Detecting Spirits
There's many different belief systems for spirits in real life. Some only see spirits in things that have died (ancestor worship or
spiritualism), some see spirits only in certain specific forms and beings, similar to gods (such as the loa of
vodou, or various forms of
nature worship), others see spirits everywhere and in everything (
animism), some see spirits as only evil beings that try to lead people astray (generally abrahamic views), and some see spirits not as individual beings but one collective spiritual whole (
pantheism).
What does this mean for characters playing shamans? Well, individual character! There's no reason at all that different shamans cannot have different belief systems and I know for a fact that of the shamans playing many of our characters have disagreements on what are spirits already (Tarina is an animist, Elvina comes across to me as more of a spiritualist/ancestor worshiper, and Bran does nature/ancestor worship with a pantheon of god-like great spirits).
The thing to consider is this: Detect Spirits lets you see spirits. That's it. It lets you see into the supernatural world of spirits. It does not dictate what your character considers to be a spirit, it just opens your eyes. Some shamans might say they see individual spirits in everything. Some might say they see spiritual
energy in everything, but only call specific entities (like fey, ghosts, elementals, etc) spirits.
Complete Divine says this about Detect Spirits:
WHAT IS A SPIRIT?
Several of the spirit shaman’s abilities affect spirits. For purposes of the spirit shaman's ability, a “spirit” includes any of the following creatures:
• All incorporeal undead
• All fey
• All elementals
• Creatures in astral form or with astral bodies (but not a creature physically present on the Astral Plane)
• All creatures of the spirit subtype (see Oriental Adventures)
• Spirit folk and telthors (see Unapproachable East)
• Spirit creatures created by spells such as dream sight or wood wose (see Chapter 7).
In the spirit shaman’s worldview, elementals and fey are simply spirits of nature, and incorporeal undead are the spirits of the dead.
"All creatures of the spirit subtype (see Oriental Adventures)"
Oriental Adventures describes an animist worldview, and its list of creatures with the spirit subtype include spirits of things as small as twigs, creaks, and rocks. Ergo, the
range of Detect Spirits is vast.
Other quotes from lore sources to follow.
WIZARDS OF THE COAST WEBSITE
(
http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp? ... c/20070918)
Shamans might also be found outside of Kara-Tur among the Uthgardt barbarians who worship totems of animals and magical beasts. Other naturalistic and animistic cultures may also possess a form of shamanism. Whether this is shamanic tradition or a spirit shamanic tradition varies depending on dogma and philosophy.
...
Spirit shamans are uncommon in the Realms and Kara-Tur. In Kara-Tur, shamans channel and mediate with spirits, acting as the spiritual guide for more primitive populations. Only spirit folk in Kara-Tur follow the path of the spirit shaman and rarely go adventuring. Shamans of Kara-Tur have more of a connection to people and ancestors, whereas spirit shamans are more connected to spirits of the land and the land itself. In the Realms, spirit shamans are found among the witches and independent male divine spellcasters of Rashemen. They are also found among the spirit folk of Rashemen and Thesk (those brought from Kara-Tur along the Golden Way). Finally, a small number of spirit shamans travel the Realms, having come from the distant land of Osse.
...
Osse is a mysterious continent far from Faerûn. Its population shares much in common with the aboriginal populations of real-world Australia and New Zealand. The people are deeply in touch with their natural world and believe that everything has a spirit -- rocks, trees, air. They are in touch with their ancestors and venerate them along with nature. While travelers from Osse are few and far between in the Realms, those that are encountered frequently follow the path of the spirit shaman. They go on quests to find their way in life, balance wrongs in the spirit world, and help maintain the world's natural beauty.
Animism is the belief that spirits inhabit every part of the natural world. In the world of Oriental Adventures, everything has a spirit--from the grandest mountain to the lowliest rock, from the great ocean to a babbling brook, from the sun and moon to a samurai's ancestral sword. All these objects, and the spirits that inhabit them, are alive and sentient, though some are more aware, alert, and intelligent than others. Some are also more powerful than others--some might even be called deities. But all are worthy of respect and even veneration.
Nature Spirit
Nature spirits embody the essence of certain natural locations, objects, or plants in much the same way as elementals are incarnate elements. Like elementals, they can be wild and dangerous--but they are also generally wise and intelligent, and characters who treat them with respect can win their aid.
The life force of a nature spirit is tethered to an object of feature of the natural world--a rock, tree, stream, lake, river, mountain, or island, for example. A nature spirit rarely strays far from this object or place on the Material Plane or the Spirit World. In its natural form, rarely seen except in the Spirit World, a nature spirit looks like the feature it is associated with. These spirits are most commonly encountered polymorphed into an attractive human form.
