Related Characters

Sun Kist

Image: Sun Kist, daughter of Da Phai Nai and Lo Si - Click to enlarge

The Shaman chooses Sun Kist as her apprentice, because she foresees the need for a person to emmulate her role with the Second.

This indicates the Shaman may be busy elsewhere.

Why Sun Kist? Because the girl had followed the ways of her parents, absorbibg Deru knowledge from her father, and Weid skills with plants and potions from her mother.
 

Ræm

Image: Ræm, daughter of Jinnie and Jack - Click to enlarge

Ræm spends seven years as the Shaman's special child, returning when she is 20. She had been training for one single moment - to defeat the Great Ogre.
 

Jien Noi

Image: Empress and Gatekeeper Jien Noi - Click to enlarge

The Empress officially rescinds the Shaman's banishment, and returns the Old Religion.

The Shaman had already been pardoned in prehistory, but no one had informed her personally, or made a public decree. This Jinnie does. The Empress also returns the Ring of the Earth to her.

This leads to the return of Priestess', and people practicing the Old Religion, known as The Ways of Gaia. It is not a religion as such, but a means of thanking the Earth for providing the needs of life; no Almighty beings are worshipped, but life becomes more valued.
 

Characters

Feature: The Second
 

 

The Shaman

 
 

Introduction
The Shaman was born before the last ice age; the child of a Seer of the Second, and a Deru of the Last. Her life was dedicated to learning the ways of her parents.

The Shaman became the first, and so far only person to ever become both Weid and Deru, and in the process, she became an enlightened being.

As she aged, she discovered ways to improve her health, leading eventually to rejuvination via the spirit. Then, almost by chance, she unlocked a fundamental truth, and in the practice of its ways, became an ethereal entity.

She is also an elemental being, but often takes human form, but changes her appearance according to her ruse, or whim of the moment.

Her pupils are often catlike, and her speech patterns of rhyming riddles are fairly constant.
 

  Image: The Shaman as old crone - Click to enlarge

The Shaman
Is an enlightened being, and an advanced human being who takes many body forms, or at least, people she meets perceive her differently. Most often, she appears as an old crone, her maw of blackened, missing teeth croaks to the unwary. At other times she appears as a middle aged woman of high stature, or as a twenty-something with alluring sexuality, and twice, as a young girl.

She appears to appear and disappear using magic, but Sun Kist reveals it is simply an advanced science, one not known to the Twelve Tribes, or the Ancestors. It is Druid in origin. This also is true for her seeming ability to reveal her presence, or not, and to only certain people. This extends to her ability to influence minds, people's perception at least. This ability should rightly be understood as an advanced form of telepathy.

As crone, she leans heavily on a head high, ancient bone staff, or sometimes a shorter yew staff. She carries a willow wand, and has a dowsing twig. She is a master of earth power, herbs, and runes. She cast magical runes during the forging of the Sword of Destiny.

The Shaman is a formidable force for good, and unlike most other elemental beings, is not tethered to Gaia, but to our Galaxy. She knows of other worlds inhabited by sentient beings, and that intra-galactic war is coming.

During the final chapters of book three, it becomes apparent the Shaman has been playing a very long game; she seldom appears, but each time she does is highly significant. One may wonder why she appeared out of the blue for the marriage of Jien Noi and Jack, or attended the birth of Ræm?

It is revealed, this was all part of a far longer plan, one that included tests, such as Jack returning the Ring of the Earth to her, and reinstating the Old Religion.

Recent History Revealed
The Shaman based herself on the Island, as the shield protected her from other entities, and the advanced science of some life-forms that could detect her presence. Her prescience revealed troubles to come, and she became the unofficial protector of the Twelve Tribes; she was especially intrigued by the Second.

Mostly she did not directly interfere with the path of life of others, and she watched Taris die of old age. Taris had been a good man, and the Shaman buried him with special honours, bequething his spirit to rest in peace with Gaia; something that would bring benefits in the far distant future.

She kept watch on progress for myriad years, until the omens and augury of the near future, became intertwined with the ambitions of the Ogres and Last. There could be only one outcome: The Wrath of Gaia.

With a long-term plan in mind, she began to make small interventions, hoping to change the course of history to be lives. Her first act was to ask Dawn for assistanceJacks backstory, Page 3 (.pdf), giving her a unique dragon pendant as reward; "This lucky charm is not yours to keep, an amulet for those who seek. Yours is not its power to hold, but for another who ventures bold."

Had the Shaman already chosen Jack to become the Second's new Guardian? Did she cause the shipwreck? Did she guide Jack to the Island shore, a distance mpossible to cover in the given time?

Later she ministrated at the wedding of Jack and Jien Noi, her first appearance for thirty years. In time she spoke to Rambling Longshanks of the Twelfth, asking them to gift Ræm the Ægus, and in return, she promised them restoration of their homeland. The Shaman also protected the Giants from the Great Ogre during their journey to the Island.

Later, she honoured Ræm's birth. Perhaps the Shaman already foresaw what was to come, and laid claim to the child, if only for one purpose: Defeat the Great Ogre. She also cast the runes that blessed the Sword of Destiny, a sword created for one purpose: Healing.
 

Omnipotent Power
Given the trilogy, Book Three especially, questions the role of 'God' in our creation, is that all there is? What of the bigger question posed? If 'God' does not exist, and we were created by an alien race, then who or what is watching over us. Could it be, the Shaman was looking out for Jack?
 

Interesting Snippets

Stats

Sex: Female.
Born: Unknown.
Physical Appearance: Changeable.
Marital status: Unknown.
 

Speech

Her speech is notable for being old-worldly, and she has a habit of speaking in rhyme, often to obfuscate her true meaning.

Her riddles haunt Jack, but he manages to unravel them all, with assistance and, in some instances, good fortune.
 

Seer

The Shaman sees generations ahead, and is mostly preoccupied with the next threat, which comes from outer space; this is revealed in book four.
 

Languages

She speaks many languages, including all mentioned in the trilogy, and also an ancient earth tongue related to runes and Druids.
 

Titles

The Shaman is both Deru and Weid, but calls herself Shaman; her reasons are personal.

The Eleventh, who love long titles, call her Princess of the Third and Windy Way, Renegade of the Rune.
 

Dawn

Image: Dawn - Click to enlarge

She is the first person to meet the Shaman, during Jack's backstory.

Was the unusual dragon pendant she gave Jack, the Shaman's tracking device?
 

Jack

Image: Jack Barleycorn, The Guardian - Click to enlarge

The Shaman gave Jack the seed of The One Tree. Why? Had she already foreseen the tree's destruction..
 

Image: The Ancestors came from the stars ... Alpha Centauri - click for larger image

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