Kaawá’pomaahkaa Áwaawahkao’tsii

Warriors of the plains of western Palhur who can take on animal form in conjunction with their animal-protectors and the guidance of their faith. They are protectors of the plains who belong to different sects corresponding to the animals they take the form of. Bison, wolf, pronghorn, snake, Palhuric lions, and prairie dog are the commonest forms.

Ritual of the Guides

Every warrior who is chosen for this role is taken by the spiritual leaders of their tribe to perform a ritual wherein they are sought out by an animal-protector, drawn by their faith. The ritual is different for every warrior, depending on their beliefs and how it manifests:

• Ambrosia/Divine Will: those who believe and honor the gods of the Otapi'sin people must perform a ritual of prayer and sacrifice. This is the commonest form.
• The Law: there are some who know of the secret ruins of the temples of an ancient, dead god and protect it and the Divine Laws inscribed there. They must perform a ritual invoking ones of these Laws.
• Mortal Will: some have forsaken the gods and taken on belief in mortalism. These must perform a ritual of self-actualization.
• Spirit Energy: some honor the spirits directly instead of the gods; their ritual is very similar to that of those who honor the gods.

Among the Otapi'sin, there is not any common belief in a system of karma.

Animal-Protectors

The different potential animal forms are

• Bison: the most common form is the bison. Buffalo dancers often guide warriors into joining this sect. Those who honor the Creator or the Sun are especially drawn to this form. Includes akbinnahpachés, hotóá'es, iiníís, kuutsus, miniwatus, tura'hatches, and mundane bison.
• Cave bear: this form only comes for warriors who guard the Law.
• Giant sloth: an extremely rare form from the spirits.
• Mammoth or mastodon: woolly mammoths and their powerful esoteric cousins mihyawês are common on the southern plains; mastodons and cuusáruts are common in the central plains; all four are protectors of those who serve the Sun and the Creator.
• Palhuric Lion: the snow lions of the southern regions of the plains of western Palhur are common in that region.
• Prairie Dog: these smaller rodents are an uncommon form; they come to those who believe in mortalism and require greater self-reliance.
• Pronghorn: apiscacihkoses and aapügats and common pronghorns are all possible; they are the forms favored by those with greatest faith.
• Smilodon and gandohga: these are rare and only appear in the most desperate of times; these animal-protectors only appear for the most devout and the most desperate.
• Snake: rattlesnakes, kingsnakes, watersnakes, hognose snakes, rat snakes, corn snakes, and ribbon snakes each have a different meaning to different spirits.
• Wolf: wolves are the second most common form behind bison.

The Essence of the Beasts

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The aetherial energies wielded

• Á’pistotookiipákkitsa’pssi: genesis, the energy of the Creator, used to help warriors creating weapons that reflect their animals.
• Iitáí’nssimao’pipákkitsa’pssi: livadi, the energy of the plains themselves, used to help transform warriors into bison, especially iiníí, and to draw power from the plains themselves.
• Iinohkipákkitsa’pssi: poarta, the energy of death and the afterlife, used to make warriors more deadly.
• Ikoopiisopoipákkitsa’pssi: kiiric yihi, the energy of the winds and sky, used to make warriors betetr at flying if they take on a flying form.
• Iksowá’pomaahkaaipákkitsa’pssi: nzwara murazvo, the energy of the animals, used to help transform warriors into any animal form.
• I’tskipákkitsa’pssi: kazaddarean, the energy of the earth, used to help warriors with strength.
• Kaahksikaipákkitsa’pssi: lunar aether, the energy of the moons, used to help warriors who take on wolf forrms.
• Komonoipákkitsa’pssi: prasinofos, the energy of plants, used to help warriors with the plants of the plains.
• Kóónsskoipákkitsa’pssi: hvittdogg, the energy of ice and snow, used to help warriors transform into snow lions and mammoths.
• Ksiistsikomipákkitsa’pssi: bijalee, the energy of storm, used to help warriors fight in any weather.
• Naató’siipákkitsa’pssi: ma'dhahabi, the energy of the sun, used to help transform warriors into lions and smilodons.
• Niítahtaaipákkitsa’pssi: conflueverant, the energy of the rivers, lakes, and rains, used to help warriors become watersnakes.
• Siksí’ksskimmipákkitsa’pssi: ashar, the energy of life, used to help warriors transform and thrive.