Nature spirits speak Common and the Spirit Tongue.
A nature spirit has two aspects--one good, one evil. The good aspect leads the nature spirit to be helpful and kind, while the evil aspect makes it savage and cruel. Most times, the two aspects coexist in a harmonic tension, neither one dominant. Spells and sacrifices can sometimes coax one aspect into dominance, however. A nature spirit whose evil aspect is dominant attacks anyone who trespasses on its territory or threatens the place or object to which its lifeforce is tied.
Small Nature Spirit
Small nature spirits include those of twigs, small stones, and streams. They are most commonly encountered in the form of a small child. Their evil aspects often lead them to play annoying or mischievous pranks.
Medium Nature Spirit
Medium-size nature spirits are the most common variety. They are the manifestations of trees, flowers, rocks, and bamboo groves. They usually take the form of an attractive human, and often marry mortals (producing spirit folk children).
Large Nature Spirit
Large nature spirits--those that inhabit mountains, boulders, ancient trees, and small islands--are the most powerful of their sort. They tend to be more haughty and irritable than their lesser brethren. Mortals often go to great lengths to avoid upsetting Large nature spirits, presenting them with frequent offerings and consulting shamans before undertaking an enterprise that might anger them.
Shamans are tribal priests found in savage, barbaric, or nomadic societies. In their homelands, shamans serve their tribes in much the same way that clerics serve the common people of more civilized lands. They act as guides, protectors, and advisers, using their magical powers to strengthen and defend their tribes. Shamans often serve as the keepers of knowledge and legend for their peoples and lead their tribes in the various rites and ceremonies required by their tribes' belief systems. Player character shamans may still be associated with their tribes, they may be wanderers or exiles who have abandoned their duties, or they may be pursuing an extended goal for their tribes that takes them away from their people for a long period. Most Forgotten Realms campaign setting beast cults, such as the numerous Uthgardt beast cults, are served by shamans.
Shamans may be of any alignment. They are always found in tribal or barbaric scultures. If players wish to run shamans in a more civilized campaign settings, their characters are considered to be barbaric foreigners by most common folk they meet. The shaman's arduous life in uncivilized lands requires a good Constitution, and Wisdom is required for dealing with tribal matters and speaking to the spirits. Shamans with Wisdom scores of 16 or better earn 10% bonus to the experience points they gain. Shamans progress in experience levels as do clerics.
Shamans are unusual characters in an adventuring party. Like druids, they are not front-line fighters, but they also lack the high-powered combat spells that druids command. However, a shaman's mysterious spirit powers allow him or her to make use of magic that is usually out of the reach of low-level characters. A shaman who demonstrates intelligence and respect in dealing with the spirits can be an extremely effective character in a number of situations. Shamans view themselves as advisers and guides to a party of adventurers and often have an uneducated but insightful view on the more civilized societies they visit.
Shamans may wear any armor normally associated with their tribes. In the absence of more specific information, tribal armor is usually hide, leather, or studded leather with a tough wooden, wicker, or hide-covered shield. Similarly shamans may use tribal weapons, which usually include the short bow, club, dagger, dart, hand axe, harpoon, javelin, knife, quarterstaff, sling, and spear. Blowguns might be appropriate for shamans of jungle tribes, or light lances and composite bows for shamans of tribal horsemen.
Shamans may use magical items normally usable by priests. They have a nonweapon proficiency crossover with the warrior group and can learn priest or warrior proficiences at the normal cost. Shamans have major access to the spheres of all, animal, summoning, travelers, protection, and wards, and minor access to the healing and plant spheres. Shamans never gain followers or establish strongholds. Good-aligned shamans may turn undead, and neutral or evil shamans may command undead.
In addition to their priest spells, shamans have a special connection to the spirit world and can call on the spirits for guidance, knowledge, or magical aid. While shamans often function as priests of a tribal deity, their primary concern is the spirit world. To a shaman, the physical world is not the entirety of existence. The spirits of animals, nature, and the tribe's dead are always near, and interacting with these spirits is the shaman's greatest duty and responsibility.
SHAMAN SPIRIT POWERS
Shamans each begin play with one minor spirit ally or guide of their choice. As they rise in level they learn the rites necessary to call additional spirits and seek their favor. Spirits are individuals--speaking to a spirit of the dead means the shaman is in contact with one particular deceased individual. Dozens of spirits exist for each species of animal, representing every aspect of the animal's existence. In addition, a near-infinite number of nature spirits of the land, air, and water embody different aspects of the natural world.
