only one Pasuk may be deployed for this purpose per victim and only against victims of that shaman's Tsentsak. Pasuk may also immediately re-infect a victim who's outlasted and survived an initial Tsentsak infection.
Pasuk can be detected through ESP or Natema like any other Shuar spirit creature, giving a curing shaman the option of detecting them and doing battle. Pasuk have the physical aspect of tarantulas but have a vaguely humanoid spiritual aspect, appearing to be covered all over in iron save for the eyes. The eyes are the Pasuk's only vulnerable point and even attacking the physical aspect of the tarantula directly will accomplish nothing. Shooting Tsentsak directly into the eyes of Pasuk is the normal method employed by curing shaman to combat them and is instantly effective, when successful. As already mentioned however, Pasuk are granted Tsentsak by the original bewitching shaman and can then use these to defend themselves from Tsentsak attack. Other methods of magical or spiritual attack may also be effective, if they are able to make use of the Pasuk's vulnerable point, but these will likewise free the Pasuk to respond with Tsentsak attack. The tarantula physical aspect of the creatures however is effectively invulnerable to all attacks, whether physical, magical or spiritual.
The obvious method of dealing with Pasuk for non-shamans is simply capturing, containing and removing the tarantula from the area. As Pasuk can only deploy their Tsentsak in self defense or to re-infect victims of the bewitching shaman's Tsentsak, there's little they can do to counter this other than the standard tarantula bite. Actually catching the little buggers, not to mention spotting them lurking about in the first place, may prove difficult for those unable to detect their more obvious spiritual aspect.
Only one Pasuk may be used in this manner at a time, though they can be immediately replaced with any other Pasuk the shaman might possess and assigned the same duty.
Pasuk Armor -
A second use for Pasuk and one both curing and bewitching shaman routinely employ is for self defense. A shaman will usually deploy a dozen or so Pasuk about his person, leaving them scurrying here and there upon his body in their tarantula aspect. The Pasuk remain on constant vigil for incoming physical attacks of any kind, darting together to deflect them. The shaman employing the Pasuk in this fashion must be under the influence of Natema to make use of this defense however.
Employing Pasuk for this purpose (while under the influence of Natema) grants the shaman an armor rating of 4W to all physical attacks and can be maintained so long as at least six Pasuk are alive. The shaman must continually ingest green tobacco juice to keep the Pasuk from wandering away and deserting him, just as any other Shuar spirit creature.
Concerning the Ayahuasca jungle vine (Banisteriopsis caapi*)
*Banisteriopsis caapi, also known as Ayahuasca, Caapi or Yage, is a South American jungle vine of the family Malpighiaceae. It is used to prepare Ayahuasca, a decoction that has a long history of entheogenic uses as a medicine and "plant teacher" among the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Rainforest. It contains the beta-carboline harmala alkaloids and MAOIs harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine. The MAOIs in B. caapi allow the primary psychoactive compound, DMT (which is introduced from the other primary ingredient in Ayahausca, the Psychotria viridis plant), to be orally active. The stems contain 0.11-0.83% beta-carbolines, with harmine and tetrahydroharmine as the major components.
According to The CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names by Umberto Quattrocchi, the naming of B. caapi was actually dedicated to John Banister, a seventeenth-century English clergyman and naturalist. An earlier name for the genus Banisteriopsis was Banisteria, and the plant is sometimes referred to as Banisteria caapi in everyday usage. The name Ayahuasca means "vine of the soul", and the shamans of the indigenous Western Amazonian tribes use the plant in religious and healing ceremonies. In addition to its hallucinogenic properties, caapi is used for its healing properties as a purgative, effectively cleansing the body of parasites and helping the digestive tract.
Shuar shamans and Shuar magic itself is indigenous to the Jivaro Indians of the Ecuadorian Amazon exclusively.
Shuar shamans in this area are sharply divided into two distinct types, determined early in the shaman's career. Bewitching shamans are those that utilize Tsentsak (Shuar spirit creatures) to curse and kill. Curing shamans, on the other hand, utilize their Tsentsak to cure, heal and counter the evil Tsentsak of bewitching shamans.
