Panchayyah Tech

Panchayyah Tech
I thought it would be interesting and helpful if I were to go into a little more detail about some of the items I have been using in my stories.

1-Source Seeds
2-Altar Oil
3-Victory Skins
4-Spirit Ink
5-Burning Stones
6-Whistling Idols
7-Burning Rain blow guns


1- Source seeds (never given to some one not baptized into the land)
 Perhaps most well-known component of Panchayyah mysticism. Source seeds come all all types and sizes, and function as normal seeds with a few exceptions. 
 The first is that they offer a considerably accelerated growth rate that starts at ten time normal, and goes up from there, acutely so when given an infusion of human or animal blood. 
 The second that upon initial planting or activation deep purple shadows emerge from them that transform near immediately into blood-seeking vines. Depending on the amount of blood to fuel the process, and relative location to other living jungle plants the feeding period can range from 30 seconds to several minutes. 
 The seeds have an innate ability to mimic growth from previously planted source seeds. If ash or pieces from previously existing growth is in the area the new planting will take the form of the old, starting with the undergrowth, using the remains as added fuel. The pace for this time of use begins at 100 times normal growth rate until the previous level of coverage is restored.
 A more devious use of source seeds is their implantation in warriors and shaman. If a warrior is killed or simply wishes a suicide attack he can charge in activated the seeds hoping to trap unsuspecting enemies in the feeding phase before his body is rapidly destroyed to fuel the plants. The number and type of the seeds implanted varies widely. On less notorious warriors there are few seeds that offer less assured chance of activation, but on great leaders there are numerous seeds. This is one of the reasons the Panchayyah prefer to fight in small groups. 
 A darker side also exists to the implantation of source seeds. As they increase the already potent Panchayyah connection to the land, when a person with them implant is killed outside the living land, their bodies will rise from the grave and move to the nearest patch of living land destroying anything in the way. The potency of the living dead abomination created will varies widely depending on the seeds used, and the individual.
  Select Shaman can return patches of the land to the feed stage for a limited time, and they are infrequently used as projectiles in select circumstances. Seeds prepared and aged in a temple can have numerous effects, and grow extremely potent.

2- Altar oil (rarely traded or gifted)
 Altar oil was originally discovered by the caiman temple in an attempt to create superior hide canoes. It is made by sacrificial blood ritually mixed with an assortment of plant extracts. When apply to the living or dead skin of a man ape or boar this oil when properly applied over time makes the skin rgid and more damage resistant in a manner like reptilian armor plating. This his grown into increasing wide usage as an alternative to armor in the hot and supernaturally corrosive living jungle. It is also used to create living sheaths or venom pouches. It is also used in making durable one and two man collapsible rafts. 

3- Victory skins (seldom requested, even more rarely given)
 Developed to protect the joints of a warrior who has already been enhanced with altar oils, this are made from the skins of man or beast, but traditionally from the first fallen enemy of a warrior. It addition to added coverage supernatural forces can be worked into the skins via magic or a connection to a still living original possessor of the skin. Commonly these abilities include added strength, speed , clairsentience, or the ability to transfer damage to the original wearer. This is generally not done with a person unless they are seen as an extreme transgressor. This has been used once to seal a treaty. It Has been used against a tribe where hunting parties were abducted, drugged, had portions of their skin removed, then were healed prior to a major battle taking place. Ancestral Victory Skins are very valuable. The greatest among these were divided between the horroth and the Bhaktim to prevent a civil war amongst the tribes. They are to be temporarily returned in an hour of need. 

4- Spirit Ink (rarely traded or gifted)
 Spirit ink comes in two flavors, High and Low. Low Can simulate a wide array of cosmetic effects including motion camouflage and illumination in tattoos. High can hold spells as well. It is often used in sacred drum heads. 

5- Burning stones (never traded)
 Burning stone a slips of jade twice the size of a mans thumb that can record and play back thoughts and memories for about three hours when used in conjunction with ritually applied Spirit ink, and altar oil. These are used to record important meetings, history, and smoke lodge visions. When correctly stored and handled they can last for centuries. These are often sent on large carrier birds and other animals to help insure secure communication. Limited encryption along blood lines is possible with some stones, otherwise they are open to all living creatures with the proper ritual body markings. 

6- whistling idols (rarely gifted)
 Whistling idols exist in both conventional and magical variations. The are simple small or wooden idols that make a noise when the wind blows through them. Most commonly the sound is a scream, the whistle of an arrow through the air, or animal noises. Magical idols can convey messages and more complex sounds like warriors chanting or armies on the move. A variation on this exists in some arrow head where they make loud horrific wails on their way to the enemy. Fired en masse they can prevent commands form being heard. 

7- burning rain blow gun
A large mouthed blow gun that holds numerous needles racked in a frame. The wind pressure comes from a set of bellows in the back. These are used as traps in many stationary settings. Shaman from the temple of the breath of the land do not need bellows.