Performing the ceremony to call a spirit for the first time requires a tenday (a week in settings other than the Forgotten Realms campaign setting) or more of fasting, prayer, and solitude in the appropriate location. If a shaman is trying to call a wolf spirit, she or he must find a location frequented by wolves, and if a shaman is trying to call an ancestral spirit, the shaman should perform the ceremony at the individual's burial site. At the conclusion of this tenday-long (week-long) ceremony, the spirit appears, and the shaman establishes contact with it. From that time forward, the shaman may attempt to contact the spirit anywhere or anytime to seek information or request a favor of the spirit--see Calling Spirits, below. When shaman characters begin play, it is assumed that they have each already performed the ceremony to attract their first spirit guides.
When a spirit casts a spell for a shaman, the spirit casts the spell either at the shaman's level or at the experience level normally required for a priest to cast a spell of that level, whichever is greater.
SPIRITS OF THE DEAD: These ancestral spirits are individuals who were renowned for their wisdom, skill, or courage in life. Minor spirits may be recent relatives of the shaman, while major spirits are great heroes and wise people of the tribe. A great spirit of the dead is a chieftan, shaman, or other personage of legendary standing. While spirits of the dead may seem to be frightening allies, they are actually very protective of their living protégés and bear few grudges against the living.
Spirits of the dead know many things. Naturally, they are familiar with any details or events of their own lifetimes. They are able to perceive a shaman's likely fate or future and can offer advice in times of touch choices. Spirits of the dead can also provide some measure of protection for a shaman and his or her allies by using their powers on the shaman's behalf. Minor spirits can invoke the powers of augury, feign death, prayer, or speak with dead on behalf of the shaman. Major spirits can invoke divination, commune, or find the path/lose the path for the shaman. Great spirits can invoke raise dead/slay living, forbiddance, or astral spell for the shaman. Note that most of these spells are normally outside the shaman's spheres of access. In addition, shamans often gain other effects in roleplaying a conversation with these spirits, such as information or guidance in difficult choices.
ANIMAL SPIRITS: Shamans live in a world in which animals are a vital part of human life. Animals provide food, shelter, clothing, and tools for a shaman's people, and the animal spirits are revered for their wisdom and knowledge. Minor and major spirits are embodiments of an archetype, such as the Old Wolf, the Sleeping Bear, or the Hunting Eagle. Great animal spirits are the leaders of these lesser spirits and contain in themselves everything the animal stands for--the Great Bear, the Great Wolf, and so on.
Animal spirits are powerful, but they are also less inclined to offer advice or guidance to shamans. Their interest lies in ensuring that shamans are respectful toward their species and that shamans help to guide others in dealing with animal spirits' kin. They are not very interested in aiding shamans in their own affairs. The spirits of game animals such as moose or deer do not mind if shamans or their peoples hunt the animal, but they grow angry if the hunting is wanton or disrespectful.
Animal spirits have knowledge of events that have affected their species in the local area and have a number of powers they can use on a shaman's behalf. Minor animal spirits can aid shamans by using animal friendship, speak with animals, or animal summoning I. In addition, an animal spirit can grant a limited form of clairaudience and clairvoyance by allowing a shaman to see through the eyes and hear through the ears of an animal of the spirit's species within a range of one mile. Animals of the species in question will never attack the shaman or anyone under his or her protection unless the shaman has angered the spirit or the animals are magically controlled.
Major animal spirits can use animal summoning II, grant shamans the speed or movement powers of the animal (flying, swimming, or running at the animal's base speed), or transform shamans into the shape of the animal, similar a druid's shapechange. Great spirits can use animal summoning III, heal a shaman or one person under his or her prtoection (or harm an enemy), or become tangible and aid the shaman in a form resembling Mordenkainen's faithful hound in abilities but shaped in the form of the animal.
SPIRITS OF NATURE: The most reclusive and powerful spirits are the elemental spirits of nature. These beings represent the physical world around shamans. The strength or power of the feature the spirit represents determines whether it is considered a minor, major, or great spirit. A stream, copse, or hilltop may be home to a minor spirit; a river, moderately-sized forest, or canyon may be guarded by a major spirit; and a mountain, large forest, or mighty river may be the home of a great spirit. Spirits of nature frequently take on humanlike features or characteristics when dealing with shamans, so a spirit might be known as Old Mountain, River Woman, or Forest Walker.