In order to become a shaman a supplicant must convince a practicing shaman to grant him a Tsentsak of his own. Under the influence of Natema (see below) the potential shaman ingests the Tsentsak and secludes himself, remaining inactive (especially refraining for sexual intercourse) for a period of one month, all the while regularly imbibing green tobacco juice to placate the Tsentsak and prevent it from deserting him. During this period if the shaman is able to maintain sexual discipline and avoid vomiting up the Tsentsak involuntarily it will emerge from his mouth, ready to be wielded. At this time the new shaman suffers a strong compulsion to use the Tsentsak to kill. If the shaman resists the urge and consumes the Tsentsak again instead he becomes a "curing shaman". If he does not and uses the Tsentsak to kill or curse, he becomes a "bewitching shaman".
The use of Shuar Magic requires a D10 "Shuar Magic Ability" Asset.
Natema -
Natema is a potion derived from the Ayahuasca jungle vine (Banisteriopsis caapi*) that allows a Shuar shaman (or anyone else who drinks it for that matter) to see into the spirit world, specifically granting the ability to see the spiritual aspect of Tsentsak and other Shuar spirit creatures (see below). For the Shuar shaman this is a prerequisite to manipulating these creatures for use in bewitching or curing others. Thus the potion is a necessary element in all Shuar magic.
Natema (and traditional ESP as well) also allows anyone under its influence to detect a shaman's use of Shuar magic, whether used to cure or curse. The Shaman can be seen to project a halo-like glow about their heads that is quite obvious to anyone able to detect it in the first place. Further, even shaman not actively employing Shuar magic but nonetheless carrying Tsentsak or Anamuk on or within their bodies can be sensed in this manner. The Tsentsak/Anamuk can be seen hovering near the shaman, perched on his shoulders or poking out of his skin.
It should be noted that Natema is a fairly strong hallucinogenic. For a shaman used to the drug the effects are only mildly debilitating and some may have become so accustomed to it that they aren't effected much at all. Those unaccustomed to its use can expect to suffer a hefty 2 step penalty to all actions while under the influence, unless they first succeed in a Formidable Resistance check when imbibing the potion. Even in such a case the person in question is still saddled with a 1 step penalty unless they managed an Extraordinary Success in resisting the drug's effect. Regardless, either level of resistance prevents the use of the ESP properties of the drug entirely. The hallucinogenic (and magical) effects of a standard dose of Natema can last up to several hours.
The GM may allow enterprising player characters to use Natema as a temporary form of ESP, opening up access to that ability to players who otherwise do not possess the asset. However, I would recommend firmly enforcing the debilitating effects of the drug as well as penalizing continued use with a hefty Addiction complication. The pseudo-ESP effect lasts for as long as the hallucinogenic effect lasts, effectively granting the user a D4 ESP asset (assuming they've failed the Resistance check). The Natema effect does not grant the ability to pick up on any actual surface thoughts from others, being strictly limited to detecting certain auras and spirits (specifically Shuar spirit creatures).
Green tobacco juice -
While Natema use is required to perceive and manipulate Shuar spirit creatures, imbibing green tobacco is necessary to retain both Tsentsak and Anamuk. Shamans do not typically summon up such creatures but rather quite literally ingest them, carrying them about inside or perched upon their own bodies until the shaman is ready to use them. A shaman must partake of this tobacco juice at least every few hours or so to keep his Tsentsak satisfied and placated, else they're likely to simply desert him or wander off. Although green tobacco juice makes an effective purgative, any skilled shaman is able to "vomit up" the appropriate spirit creature when ready to deploy them.
Resisting the purgative effects of this nasty little concoction is an Average Resistance action (Easy for those accustomed to regular ingestion, automatic for those who've used the juice regularly for some years).
Tsentsak -
Tsentsak are the form of Shuar spirit creature most commonly used to attack or curse a bewitching shaman's enemies. Like any other spirit creature they can be detected, collected and wielded by Shuar shaman under the influence of Natema. The shaman, once he has a Tsentsak under his control, will literally ingest it to carry it with him, ready to be deployed. The shaman is then required to drink green tobacco juice at least every few hours in order to placate the Tsentsak until he is ready to throw or shoot these "spiritual darts" at an enemy. (Curing shaman utilize the same technique to ingest and placate Tsentsak for healing purposes as well.)
