Sha'ahm'ni- Sard Hand Language

[Varanus]

Was Sha'ahm'ni created as a response specifically to the loss of Zehreik? I don't see anything in the lorebook or rules to clarify whether that's the case or if it predated that event.

If it was created at that time, there are actually three generational experiences here. There's a generation that has used Sha'ahm'ni for their entire lives and for whom it has "always" been part of Sard culture. There's the younger generation that has some members (the Ansha) who don't understand the need for it and are trying to move on. As noted.

But there would also be the older generation that was born before Sha'ahm'ni (starting really with Sard in their mid to late 50's). They would be the ones who made an active, conscious decision to not be "the people of endless mourning" but instead to make their mourning a private thing to be understood only among their own people and those they were close to. All these conversations we are having about how to express X or Y, or what is suitable to express, or what exactly is the intent of this gesture, these would have been the conversations they had in the moment of their sorrow and over the next few years as they developed it further.

I would think there would be some pre-existing practice that flowered into Sha'ahm'ni in that case, rather than appearing completely out of nowhere. Maybe it was very important to be quiet when crystal glass was spun, resulting in a simple set of hand signs that were co-opted, or the gestures are adapted from a famous dance performed in the rainbow light of midday, each motion corresponding to a rainbow color and an emotional moment, that have now been simplified into something anyone can do (sort of the equivalent of humming a familiar tune). Or something entirely different. But Zehreik seems like the sort of event that shapes a society, so the idea that Sha'ahm'ni really crystallized at that point seems to work.

[Erica]

Hello JD,

Sha'ahm'ni was an art of the Sard well before Zehreik fell. It has come in and out of favor over the course of Rhiven history, with the last "favored" phase being when Zehreik fell. Currently it is once more on the downswing.

Erica

[Gavin]

Is there a Sha’ahm’ni primer somewhere for those of us who weren’t at the play test but would probably know some from our histories?

Thanks!

[ambisinister]

Here's a thing from an FB post from awhile very basic, but some info.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2387993 ... 080039062/

There's also a video of some examples

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2387993 ... 706674062/

And then there's this thread that you're already in.

If there are existing resources beyond this, Erica or Jess would be the ones to know.

[JBerner]

Hello everyone!

There have been some minor adjustments to the Shamni guidelines that were published mumblemumble time ago.
Mainly, we have added a way to signal sarcasm and laughter, and did a better job at defining the differences between nerves/stress and fear/terror. We also removed the "requirement" for using the non-dominant hand, which should make it a smidge easier for folks to learn.

The file is attached here - please let me know if you need a demo of anything or have additional questions, and I'll throw up a video/better explanation here ASAP.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2387993 ... 63934062/

Thank you so much for your patience in waiting on this, hope everyone has an organized and peaceful week leading up to game 1!

Jess