The Shaman
Author: James

What is a Shaman? A shaman is a person who has the ability to reach out and contact the souls of the dead, and other roaming spirits. He/she can use the power of such spirits to accomplish incredible acts. Shamans have been revered by society for centuries. They're everywhere, such as Taoist monks and priests, the Japanese Shinto priests, the witch doctors of the Caribbean, the Necromancers of Europe, the shaman of the Native Americans, to name only a few.

What types of power do Shaman possess? It depends on the type of Shaman. Most commonly, shaman are able to see spirits, they can also allow spirits (ghosts) into themselves. The Spirit turns into a
Hitodama (Spirit ball) and enters the shaman, in which the spirit gains control of the shaman's body. Spirits such as faeries are unable to enter a shaman's physical form. Some Shaman have a ghost or spirit familiar, who trails along with them, and allows them to use their power.

What is Furyoku? Spiritual energy of the living. More accurately, the capacities for the living to harbor spirits and use their energy. Unlike Ki, Furyoku is more of a measure of how much energy of the ghost or spirit's that the shaman can use. If the Shaman's Furyoku very low, then he is unable to use the spirit power to it's full extent.

How does one raise his/her Furyoku? The only way to raise a person's furyoku, is by dying and being resurrected, or having a near death experience.

What is Reioku? Spiritual energy of the dead. This measures the spiritual strength of the ghost or spirit. The higher the Reioku, the stronger the spirit.

What is "Oversoul Mode"? - This idea consists of combining a shaman's Furyoku with a spirit's Reioku to bring the spirit into the physical world. To do this, the spirit needs a vessel to come into the world through. The more the shaman is able to fully match his Furyoku with his Spirit's Reioku; the spirit would be able to achieve a physical form again (like with Hao, and his spirit, the Spirit of Fire).

- Shaman Techniques -

Choshisoshijutsu - A technique that was developed in ancient times by Chinese monks to manipulate the dead. Commands are written upon a magical parchment, and attached to the corpse's forehead, giving the Doushi (monk, the shaman in this case), complete power over the body, turning it into a zombie (kionshii).

Necromancy - The art of resuscitating and manipulating corpses. Could be considered the European counterpart to the Choshisoushijutsu, the Necromancer is able to animate hundreds of skeletons at a time without diminishing any of his furyoku. (In Shaman King, the Necromancer Faust VIII uses the corpse of his dead lover, Elisha, as his oversoul, using a technique called "resurrection of the dead", calling the soul of the deceased back into the body, giving the skeleton a human appearance thus: skeleton = weapon in this case of an oversoul).

Shikigami - A technique known to Onmyouji (a type of Japanese Shaman). This technique consists of breathing the soul of spirits of the earth into the leaves and to control them like a little army. (This technique doesn't draw upon much furyoku from the Shaman so it doesn't seem very strong, but if massive armies are made, such as Yohmei's 100 Shikigami, then the recipient could be in for a bit of trouble).

- Types of Spirits -

Ghosts - Souls of the departed that happen to stick around because of something left unresolved in the world of the living.

Holy Spirits - Divine spirits that lend their powers to the living, such as angels and the like.

The Undead - Corpses that have no real will of their own, and are completely manipulated (i.e., skeletons, kionshii/zombies)

Nature Spirits - Spirits such as faeries, who live among nature, and have elemental attributes (like the Korropo Kuru, who is a small faerie-like spirit that lives on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, and can give it's master the ability to manipulate ice), and also animal spirits, who can give their natural attributes to their shaman (such as Silver, a Native American shaman, who has 5 Animal spirits, an Eagle, a Snake, a Buffalo, a Coyote, and a Tortoise, each who lend their abilities to him).

Demonic Spirits - Evil spirits that lend their powers to their shaman, such as Demons, and the like.