CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
I don't see "nature" and "science" as opposing forces or ideals. Science isn't "anti-nature," it's the study of it.
Which is why I would use the general sense as a class name, not tie spirits to totem as many people seem to do, and then grant the subclass at first level with many subclasses: dreamwalker, spirit binders, spiritual healers, skin-walkers, psychopomp/spirit guide, spirit-ridden/posessed, etc.A "shaman" needs to satisfy cultural sensitivities among reallife animistic indiginous peoples.
If elementals are "supernatural", then they arent mountains and rivers, and therefore arent part of nature.Semantically 'supernatural nature being' might be awkward, but that's what things like elementals, dryads etc are. And if we get super technical, in a magical world nothing is supernatural, as magical things are part of the 'science' of that world. But that's not how people usually use the word in such contexts.
Sure, technically they certainly aren't opposites. But thematically they often are. Science is often about 'taming' the nature, not just understanding it. Thematically nature is untamed wilderness, animals running free, science is gunpowder, factories and polluted rivers.I don't see "nature" and "science" as opposing forces or ideals. Science isn't "anti-nature," it's the study of it.
Supernatural basically means magical. Elementals definitely are magical.If elementals are "supernatural", then they arent mountains and rivers, and therefore arent part of nature.
There are two proper uses for the term "shaman".Which is why I would use the general sense as a class name, not tie spirits to totem as many people seem to do, and then grant the subclass at first level with many subclasses: dreamwalker, spirit binders, spiritual healers, skin-walkers, psychopomp/spirit guide, spirit-ridden/posessed, etc.
Regarding historical connotations, "supernatural" means something like anti-science, able to override the laws of nature.Supernatural basically means magical. Elementals definitely are magical.
From the little we know about reallife ancient Druids, they do seem like protoscientists to me. The Celtic traditions of convoluted potion ingredients probably comes from Druids as well as Bards.Druids are not scientist. They don't really seek to 'understand how nature works' in empirical sense; they connect with it on mystic and spiritual level.
Also, artificer is a thing.
I agree the academic term is useful (and, generally, how I approach it as a categorization as opposed to say priest, prophet or some other classifications found in anthropology). Like you, I am also unaware of any other word for the concept.I use the term in the academic sense. But the academic use is beseiged for its cultural appropriation. It is an important and useful concept, and I am unaware of an other word for it.
Autolycus, from Legendary Journeys comes pretty close! He actually is skilled, but much of his success is incredible luck and being in the right place at the right time.A class that just kind of meanders through life and succeeds by dumb luck would be an interesting idea for a comedy-themed game.