Boar Divinities & Folk Variations
Characters can opt to substitute select boar totem abilities, spells, side-effects, and totem tests for ones they would normally have, reflecting how the boar can charge into and snort in their lives. Select or roll 1d6.
Characters can opt to substitute select boar totem abilities, spells, side-effects, and totem tests for ones they would normally have, reflecting how the boar can charge into and snort in their lives. Select or roll 1d6.
1. Norse: Via Gullinbursti, Freyr's followers focus on the gold and prosperity aspects of boar magic, though having sharp teeth (Slíðrugtanni) so as to protect and enjoy those things is important too. Whether it be having its tusks plow the fields or receiving one as a sacrificial meal (like Sónargöltr), the boar reflects his fertility. Freya's devotees instead tend towards that which allows direct boar riding, transformation, and concealment. Still, martial and pleasurable pursuits are also key, merging such magic with her faithful's emphasis on love and battle, via Hildisvini.
2. Gallic & Brittonic Celts: Those who follow the Gallic Moccus promote becoming the boar and abiding by strict taboos. Those of the Brittonic Vitirus instead focus on its warrior aspects, especially of fighting well when cornered, bravely blowing one's carnyx horn. These cults may otherwise fully embrace the boar totem as their god. Druids who do so experience more steady results than their shaman fellows: they pick boar special abilities and spells, and the former's results are always the averages (a +1d3 is always +2, etc.), rather than rolling for them.
3. Celtiberians & Celto-Germans: Endovelicus is honored amongst the Celtiberians and is similar to Dis Pater, though emphasizing the interest in and hoarding of treasure and pleasure reflected in the boar. Arduinna instead is worshipped on the borders of the Germannic lands, and is akin to boar-riding Freya combined with the huntress aspects of Artemis.
4. Anglo-Saxon: Espousing the heroic tradition of Beowulf, Anglo-Saxon boar totemists are quite fond of boar helmets, weapons, and high adventure. And since he is a famous hero, few follow the shamanic path, but many are actually fighters who select some of the totem's solely combative abilities. Doing so eliminates the random results of their barbarian counterparts (a 2d6+3 is always 7 or 8, etc.) Many also take bear and wolf totem martial abilities in order to honor their namesake even more.
5. Greeks: Via the Calydonian Boar & the Erymanthian Boar, those who follow Artemis and Hercules emphasize boar rampaging, especially giant boar rampaging. Followers of Artemis do so to keep interlopers out of natural areas and to avenge the innocent. The heroic tradition of Hercules instead honors dealing with such things physically, even capturing wild boars alive, and is therefore barbaric in nature rather than shamanic.
6. Boar Orcs: Often being piglike themselves, some orcs follow a corrupted form of the totem, combining it with demonic traits that reflect their own, depraved natures. Extreme aggression, obstinance, filth, and rampage are thus promoted over anything redeeming. Such are the outrages that true boar totem followers work to slay or at least drive them away whenever possible.
Next week, our series on totems continues with the Bull!
