From:	William Monroe Ashe <wma6617@****.TAMU.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Totems
Date:	Fri, 18 Jul 1997 09:51:09 -0500

On Fri, 18 Jul 1997, Chris Maxfield wrote:
> <grin> What?!?! Damn. I thought totems were just a convenient mental
> magical crutch for the shaman. No more real than any other hallucination.
> </grin>
>
> Seriously though. Have the members of this list concluded that the totems
> are real - objectively and substantively real? This seems a bit too AD&Dish
> for me.
>
Actually if one looks into the mythos of the Native Americans the totems
are real. Their not quite as "human" as the greek pantheon for example,
but they are quite real.

It makes for some interesting ideas for SR when you start translating
ancient Native American myths and legends into their 21st century
equivalents.

As to whther or not they are real, consider this; is a nature spirit
"real" well maybe not at first, but if it goes free, then it certainly
is. (within the laws of the UCAS, CAS, Aztlan etc etc etc)

In SR if enough people "believe" then something happens. Reference
Gator, being an urban totem. The BBB clearly states that this facet grew
out of urban legend (20th century urban legend).

Anyway my point is (I really do have one). I think that there are a lot
of cool rolepaying oppurtunities if you allow the totems to be real
independent entities. Note; nowhere does it say the totems have any real
power in the material world.

Imagine Raccoon wanting his shaman to organize a shadowrun just to tweak
Cat's nose.

Regards

-Bill