Spirits of nature are even more distant than animal spirits, but they do feel some attachment to the people and creatures who live nearby. A river spirit is likely to be protective of the village built on its banks as long as the people show respect to it. Nature spirits often change with the seasons, so a river spirit in the spring flood may be wild, capricious, and dangerous to deal with, while a forest spirit in winter may be sleeping and hard to rouse.
Spirits of nature are generally well-informed about anything that has taken place in their location and can relate this information to shamans. Spirits of nature are also capable of using potent powers on a shaman's behalf. The principle difference between minor and great spirits is the size of the area in which they can be summoned. Minor spirits are bound to one specific site not more than a few hundred yards across, major spirits are limited to 5 or 10 square miles, and great spirits can act in areas the size of small nations. Note that the areas of effect of spell-like abilities the spirits can enact remain unchanged--a great spirit is powerful because the region in which it is available to assist the shaman is much larger than a minor spirit's range.
Spirits of nature can help a shaman by invoking a number of spell-like powers for the shaman. Unlike elementals, spirits of nature include aspects of vegetation and all the elements of their home, so a mountain spirit has influence over earth and air as well as the forests that grow on the mountain's slopes. The abilities available to spirits of nature are described below. The reverse forms of reversible spells are able to be granted also, though the listed form is commonly requested.
LAND SPIRITS: ... Land spirits may be associated with mountains, plains, forests, plateaus, canyons, mesas, or any other distinct land feature.
AIR SPIRITS: ... Air spirits are associated with high peaks, windswept plains or valleys, or seasonal winds such as a sirocco or the north wind of the winter.
WATER SPIRITS: ... Water spirits are associated with lakes, streams, rivers, or seas.
CALLING SPIRITS
Once shamans have performed the initial ceremonies that attract spirits and establish connections to the beings, they can summon those spirits anytime to seek the information, favors, and powers described above. A shaman's location does not matter. Spirits can come to shamans anywhere, even though spirits of nature may not be able to help them outside their homes.
Tu summon a spirit, a shaman must chant, pray, and perform a ceremonial dance for at least one turn. ...
If the spirit is not angry at the shaman for some reason, it appears with a successful roll. Only shamans can see the spirit or speak to it. Other characters may be aware of chills, strange odors, shimmering hazes, unusual gusts of wind, and other signs. The shaman can converse with the spirit for one round per character level, asking one question per round. Asking a favor of a spirit, such as the use of a spell-like ability, requires one round for minor spirits or abilities, two for major, and three for abilities that can only be granted by great spirits. During this request the shaman explains what she or he wishes of the spirit and why the spirit should grant help. If the DM thinks it is appropriate, the player must roleplay this conversation. If the spirit agrees to help, the spell-like effect is granted to the shaman, who may retain it in reserve for up to one full day until the shaman is ready to invoke the spirit's power. A shaman can only hold on favor in reserve at a time and cannot request another of any spirit until the held ability is used.
SPIRITS AS NPCS: Spirits are individuals, and they have long memories. A shaman who takes actions the spirits find offensive or who asks their help in questionable circumstances may be denied assistance just because the spirit does not feel like being helpful. The DM may find it useful to refer to Table 59: Encounter Reactions in the DMG. Simply rate the spirit's frame of mind as threatening, hostile, indifferent, or friendly depending on how the shaman has been acting and how outrageous the shaman's request is to the spirit. It is a good idea to create personalities, motivations, and attitudes for the spirits the shaman deals with most often.
Spirits do not have game statistics. Normal mortals have no means of injuring them, although other divine creatures may be able to do so. Only greater spirits can take a physical form, and even they are reluctant to do so. Greater spirits of the dead can briefly resume their living form with the appropriate class and abilities; animal spirits can appear as a double-sized version of normal variety; and spirits of nature can appear as 12-HD elementals. In physical form, spirits can only be injured by +2 or better magical weapons. Even if they are "killed," they actually only retreat from the scene for a short while.
ANGERING THE SPIRITS: A shaman can completely alienate the spirits by taking particularly offensive actions. If the offense is temporary or unintentional, the spirit simply refuses to answer any calls for a suitable period of time--one tenday (one week in alternate campaign settings) to a year may be appropriate. If the offense was deliberate or permanent in nature, the spirit severs its connection to the shaman and cannot be called again until the shaman atones for the offense, repairs whatever damage she or he did and repeats the tenday-long (week-long) summoning ceremony.
