The shamans are the spiritual leaders of the armorian tribes and a major reason for their continued survival. They are the teachers, healers and wise men and even chiefs and high chiefs hear their counsel or outright obey their edicts. Outside Armoria, they fulfil much the same roles for the Brutgors of the Freelands and they are the main reason for the cohesion of the external Nomad tribes. The shamans are considered pagan priests of the Sentinel by the established priesthoods of the Gods and are usually looked down upon or persecuted.
There are six totemic emblems that are symbols of power and used by all shamans; these are also the emblems of the hordes. Each emblem represents certain traits and the order in which they are included in totem poles, creates magical effects or simply conveys a specific meaning. The tribal beasts are spiritual representations of the tribes and sacred to the entire Brutgor race; they always are the crowning piece in every totem pole.
Armoria is the homeland of the Brutgor race and as such it’s also the major region of the shamanic religion and organizations. In particular, three organizations - called Circles - of shamans are pre-eminent throughout Armoria (and one of them beyond) and reflect as well as define the character and ideals of each armorian tribe. There are many circles but only three of them have wide appeal and so, most shamans belong to one of these three circles. Sometimes two circles compete for primacy within a tribe and these are mentioned as major and minor.
Description: Kingmakers Ideal: Strength Through Unity. This is a recent circle created by Tarka-Sor of the Stone Rams who also leads this circle. Its goal is to unite all armorian tribes under one king, equate the region of Armoria with the kingdom of Armorgrand and so increase the race’s strength and prosperity. Tarka-Sor usurped an older circle, the Fire Circle of the Tamers which espoused strength through unity of the family and the tribe in order to face the myriad dangers of their homeland and tame it. The Fire Circle was in decline (since it had achieved its goals) and was only kept alive by long tradition. Tarka managed skillfully to usurp its tenets and change its focus so as to serve his own agenda. It’s a major circle in the Stone Rams who are the main adherents of this ideal but it also has increasing appeal in the Cyclone Griffons and Bone Wolves tribes where it’s a minor circle. The Salt Circle is despised by the shamans of the Sun Eagles and the Fire Lions as a false ideal and a misinterpretation of the respected Fire Circle.
Description: Warmongers Ideal: Strength Through War. After the defunct Fire circle, the War circle is the oldest one. This circle is traditionally strong but has been losing ground recently to the other two major circles. The Lava Bears have traditionally been the leaders of this circle but it’s Nurda-Maga who has breathed new life and focus into this ideal. The emergence of Ruath Kron and Nurda’s promotion of this god is beginning to transform this ideology into a proper religion. Once it was only about bruts building up their strength through conflict but Nurda also talks of war as a tool of making all other peoples strong through raiding them and challenging them with Brutgor might, so that Vitallia as a whole will become stronger. This shift in ideology appeals mostly to the Fire Lions who are the major allies of the Sun Eagles and the main adherents of this new focus. In contrast, Eban-Zal contests this shift in the ideal of war and remains faithful to the tradition of brutality for its own sake.
Description: Nomads Ideal: Strength through Expansion. This is an old circle but it had ever been a minor one until the end of the fourth age. In the fifth age, it has been steadily gaining strength until it’s become one of the major circles. The nomad shamans advocate for expansion through migration to the rest of Vitallia. The Brutgor population cannot grow in Armoria and their society cannot be uplifted from mere survival. The tribesmen spend their lives hunting, gathering, raiding and maintaining their homesteads and families. They have no incentive to progress, no way to learn new arts and crafts and no time to learn or practice. In this circle’s view, the shamans guide a static society which cannot achieve its true potential which is to be strong, to make the Sentinel strong and to teach strength to the other races. The Nomads teach that the bruts are the most worthy of the Sentinel’s children. The other races and their nations are weak and bruts can make them strong by living among them, not just killing them. The whole of Vitallia deserves to taste Brutgor blood and become stronger. This last teaching is where this circle diverges significantly from the War circle and is therefore considered a rival circle.
Nomad shamans organize bands of migrants and escort them beyond Armoria to travel the world beyond and make a new life for themselves. The Blood Circle is also present in the Freelands and supports the Nomad Tribes. These efforts have built up the Brutgor populations in the Freelands and they can also be found in Orkandus and Caran in small numbers - for now. Most of the shamans who wander Vitallia are of this circle.