Hello all,
At long last, I'm sharing with you an element from my personal favorite of my worlds, Mythica
Orenda is a concept that I use for two of my races: the Haltiiani and the Rodlani (tentative name). Originally it was just a cool word that I found that was translated as "magical power". As I studied it a little further I found that Orenda is actually an old Iroquois name for the innate mystical power inherent in all things. One website (which I couldn't find again) said that a bird's song was part of it's orenda, just as a shaman's voice and a bear's claws were (the bear I added in on my own, but yall get the point). I find it ironic that now, my current concept of Orenda is much closer to that of the Iroquois than when I first adapted it.
Orenda is a part of a person of one of these races that is attached to a natural element or abstract force. I guess it would be a little more accurate to say that orenda is the link, but that doesn't quite cover it either. Let me see if I can describe this accurately.
In the beginning of my work, the Rodlani were basically a race that embodied natural and abstract forces. Some members include Power, Wonder, Wynd, Torchon, and several others. Each member of this race was in fact that concept/force in a physical body. Based on that original idea, I've since modified it so that the connection to whatever force they "embody" is a little more diverse. It can go from as basic as influencing the color of their hair and their overall temperament, to as dominating as making them literally fire, water, whatever, in a body; allowing them extreme control of their "element". It can also be so weak that no noticeable influence is present at all. Both the element and the connection to it (stronger connection = more influence on the person, weaker connection = less influence on the person) are called "orenda". Make sense?

Later, I decided to apply the same concept to my race the Haltiiani, which were originally my equivalent of minor nature gods. In the beginning of the idea, each Haltiia had control over a certain element of nature (sound familiar?). Later I decided that each Haltiia is connected to a certain element of nature, his/her "orenda". Similar to the case of the Rodlani, the strength of the orenda can vary. For instance, there's one Haltiia who's orenda is sparrows, but all this means is that she attracts large numbers of them and can occasionally communicate with them. Whereas there is another Haltiia whose orenda is wind that can summon tremendous gales with the force of her anger, fly on the wind, and form invisble solids out of air.

The main difference between the orenda of the Rodlani and that of the Haltiiani is that Rodlani are generally connected to abstract forces like power, wonder, discretion, speed, intelligence, etc. With some that are connected to natural forces like fire, tides, lightning. While the Haltiiani, on the other hand are connected to natural elements. There are cases of overlap. For instance I've had a Haltiia whose orenda is thunder and lightning, and a Rodlan whose orenda is lightning.

Some things I should mention as well. It's possible to have two or more people on earth at the same time with the same orenda, because it manifests itself in different ways and at varying strengths in different people. Also, by the time period that I focus on, the bloodline of the Haltiiani and Rodlani have both been diluted to the point that there are very few people with strong orendic connections and many whose orenda is unknown. And the final thing that I'm not sure I've made very clear: a person's orenda is a part of that person in the same way as their body or spirit or personality or mind. Even if the connection is an unrealized one, it is still a part of that person. So for someone whose orenda is the red-tail hawk, the red-tail hawk is a part of that person. A part that they can never separate. Eventually, I'll have to come online and share the histories of how these races, and thus orenda came about.

What do yall think?
In Christ,
Jordan

Wow. I ask a question someone asked of Sir Emeth (Jay): What is the dinner table conversation like at your house? That is really cool!

Since I haven't been home since Easter, I'm not real sure what dinner conversations are like nowadays And most of my dinners at the dorms are just me, but those can be very interesting conversations Thanks!

As Jay has said, "Talking to yourself is a sign of genius." Or Schizophrenia. Don't worry, Me and I offer counseling sessions.

I really like these concepts. I've seen something similar before, but I've never seen the distinction between forces and elements. So, you take the usual "elemental race" concept and one-up it. Awesome.

One question: do these races have "links" to the forces/elements, or do they actually embody the elements, or are they actually a part of the elements? You ruled out the idea that they are the source of the elements, but what about these options?

1. A race that has power of the elements.

2. A race in which each member is actually a sentient manifestation of the element.

3. A race in which each member is a part of their given element or force. (In the same way the you and I are part of humanity.)

Each race is actually a combination of suggestions 1 & 2. Though I'll admit that Rodlani are slightly more 2 and Haltiiani are slightly more 1. The idea is that in the beginning the Rodlani were in fact sentient manifestations of the different forces, and indeed that is the strongest orenda (which is both the element and the connection to it). However over the years, the lineage has watered down to the point that the level of manifestation is very weak in most Rodlani. For instance, in the beginning a Rodlani whose Orenda was fire would be fire incarnate and it would influence his/her personality, physical appearance, talents, spirit, and magical abilities. Nowadays, though, his/her fire orenda might have no more influence than giving him/her red hair and a love for warm temperatures.

The Haltiiani in the beginning had complete control over whatever element their orenda was. A Haltiia whose orenda was trees would have incredible power over trees, their growth, etc. Nowadays, that same Haltiia would probably only be very tall with a deep love for tree climbing and the forests.

Part of the reason for the weakening has to do with the origins of the races. Both races are hybrid descendants of a race that strongly resembles your #3 suggestion. As that heritage is continually watered down though the years, it results in a weakening of the orenda of each race. I also feel compelled to mention here that the Rodlani and Haltiiani live nowhere close to each other so intermarriage isn't probable. Make sense? Not exactly...the Haltiiani were my rendition of nature gods, each controlling a different element, and the Rodlani were kinda my response to Greek Mythology's tendency to personify every possible abstraction.

I like the idea a lot. Very well done.

So I am assuming that there can be female as well as male people with orenda?

Thanks!
And yes, there can totally be females and males with orenda. One of my first characters was a female warrior with wind orenda.

Very detailed Seer. I like it! It's got a lot of structure and doesn't have conflict with its system. Nice work.

By the way, I have some of my best conversations between me, myself, and I.

Yeah, but this is only one sub-system of many in Mythica's overall system and keeping all of those consistent with each other is a bit trickier. Thanks though.

Point taken. That's why God makes a better world builder than us. He doesn't have a finite mind.

Really cool.

Do you have a story set in Mythica, in the Fireside?

I have a plethora of stories set in Mythica....all of them in my head....and just as Mythica itself needs a lot of cleaning up and renovating, the stories too need a lot of reworking before they'd be ready to be shared with others. And then there's that whole "I can write stories very well in my head, but have an inability to write them down," issue.

I know those feelings all too well...

Today I figured out something else about the workings of Orenda in the Haltiiani race. It started when I thought about some characters with weather orenda, and thought about having the weather on the day they're born match up with their orenda. That's when I decided that for members of this race with particularly strong orenda connections, it affects the world around them on the day of their birth. The sky might be filled with thunder and lightning on the night a lightning-haltiiani is born. Or the squirrels in the forest might act excitedly on the day someone with squirrel-orenda is born. The stronger the connection to the element, the stronger affect it will have on nature during the person's birth. I was really glad I came up with this, it'll be a fun added touch to the concept.

Indeed.