gods & spirits

Primary gods are an integral importance of the faith. They are in direct control of the spirit world and hold great power in the living world.
The success of your craft is directly linked to mutual respect, communication, and give/take of spirits, guides, and Loa. Though not as omnipotent as the Primaries, they can be powerful in the living realm, affecting those around them and coming to full force during certain seasons, moon phases, etc. While most deities are predisposed towards good, there are some that are neutral and several that could be persuaded somewhere darker. It is not prudent to ask too much of one Loa and doing so may cause dire consequences.

PRIMARY GODS
Atka - portrayed as a great, white-furred black bear, Atka is the omnipotent God of light, courage, wisdom, leadership, truth, glory, and power. She is considered good bordering neutral with the ability to give and take away with a steady, firm ruling. It is rumored plants flourish in her wake, brightened by the essence of euphoria the Great Mother is said to gift to the living. She is the mother of all wolves, life, and rebirth.
Sos - portrayed as a great, slavering black-furred polar bear, Sos is the omnipotent God of darkness, greed, vanity, trickery, rage, and power. The Dark Bear is notoriously unforgiving though never cruel. Sos is the opposite of Atka; demanding, temperamental, impatient, and manipulative. It is rumored that Sos leaves footprints of shadows and silence in his wake.

Spirit Guides are an integral part of accepting and practicing the Shearwater faith. They serve as a spiritual guide, reflecting properties of the wolf's personality and aiding them in their endeavors. Obtaining and finding one's Spirit Guide is an important step of initiation and should be done with careful, calculating consideration. Once a Spirit Guide has chosen the soul it cannot be undone. Guides come in all shapes and sizes, most commonly assuming the form of animals found within Seahawk Valley. Very rarely will a wolf obtain a creature of lore or high reverence (bears).
When it comes time for a wolf to dedicate itself completely to the faith, they will request council with a spiritual leader. After a private ceremony, the individual must go on a personal quest to find their spirit guide and link themselves with the spiritual world. When their guide chooses them, they must return to their spiritual leader for approval where it will be announced via a howl.

