Did you just get a little hairy all of the sudden?
Totems are what make a Guardian special. This is the article that explains everything about the Totems-- from why they were bonded to the Guardians in the first place to what we absolutely do not want to see in auditions for a Guardian. If you are applying for a Guardian, this is absolutely the most important article to read.
How It Came To Be - How & Why
When the original Hunters were created, no Guardians were among their numbers. The Faen were focused on taking out daemons and achieving balance in the supernatural world, not in protecting the few good supernatural forces. Time passed. The Gelds grew as a people, establishing a monarchy and an incredibly advanced civilization. The balance in the supernatural world was equalizing, and things were looking up.
Then, a child was born, radiating even at birth incredible purifying powers. The Faen were troubled, as this child was not meant to be born for a very long time, and her arrival in the Geldon Kingdom threw the balance in the supernatural farther off-kilter. Hoards of daemons appeared, drawn by the purity of the tiny girl. The Bands of Hunters roaming the country side struggled with the rising daemons— by the time the girl was three, they had reached their saturation point. Any more daemons and the Geldon Kingdom would fall.
Things were beginning to look grim for the Gelds.
Sensing their experiment would fail without further intervention, the Faen appeared before the Queen, explaining the situation. The Purity Princess, as the girl was dubbed, would have to be protected if the Gelds were to survive. It was decided that the ‘best of the best’ would be drawn into the capital island, charged with a sacred duty of protecting the child. This was to save the Geldon Kingdom, and it was decided that such a task was given only to the ‘best’— the nobility of the five islands.
The most powerful general talents were brought to the Queen, thirty five noble women with awesome powers over the environment. The Faen appeared once more, explaining that mere power was not enough to protect the girl— these woman must be changed.
Through a complex manipulation, the thirty five women were bound to a totem animal, taking into themselves a raw magical talent that transcended Hunter aptitudes. In return, the women were cursed with taking upon themselves physical manifestations of their totem, and an ability only to work magic while transcended into the supernatural condition that became known as the Guardian-state.
The women worked together to protect the young girl, raising her amongst themselves and weaving magic to shield her against the Daemons. The hoards of Daemons began to slow to a mere trickle, and the Gelds truly believed they had escaped a terrible fate.
We know what happened next. The Geldon Kingdom was destroyed, but the Guardians and their Princess survived. There was a great confusion— the Princess was suppose to save the Gelds, not be an instrument in its destruction! Debates among the Guardians went well into the night, until the last of the Faen appeared, stealing the Princess away. The leaders of the Guardians were told of the future, and that the fall of the Gelds was known long before— it is only by the presence of the Princess that any Gelds survived, and their bloodlines would only survivie with the goal of their descendants once again taking it upon themselves to protect the girl.
It was the last time the Gelds ever communicated with the Faen directly.
The Guardians split into groups, moving amongst the world’s population along with the rest of the survivors. But a group of rogue Guardians took it upon themselves to construct a series of powerful seals, each with a specific protective element. And the last, and biggest, shielded both the presence of the Purity Princess— and blocked the Guardian’s ability to enter the Guardian-State.
It would be thousands of years before a Guardian fought again. Thankfully, through manipulation on part of the Faen and a habit of having very large families, nearly all the lines of Guardians have survived. Guardians have bred into many cultures, an heir to the Guardian legacy always ready to be awakened should the time of the Purity Princess come.
Totem Specifics - How It Works
Guardian characters are Hunters first and foremost, born into an aptitude, carrying all the instincts of a Hunter, and many even awakening to their Hunter heritage prior to the cracking of the seal. The heirs of any line carries within them the potential for generalized control of an element, but often are unable to weld full control due to their native aptitude. This means an ability to control or summon water, versus merely summoning or controlling a portion of water (such as rain or frost); no Guardian is able to gain absolute control over water, regardless of their direct ancestor's talents.
A degree of this lack of control lies in the fact no Hunter has been as powerful as the original Gelds. This is especially true when one looks at the original Guardians against their modern descendents. The ability is there, not the raw power.
Once the protective seal is cracked at the beginning of the game, the Guardians universally awake to their potential. The use of magic is bound to the totem, so no Guardians may use magic unless they are in their Guardian-state. This is less of a shock for Guardians who awake to their abilities post seal-breaking, and both limiting and frustrating for those who awoke in the days, weeks, and years before.
Although each Guardian wakes to their potential, unless the conditions for a Hunter-awakening (close Daemonic presence) are met, the Guardian will not be mentally aware they can transform and use magic. Thus, it is only the way in which the Guardian will eventually use magic has been modified, not necessarily the Guardian themselves.
Entering the Guardian State
If a Guardian wishes to use magic, they must undergo a mental, mystical, and supernatural transformation. A correct state of mind is essential for a full shift, as one must force their mental concept of themselves to shift, incorporating their totem. The physical transformation follows only after the mental transformation. There are no keywords or transformational devices, merely the Guardian and their mind. It is a process of mind over matter at the most primal level.
The exception lies in Guardians shifting for the first time. The totem takes control, leading the Guardian through how to achieve the transformation on their own. This control depends on Guardian to Guardian. Some have visions, some hear voices, some just know.
The Curse of the Totem
For the price of power, the Guardians take on physical manifestations of their totem. These manifestations serve defensive or offensive purposes, and any limitation they bring to a Guardian offers a multitude of practical and useful implications. Here are the most common Totem Manifestations:
There are certain physical manifestations of a totem that are very rare, if they even exist at all. Quite frequently, the exceptions are never used due to the limitation it would bring to the Guardian. Here are the most common exceptions to Totem Manifestations:
Wings
Wings are very rare in Totem Manifestations, but when they do appear, they mimic the animal, transforming the body shape to appear as close as a human can get. This does not mean merely sticking wings on a character’s back and expecting them to fly. Ability to fly, unless a wind-based Guardian, requires a huge physical change, hollowing out bones and the like. Thus, it is unlikely a non-wind-based Guardian would be able to manifest wings and be able to fly.
Fused Appendages
It is unlikely a Guardian would manifest fused legs or arms to mimic their animal. This is because the manifestations taken on generally serve a defensive or offensive purpose, to help the Guardian in their protection. No dolphin tails guys.
Truly Limiting Conditions
Gaining blindness mimicking their blind totem is acceptable only if they develop a way to fight even BETTER than if they could see. Similarly with the loss of the other senses.
The Duckling to Swan Pretty Pretty Transformation
Most of the manifestations do not add up to a beautiful picture— the Guardians often look intimidating, scary— some Hunters might even label them daemonic. Your shy, pimpled, hunch shouldered, fat, ugly duckling is not going to turn into a beautiful, thin, witty, man-eating swan.