Shaman prefer to ingest Tsentsak as a means of carrying them around as this allows them to keep the creatures at hand even when not under the influence of Natema. All that is required then to keep the creatures placated with green tobacco juice until he's ready to put them to use. Actually deploying the creatures does require the shaman to be under the effects of Natema and thus able to perceive and directly manipulate them.
Tsentsak, once deployed against a (necessarily) living target, either burrow into the victim or, if they're throw with extraordinary skill, shoot straight through them. A Tsentsak deployed so effectively as to pass directly through a target effects the target fully and is impossible to cure (or "suck out") by curing shamans. The Tsentsak has already done it's damage and disappeared. Tsentsak that burrow in and lodge inside the victim can however be "cured" by a curing shaman, deploying his own Tsentsak to simply "suck them out".
Shamans typically prefer to kill circumspectly and would have their victims and any witnesses none the wiser. Nevertheless, truly horrific Tsentsak effects are possible for a very skilled and evil shaman, though such tend to be quite obviously supernatural in origin. This will naturally clue victims and anyone witness to the effects of the Tsentsak that the person has been attacked by a bewitching shaman, something best avoided.
Attacking with a Tsentsak is treated as a normal throwing attack (see Supernatural rules, "Throwing", p. 88) utilizing Willpower + Ranged Weapons/Tsentsak.
The effects of a Tsentsak on a victim, whether the Tsentsak has burrowed in or passed through, are treated the same as an natural disease (see Supernatural rules, "Disease and Viruses", p. 91). Resisting the effects of the "disease" is an opposed action of the victim's Endurance versus whatever difficulty the shaman assigns to the "disease", up to the shaman's Shuar magic general skill or Tsentsak specialty skill dice. Thus a shaman with a Shuar magic/Tsentsak of D12 could prescribe the Tsentsak it uses with symptoms of anywhere up to Difficulty 12 to resist.
Symptoms and effects of Tsentsak infection depend on the shaman's skill level as well and determined by the shaman beforehand.
D2 - D6: Attribute penalty of -1 step for up to 24 hours OR 1 Stun damage per hour of activity other than light activity.
D8 - D12: Attribute penalty of -2 step for up to 24 hours OR 1 Basic damage per hour of activity other than strict bed rest, reduced to 1 Stun per hour with strict bed rest.
D12 + D2 or higher: Attribute penalty of -2 step for up to 24 hours OR 2 Basic damage per hour of activity other than strict bed rest, reduced to 1 Basic damage per hour with strict bed rest OR immediate Hard Endurance check to avoid a violent, gruesome death within 24 hours (a botched Endurance check resulting in immediate death, of a particularly spectacular sort).
Standard forms of supernatural protection that the GM might rule are applicable against Shuar magic are, naturally, applicable to whatever degree the GM rules.
Though the symptoms of a Tsentsak attack tend to mirror mundane illnesses they prove completely impervious to traditional medicinal cures. Non-magical medical treatment will have no effect on the "illness" and it will continue to effect the victim, doing whatever the shaman has designed the Tsentsak to do until the curse runs its course (the Tsentsak typically wanders off after 24 hours), the victim is dead or a curing shaman sucks the Tsentsak out.
Tsentsak, like all other Shuar spirit creatures, have both a physical and spiritual aspect. Depending on the particular Tsentsak these can vary wildly. A Tsentsak that causes a simple fever that causes an Attribute penalty may have the form of a stinging insect, such as a wasp or something similar, while a Tsentsak that causes bloody internal hemorrhaging and vomiting (and thus Basic damage) may take the physical appearance of a snake or worm. The spiritual aspect varies as well but tends to be a mirror of the physical with such additional qualities as brilliance, a putrid glow or an unnatural fluidity. While the physical aspect is perceptible to most anyone the spiritual aspect is not, requiring the influence of Natema or at the very least ESP to detect.
The Tsentsak itself, when burrowed inside the victim is completely undetectable by normal means, whatever it's physical aspect might otherwise be. Nor can they be perceived while being "shot" at a victim. Thus a Tsentsak carried inside a shaman's stomach, regurgitated and shot it at a victim is undetectable physically. Only after departing the victim once the curse is complete or sucked out by a curing shaman beforehand will the physical aspect be evident. Furthermore, the initial strike off a Tsentsak is undetectable physically as well and even the victim is generally unaware he's been "shot" by these "spiritual darts". An attacking shaman may be seen to be vomiting, tossing or "shooting" something invisible, should he do so in the open, but there is typically no other clue that the attack has even occurred. Shamans or those with ESP can however detect the spiritual aspect of the Tsentsak at any time, while carried within or upon the shaman, while burrowed inside the victim and when the Tsentsak departs the victim.
