The Dreamspeakers (renamed the Kha'vadi in the 20th Anniversary Edition[1]) are a Tradition of mages consisting of individuals who practice shamanism, communing with spirits as part of their magic and existing as intermediaries between the Mortal World and the Spirit World.
It is one of the most diverse Traditions, with those representing the ancient cultures of African, Native American, Inuit, and Aboriginal Australian societies standing alongside practitioners of Shinto, independent spiritual savants, and descendants of other forgotten tribes and civilizations. Though originally shoehorned into a single group by the other, Eurocentric Traditions, the disparate cultures within the Dreamspeakers have found common ground in their respect for and dedication to the balance between physical and spiritual reality.
As the Gauntlet has grown thicker and the Spirit World more dangerous, the shamans' duties have become increasingly harder. But whereas other mages tend to overlook matters of spirit and Sleepers forget them altogether, the Dreamspeakers were born to walk the middle ground; to see and hear what others do not, and to fill roles still very much needed in the modern world.
The Dreamspeakers maintain several Chantries where the old ways can be preserved in peace. Turtle Council House, the Dreamspeaker subrealm in Horizon, was one such place, combining a Native American, African, and Australian sub-Realm. Other prominent Dreamspeaker holdings include the Lodge of the Gray Squirrel (a Native American Chantry), Vali Shallar (a lost Mayan temple in the jungles of Peru, shared with the Akashic Brotherhood), Yambula'kitino (a lush jungle Realm used by the Baruti to teach African culture), Onikari (a Cherokee lodge near Asheville, North Carolina, watched over by Uktena Garou) and Njia Panda (a multicultural Realm created by the Keepers of the Sacred Flame to preserve their homelands).
Keepers of the Sacred Fire
One of the most visible Dreamspeaker factions, the Keepers focus on preserving as much of their cultural traditions as they can, even when the battle against invaders and foreign influences has already been lost. They accept that societies change, but believe there is wisdom in a people's history and stories. Keeper magic is highly traditional and well-defined, with most spending many years learning from an elder practitioner.
Kopa Loei
The native mages of Hawaii, the Kopa Loei, once made up the largest and most organized faction in Polynesia. Their numbers included both kahuna and ali'i chieftains, as well as commoners skilled in navigation and travel magics. Their ties to the gods and sacred mana of their homeland was legendary, and some are said to maintain ties with the Rokea or Menehune. While they have fought for native sovereignty, by the late 20th century many Kopa Loei realized that the only way to preserve their magic was to join the shamans of the Dreamspeaker Tradition. They bring with them extensive knowledge of the spirits of the South Pacific.
Red Spear Society
The Red Spears are aggressive warriors who believe that the spirits are angered at the modern world. Eco-terrorists and indigenous rights activists, their raids seek to reclaim tribal lands, artifacts, and heritage. Unlike other Dreamspeakers, the Red Spears are highly organized with a strong hierarchy and single leader.
In Seattle
The Native American Dreamspeakers largely avoid Seattle, preferring to stick to nearby native land and wild places where the Weaver holds less sway. Their leaders, the Three Elders, are two women and one man who were ancient before the first white settlers came to Alki. The other Traditions these days pay the Elders a great deal of respect, and on the occasions when they do come to Seattle, they are treated as almost the de facto leaders of the Council. They have a deep understanding of the local spirit world and a long-term view on life that makes them master planners and strategists in the fight against the Technocratic Union, but they don’t always share with the other Traditions. The Dreamspeakers still remember how the traditions helped force the duwamish off their land and take some ironic pleasure from the fact that the Technocracy is now doing the same to them. To teach a little lesson, sometimes they make the other Traditions squirm a little before offering their advice.
The African Dreamspeakers in Seattle are very insular as well. They are friendly enough socially, but guard their magickal secrets closely and rarely offer aid to others without the promise of something in return. There has been talk recently of forming a pan-African splinter faction including African-American mages from other Traditions. John Hunter, the originator of these plans, is a hotheaded young man from a long line of African mages, forcibly transplanted to America during the slave trade. He is keenly aware of black American history. Through the power of the spirit world, he’s even experienced some of the worst of it himself. He sees the injustice heaped on nonwhite Americans and wants a way to shake the Traditions to action.
