As a new roleplayer of a goblin shaman, I am trying to wrap my head around how Goblins and shamanism work. I get the idea that it’s like a contract between the Goblin and the elements/elementals as more of a transaction than the typical Orcish (for example) shamanism.
But, is there any actual lore out there about how this works? Is there a physical contract that the Goblin keeps on him? I’m guessing the Goblin sees the obvious profitable benefits for using elmental magicks and even the mechanical totems feel more manufactured.
I suppose I’m just looking for more information here. Thank you for any help!
There’s a Goblin Shaman I recall from Cata. I thought I remembered some detail regarding his contract with a fire elemental but upon cursory research it seems I was mistaken. One could surmise that such contracts are more supernatural in nature; particularly because I can’t imagine how an elemental would even begin to try to sign a piece of paper. Perhaps there is some parley between the two, as Goldmine’s elemental, Magmatooth, implies stipulations. Lacking any explicit detail one could also speculate that the method differs case by case. One could negotiate verbal and/or pseudo-magical agreements like Goldmine was implied to, or perhaps have an arrangement more akin to a Dark Shaman, threatening elementals with Decay to coerce them into compliance.
Of course, there’s nothing stopping a Goblin from learning more common methods of Shamanism as well.
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I honestly just head canon it that Goblins don’t barter and instead do Shamanism normally. I mean, if Blizzard wont write a reason I don’t know what else to go off of.
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There is no lore that restricts your character concept.
What to roleplay it Ferengi style? Go for it.
You can also be a Goblin that rejects his people’s mercenary approach and be as reverent as any Frost Wolf, or as commanding as any Ner’zhul.
It’s up to you.
My Draenei looks at her powers as a shaman in a more natural point of view; much like how the Draenei view the Light as being a part of them.
I like to think with Goblin Shamans, bartering deals works with Elementals because the ‘powers that be’ tend to be a bit fickle.
I’d probably play it off, if you wish it, to do more contractual as in “I’ll do THIS for you if you give me powers”
Thing is, goblins are so good at wheeling and dealing (Heck, within lore the reason the Horde and Alliance use the same gold is because it’s goblin standard) that they can probably put some loopholes or self-helping clauses to keep the Elemental from not only reneging on their deal, but keeping them in a bureaucratic loop.
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To quote an old Ask CDev (Round 1)
Could you please explain the lore behind goblin shamans? Goblins do not seem like a particularly spiritual race, especially one that would care about the elements (as evidenced by the Venture Co.).
Goblin shaman are an extension of their society’s single-minded devotion to making a profit; to a goblin shaman, elementals are potential customers. Goblins do tend to be a bit more forceful in their negotiations than the other shamanic races (especially the tauren) would like, though they are far less forceful than what we’ve seen from the taunka in Northrend. (Unless the elemental tries to weasel out of its contract. Elementals tend not to have breakable knees, so goblins sometimes have to resort to other methods of control.) As for the goblins’ “mechanical” totems, note that these are merely physical manifestations of the small totems they tinker/craft to form a link with the elemental spirits. Instead of lugging around large totems, goblin shaman have a ring (probably the same ring on which they keep their house and motorbike keys) with small totems they’ve built as conduits for the elemental spirits they do business with.
As for the Goblin folks were remembering before from Cataclysm questing, that would be Journeyman Goldmine
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