SPIRTS & LOA
Cougar - savagery, fury, remorselessness. Cunning, hunting and seeking; freedom. Using power in leadership. Balancing power, intention, strength. Self-confidence when facing crowds or troublesome people.
Lynx - suspicion, vigilance, keenness of sight. Can help understanding mysteries and occult secrets, help with divination skills, and the psychic senses.
Coyote - trickster, cunning, shape-shifter, stealth, opportunity, dark and light magic. Illumination, truth, creativity, new life, experience, seeking opportunities. Not to be trusted!
Fox - cunning, slyness; the ability to make fools out of those who aggressively pursue you. Remaining unobserved while watching the actions and motives of others. Stealth, wisdom, invisibility.
Wolf - cunning, escaping hunters, ability to pass by dangers invisibly, outwitting those who wish you harm, fighting when necessary. Wisdom, hunting and seeking, magic, dreams, introspection, intuition, listening, death and rebirth, transformation. Strong protection. Spiritual guidance.
Badger - revenge, wisdom, cunning, perseverance. When faced with a crises, forgets panic but acts, gets angry, in a creative, productive way. Earth magic and wisdom. Knowledge of how to protect yourself in a certain situation.
Bear - Strength and stamina; can help you to find balance and harmony in your life. Patience, defense, revenge, wisdom, dreams, intuition, listening, introspection, death and rebirth, transformation. Seeks quiet places for answers. A creature of dreams, astral travel, visionaries, mystics, and shamans.
Beaver - being persistent, team work, sense of achievement. Acquiring a job, harmony in group work.
Bison - social life, fertility, courage, abundance, prosperity, knowledge, sharing, work, challenge, survival. Visions of the buffalo show that prayers have been heard; formulating plans that benefit you.
Boar - the ability to set up an ambush on an attacker without giving up until the aggressor has been sent on his way; concealing oneself when in danger; cunning, intelligence. A symbol of spiritual food. Courage and protection, knowledge of past lives.
Deer - keen scent, grace, swiftness, gentleness. Uses other methods to reach goals without force. A deer often bears a message and leads one to reveal spiritual knowledge. Abundance, intuition, introspection, listening, death and rebirth. Acceptance of others as they are.
Elk - stamina, strength, speed, sensual passion. Honoring those of your own gender. Developing strength and stamina to get a job done. Strength of a warrior, supernatural power, whirlwinds.
Horse - stamina, endurance, faithfulness. Symbolizes freedom; running free. Travel, journey, swiftness, friends, loyalty. Guide to overcoming obstacles, checking a situation for possible danger.
Moose - wisdom, strength, shared joy. Building self esteem. Creating a balance of giving orders and doing things. Knowing when to say something and when to keep silent. Guidance and wisdom when approaching any touchy confrontation.
Mouse - secrets, cunning, shyness; the ability to remain inconspicuous; invisibility. Its appearance is often a hint to recognize small details or the double meaning in words. Watching for deception. Stealth, intuitive, trust, innocence, change, discovery, balance, harmony.
Opossum - planning strategies for protection; dealing with the unexpected. Wisdom for dealing with and getting out of distasteful or dangerous situations; relationships.
Otter - finding inner talents or treasures; faithfulness; gaining wisdom; the ability to recover from a crisis. Sensible but not overly suspicious when something new enters your life. Its appearance symbolizes an attempt to enjoy life rather than just endure it. Social life, friends, happiness.
Porcupine - minding your own business but be prepared to sharply defend yourself if threatened. Trust in the guidance of the spirit; creating your own path in life. Knowing what to say and what not to say in argument. Prickly when others have overstepped their bounds.
Hare - transformation, receiving hidden teachings and intuitive messages. Quick-thinking when necessary; don't push yourself on others. A fear of disaster or illness.
Raccoon - creativeness when faced with new problems. Curiosity for the world; seeking guidance and confidence for a new job or schooling.
Ram - capable of keeping balance in precarious or dangerous situations. Confidence in your abilities. Fertility, courage, abundance, pregnancy, new beginnings.
Rat - cunning; moving silently and unnoticed; tracking down what you seek; defending yourself with aggressiveness when necessary. To gain foresight in any coming situation in order to avoid problems.
Skunk - courage and will-power to raise a ruckus when being harassed or threatened. Radiating self-respect and self-confidence. Cognizance of people attracted to you and repelling the undesirable.
Squirrel - preparation for the future by storing up time, resources, and energy; resting during unproductive times. Warning, wisdom, change, trust, discovery, truth, balance, harmony.
Wolverine - revenge, cunning, dark magic. Protection against attackers, on whatever level they use. KOIOS SPIRIT ANIMAL
Bat - knowledge to avoid obstacles, barriers, and troublesome people. Undergoing a shamanistic death, which is learning which is learning to transform the old self into a new being.
Crow - thief, trickery, boldness, skill, cunning, single- mindedness; a bringer of knowledge. Prophecy, learning from the past but not holding onto it. Swiftness, eloquence, shape-shifting, divination.
Eagle - swiftness, strength, courage, wisdom, keen sight, knowledge of magic. The ability to see hidden spiritual truths. Rising above the material in search of spiritual direction. Creating a stronger connection with spiritual guides, teachers, and deities.
Falcon - magic, astral travel, releasing the soul of a dying person. Sending energy and soul-healing to a dying person for an easy transition.
Goose - new beginnings, wisdom, inspiration, happiness. For a happy marriage and children.
Owl - silent and swift of movement; keen sight into obscure events; unmasking those who would deceive you. In meditation, often a guide to and from the underworld. Wisdom, magic, darkness, freedom, dreams, shape-shifting. A messenger of hidden truths, secrets, and omens.
Raven - help with divination. Often represents the upset in life necessary to create something new. Wisdom, eloquence, magic. A change in consciousness. Messages from spirits; something unforeseen but special is about to occur. Magic of the crone.
Sea gull - spiritual messengers; opening yourself to communication with deities.
Vulture - cycle of death and rebirth; prophecy. Deep love of the mother Goddess; asking for understanding and wisdom concerning the death of a loved one.
Frog - a symbol of initiation and transformation. Cleaning out negatives and distractions and replacing them with positive energy. Joy in a new cycle of life.
Snake - psychic energy, creative power, immortality. Transmute your life into higher levels. Wisdom, understanding, connection with spirits. Facing fears, moving on to higher goals; ambition.
Toad - long life, prosperity, new beginnings, good luck.
Porpoise - the sea, wisdom, eloquence, freedom, magic, change, discovery, truth, communication, trust, balance, harmony. Creating rhythm in life. Learning to release intense emotions through breathing. Water element magic, especially for releasing negative or debilitating emotions.
Fish - abundance, prosperity, children. Harmony in life, a loving companion. Divination and prophecy. Getting pregnant; bringing a companion into your life.
Salmon - wisdom, divination, spiritual knowledge. Help in divination. Seeking wisdom and spiritual understanding through meditation.
Seal protection. When faced with changing life completely. Facing a separation or divorce. Protection from malicious gossip or physical danger.
Whale - the sea, music, long life, family, friends, trust. Developing telepathic and psychic abilities. Using sound and music to balance and heal. Element magic.
Bee - concentration necessary to carry out a task. Planning and saving for the future. Prosperity. Knowledge of the cycle of reincarnation. Communication with a deceased person. Helping an earth- bound spirit move on to its proper place.
Butterfly - reincarnation, magic, beauty, love. Transformation of the personality and life. Understanding where you are in the cycle of life and using it to the fullest. Divination concerning future events that have a bearing on life and rebirth.
Spider - wisdom, creativity, new life. Being industrious. Cautious; often prompting tempting but entangling situations.