As you can see, the range is vast, and permits a large array of spiritual beliefs. Think of spirits the way we think of the real world. Life is
everywhere. But we only consider human beings as "people". We put
labels on things, categorize them. A shaman sees spiritual energy
everywhere, but what they actually define as "spirit" depends on their view. To one shaman, that pebble with rudimentary spiritual energy is just that. It has no sense of itself, no sapience, so it cannot be considered a real spirit. To another shaman, that pebble is a spirit equal to any other, it is just weaker, dormant and sleeping. To one shaman, the love or anger a person feels is just an aspect of their own spirit, a quality of being. To another shaman, that love or anger is a distinct spirit itself which influences the person to which they are anchored.
Nightingale and I have also RPed the idea that what a shaman sees with Detect Spirits will itself vary from shaman to shaman based on their belief or talents. That instead of just a one catch-all ability, exactly what a shaman is able to see varies from individual to individual. Just because characters of the same class might have similar abilities, that does not mean that they have to all be identical to one another. Maybe the shaman's spirit guide reveals only a very particular spiritual world to the character, while another's guide reveals an entirely different one.
Detecting other shamans
In my opinion, absolutely. Shamans are caretakers of a great number of spirits, they have a potent spiritual energy about them. Spirits follow and anchor themselves to a shaman--literally every spell a shaman casts is cast by a spirit that is aiding them. Even
if you couldn't see a shaman's spirit guide, you can absolutely see all the spirits they are communing with to acquire their magic. A shaman, even if not necessarily known precisely as a shaman, is at least seen by another shaman as someone who is favored by (or at least important to) the spirits.
And I personally do think shamans can see other shaman's spirit guides. Both 2nd edition with
Faiths and Avatars and 4th edition specifically describe a shaman's spirit guide as a separate spirit that comes to the character to aid them and provide them their access to the world of spirits. They are not just a figment of your imagination (though from the animist perspective, a figment of your imagination
is a spirit, given life by you when you conceptualized it).
Every shaman I know of roleplays their guide as an actual spirit, and most of us allow other characters to see our guides.
Also at level 20 the shaman gains spirit who walks which seems to basically turn them into fey spirits themselves (though not mechanically changing the type). Would that mean that another shaman could easily spot them as spirits?
This is a question I specifically asked DMs. In pnp, a level 20 shaman gains the fey subtype and so yes, would be counted as a spirit for the purpose of abilities like Detect Spirits. This is
not the case on BGTSCC (
see here). On BG, regardless of your SS level, you are still as mortal as you were at level 1.
Attitude to undead
Shamans are generally positively-inclined towards the undead, more likely than most to see them as creatures that are part of the world as any other, though it depends how the creature is created and the alignment of the shaman. Many good/neutral shamans might feel the spirits are tormented and angry (as even naturally-created undead spirits often exist because of the pain of unresolved desires that leave them unable to pass on), and will seek to put them to rest or at least find a way to calm them and give them peace in their new lives (if an undead creature is at peace and happy despite its undead nature, and it wishes to continue as it is, then a shaman is unlikely to impose themselves on it. A shaman is unlikely to hate undead for simply being undead). Evil and some neutral shamans might want to find a way to use them.
2nd edition shamans, as well as the Shaman class in 3rd edition (distinct from the Spirit Shaman class) have turn undead and rebuke/command undead depending on alignment.
Attitude to demons and devils
Similar yes indeed, I personally find shamans and warlocks to be closer in nature than shamans and druids, as both shamans and warlocks are spellcasters who gain their magic from pacts with supernatural creatures instead of deities.
Does a shaman view fiends positively though? No, very unlikely. Many might see them as unnatural, beings from otherworldly planes (according to 4th edition, some shamans even see actual gods as unnatural, and refuse to deal with them due to that). Even if a shaman does see the fiends as part of the natural world, they are a part of it that is unequivocally
evil. These are beings that exist to cause cruelty and torment to everything around them, and that in most cases cannot be calmed or balanced. They are at best extremely dangerous to work with, and at worst the source of most spiritual imbalances. I don't think that shamans can
normally see fiends with abilities like Detect Spirits, but they can certainly see their
effects (things that resonate evil leave imbalances in the spirit world). But a fiend can certainly reveal itself to a shaman, masquerading as a spirit by using invisibility, ethereal, telepathic, and dream-influencing magic.
Personally, my shaman deals with them, viewing them as evil spirits (and actually growing more into this belief the more she learns about them). Dangerous, but powerful. This is, of course, a bad idea in the long run.
(Which again brings the question of agreement of what spirits are really present and what they say). 
