Just What Is A Ghostwalker Anyway?

Ghostwalker: Were did our team name come from? What was the inspiration behind it all? Here are some sources.

Scandinavian folklore refers to unseen spirits that haunt houses or locations. Restless dead that you hear (footsteps, doors, laughter) but seldom see. Similar spirits are called many other names by other cultures. Some of the more violent versions include revenant, gayal, slaugh - all spooky bastards that wreak havoc and destruction before vanishing. We also have the classic barrow wights, wraiths, will-o'-wisps, all wilderness spooks that are seen only by those about to join them in death. LOTS of creepy stuff out there to draw from, and we have.

The American Mountain Lion, aka Cougar, Puma, or Panther, the “Ghost of the Wilderness”. Respected by the Native Americans for it’s ability to vanish into the wilderness. See http://www.nps.gov/archive/noca/cougar.htm or http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/forest/wildlife/cougar.html or http://jungledomain.org/mountainlions.htm or http://www.cougarfund.org/names.php. There is even a wolf sanctuary that has a big cat named Ghostwalker (see http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/Wolflinkstwo/). Magnificent creatures. An outstanding source of inspiration.

Elite Native American warriors. Their name is taken from the big cats. Known for their ability to vanish in the wilderness and defeat their enemies with their skills. Tracking, rapid silent movement, camouflage, and surprise attacks were their forte. The Arapaho and Cherokee have references to these, but information on the web is sparse and elusive - just like the Ghostwalkers. I may have to actually visit a library and look in "books" for more information. Our own Balrahg has a bit of Native American in his genes, and provided us this source of inspiration.

Pre Inchon Scout soldiers in Korea’s DMZ. Also named for their ability to vanish in the wilderness and return without being detected, completing their missions without fail. Not officially recognized by the military, but it is interesting to note that when the Inchon Scouts were formally approved, they had training programs and locations running in an alarmingly short time, with experienced personnel.

Special Note: There are numerous novels by a variety of authors, and several games from many different sources - all make use of the Ghostwalker name. Almost all have supernatural or paranormal connections, and strong warrior ties. None of them were inspirational in selecting our Team name. Just a happy coincidence – didn’t even know about them till we started on-line searches for the Native American warrior information. Some of these Ghostwalkers, by the way, are fairly interesting. Some are not.