A single victim can host only one Tsentsak at a time, though Shuar shaman have methods of immediately replacing those removed by curing shaman or simply outlasted by the victim (see below). Shuar shaman can carry practically as many Tsentsak as they like and some have been known to ingest hundreds, maintaining them with a regular regimen of green tobacco juice.
Perceiving Tsentsak with ESP or while under the effects of Natema is an Easy Willpower + Perception/Vision action.
Anamuk -
While bewitching shaman prefer to attack, curse or kill discretely (so as to avoid retaliation) they have a more overt attack available as well. Anamuk are Shuar spirit creatures taking the physical form of dangerous animals which can thus attack physically like any other. Anamuk can be ingested or carried on a shaman's body in an innocuous and inanimate physical aspect (small shaped stones, pieces of bone or wood carvings, typically). The spiritual aspect of these types of creatures are, like Tsentsak, typically a mirror of the animal they're intended to take the form of. If ingested they must first be regurgitated before use but whichever method the shaman uses to transport them, they need only be thrown at the target to take the shape of the desired animal and attack.
Anamuk can also be used by highly skilled shamans to guard specific areas or objects but still require the shaman to either imbibe tobacco juice while handling the inanimate physical aspect or applying it directly to the Anamuk itself every few hours. Anamuk used in this manner remain, to all physical senses, in their inanimate physical form until prompted to repel intruders and trespassers or to attack those disturbing whatever object(s) it guards. Their spiritual aspect is at all times perceptible to those with ESP or under the effects of Natema with a successful Easy Willpower + Perception/Vision action. The form of animal it is possible for a shaman to use depends again on the shaman's Shuar magic/specialty skill dice level and the GM's discretion.
If the GM requires a general rule I'd suggest this should be roughly the animal's average Attribute level value. A shaman with a Shuar magic skill dice level of D10 could then utilize an Anamuk whose animal form's average Attribute dice level does not exceed D10 (or less if the animal has Assets and properties the GM feels render it more potent). A standard Boar, for example, has an average Attribute dice level of 6.5 but considering it's combat abilities and armor value I might render it more on the level of 8 or so.
A Shuar shaman may utilize only one Anamuk at a time, whether to attack or guard, and may carry only one at a time. Anamuk require at least 24 hours to replace if lost or killed.
Wakani Birds -
Wakani birds or "spirit birds" are another form of Shuar spirit creature. Unlike Tsentsak and Pasuk they are not used to covertly curse or kill. Rather they serve to simply frighten or startle intended victims, making them more susceptible to the subsequent spiritual attack by the bewitching shaman with Tsentsak. A shaman, when able to approach an intended victim undetected and in the proper setting, will send in his Wakani bird first to render the target more vulnerable to attack, then strike quickly with Tsentsak.
The Wakani bird's physical aspect is a bird of largely any generally "small" type (no seagulls or American eagles, folks) and are as vulnerable as any other bird. Killing a Wakani bird physically is a straightforward method of dealing with them but as they've probably already served their purpose by then (frightening the intended victim) it's usually immaterial.
Resisting a Wakani bird's attempt to frighten is a Hard Willpower + Discipline/appropriate specialty action. If failed, the target of the Wakani bird's "attack" suffers a 1 step penalty to the Endurance check (to resist the initial Tsentsak infection) of any Tsentsak attack occurring immediately thereafter (see Tsentsak above).
Wakani birds also have the ability to cast Tsentsak that have been given them by the shaman controlling them, "shooting" them from their beaks. Usually this is only done to ensure the victim remains "infected" in cases where the bewitching shaman expects a curing shaman might come along and suck out the initial Tsentsak. The Wakani bird, sent by the attacking shaman to remain near the victim, is then on hand to "shoot" additional Tsentsak into the victim, infecting him all over again. Wakani birds are less often used in this way as most shaman prefer to deploy the less vulnerable Pasuk for that purpose.
