Bestiary

Cultural Appropriation is a timeless spirit with a fresh, modern name, and a newfound power. Every dominant culture has borne at least some of these spirits, but they’ve kept to the shadows, working quietly, discreetly. In the twenty-first century, they come out swinging.

Cultural Appropriation is a spirit that embodies the theft of culture. It’s not as simple as using fireworks the Chinese invented at your house in Seattle. Cultural Appropriation takes something from a culture, then puts it on display in such a way that robs uniqueness from its people. For example, leprechauns are a staple of Celtic mythology. Yet, they’ve become silly stereotypes, used for advertising cheap products every year. They’ve been appropriated.

For the Weaver’s purposes, it stagnates culture. It builds a widespread expectation of a culture, one its members must perpetuate if they wish to fit in with a dominant culture. Members of the appropriated culture must wade along with stereotypes, and accept typecasting and limited opportunity. This effectively seals creativity, while simultaneously keeping the culture alive on proverbial life support.

In one famous case, Cultural Appropriation influenced a pop star’s entourage to use a specific dance associated with a minority group in a high-profile performance. Unfortunately for the Weaver, the effort was a massive failure, drawing too much attention from other nearby spirits of rage, arousal, and disgust. They slaughtered the Cultural Appropriation spirits involved.

Rage: 4, Willpower: 4, Gnosis: 4, Essence: 12

Charms: Cleanse the Blight, Illuminate, Peek, Spirit Static

Image: Cultural Appropriation spirits are a strange lot. They’re melting pots of identifying, stereotypical cultural traits, creating an amalgam shape with a single eye in the center, and a single arm and hand which both moves the spirit, and allows it to manipulate the world around it.