Shuar shaman can employ only one Wakani bird at a time and require 24 hours to replace any that are lost or killed. Like any other form of Shuar spirit creature Wakani birds require the direct application of green tobacco juice to maintain their employment (or ingestion of the juice while in physical contact with the shaman.)
Pasuk -
A fourth type of Shuar spirit creature, the Pasuk can be deployed for one of two purposes. Primarily they are sent to remain near a victim the shaman has already infected with Tsentsak. As Pasuk have the ability to shoot Tsentsak they've been given into a victim the bewitching shaman has previously infected, this is used to hinder curing shamans from undoing the bewitching shaman's curse. As the curing shaman sucks out the Tsentsak, the Pasuk is on hand to shoot another into the victim to replace it. Only one Pasuk may be deployed for this purpose per victim and only against victims of that shaman's Tsentsak. Pasuk may also immediately re-infect a victim who's outlasted and survived an initial Tsentsak infection.
Pasuk can be detected through ESP or Natema like any other Shuar spirit creature, giving a curing shaman the option of detecting them and doing battle. Pasuk have the physical aspect of tarantulas but have a vaguely humanoid spiritual aspect, appearing to be covered all over in iron save for the eyes. The eyes are the Pasuk's only vulnerable point and even attacking the physical aspect of the tarantula directly will accomplish nothing. Shooting Tsentsak directly into the eyes of Pasuk is the normal method employed by curing shaman to combat them and is instantly effective, when successful. As already mentioned however, Pasuk are granted Tsentsak by the original bewitching shaman and can then use these to defend themselves from Tsentsak attack. Other methods of magical or spiritual attack may also be effective, if they are able to make use of the Pasuk's vulnerable point, but these will likewise free the Pasuk to respond with Tsentsak attack. The tarantula physical aspect of the creatures however is effectively invulnerable to all attacks, whether physical, magical or spiritual.
The obvious method of dealing with Pasuk for non-shamans is simply capturing, containing and removing the tarantula from the area. As Pasuk can only deploy their Tsentsak in self defense or to re-infect victims of the bewitching shaman's Tsentsak, there's little they can do to counter this other than the standard tarantula bite. Actually catching the little buggers, not to mention spotting them lurking about in the first place, may prove difficult for those unable to detect their more obvious spiritual aspect.
Only one Pasuk may be used in this manner at a time, though they can be immediately replaced with any other Pasuk the shaman might possess and assigned the same duty.
Pasuk Armor -
A second use for Pasuk and one both curing and bewitching shaman routinely employ is for self defense. A shaman will usually deploy a dozen or so Pasuk about his person, leaving them scurrying here and there upon his body in their tarantula aspect. The Pasuk remain on constant vigil for incoming physical attacks of any kind, darting together to deflect them. The shaman employing the Pasuk in this fashion must be under the influence of Natema to make use of this defense however.
Employing Pasuk for this purpose (while under the influence of Natema) grants the shaman an armor rating of 4W to all physical attacks and can be maintained so long as at least six Pasuk are alive. The shaman must continually ingest green tobacco juice to keep the Pasuk from wandering away and deserting him, just as any other Shuar spirit creature.
Concerning the Ayahuasca jungle vine (Banisteriopsis caapi*)
*Banisteriopsis caapi, also known as Ayahuasca, Caapi or Yage, is a South American jungle vine of the family Malpighiaceae. It is used to prepare Ayahuasca, a decoction that has a long history of entheogenic uses as a medicine and "plant teacher" among the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Rainforest. It contains the beta-carboline harmala alkaloids and MAOIs harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine. The MAOIs in B. caapi allow the primary psychoactive compound, DMT (which is introduced from the other primary ingredient in Ayahausca, the Psychotria viridis plant), to be orally active. The stems contain 0.11-0.83% beta-carbolines, with harmine and tetrahydroharmine as the major components.
According to The CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names by Umberto Quattrocchi, the naming of B. caapi was actually dedicated to John Banister, a seventeenth-century English clergyman and naturalist. An earlier name for the genus Banisteriopsis was Banisteria, and the plant is sometimes referred to as Banisteria caapi in everyday usage. The name Ayahuasca means "vine of the soul", and the shamans of the indigenous Western Amazonian tribes use the plant in religious and healing ceremonies. In addition to its hallucinogenic properties, caapi is used for its healing properties as a purgative, effectively cleansing the body of parasites and helping the digestive tract.