Pneuma

Pneumas are the traditional gas masks worn by Huskers. Gifted as a sign of maturity and believed to act as a connection to the esoteric Wasteland Spirit that the Huskers worship, pneumas replace the juvenile masks that an individual wears growing up.

Pneumas are custom-made, and hold little value beyond Husker society; though some individuals collect them as hunting trophies.

Terminology
In the old world, pneuma was known as the ancient greek word for "breath". In a religious context, a pneuma was described as the "spirit" or "soul" of an individual. In classic philosophy, the term pneuma is distinguishable from psyche, which originally meant "breath of life", but is regularly translated as "spirit" or most often "soul".

Cultural Importance
Husker society revolves around the worshiping of the mysterious force known as the Wasteland Spirit. Worship is often esoteric, philosophical, and heavily relies on the use and exploration of certain sacred items, believed to provide a connection to to the Wasteland Spirit. From a young age, Huskers wear gas masks that train them for when they eventually choose their adult pneuma. These "juvenile masks" supposedly harbor no connection to the Wasteland Spirit, though some admit there is some sentimental value to their childhood masks. The juvenile masks are typically crafted from leather and scrap metal, and are blessed by the Augur of the tribe.

When a Husker reaches adulthood, the Augur of their tribe sends them into the wasteland on a pilgrimage to a far away exclusion zone to meet with one of the larger tribes. The journey is often long and perilous, and teaches the young Husker not to fear the wasteland and it's challenges, and to maintain a sense of intrigue throughout their life. Once they arrive at their destination, the Augurs of their new tribe help them to finally craft their pneuma. The construction of a pneuma can take months, and often requires much thought and meditation; even requiring advanced self-study through the use of drugs like Jambi.

Once completed, the mask is blessed by the Augurs of the tribe, and is first donned during a ceremony known as a "Pneuma-Soma". During this ceremony every adult member of the tribe gathers in a large circle around the young Husker, humming sacred hymns and inhaling a ceremonial mixture of Jambi. Once the hymn is completed and the pneuma has been worn, the ceremony is complete and the Husker is free to either live with the tribe or leave and start their own tribe.

Pneumatic Invocation
Main article: Pneumatic Invocation

Pneumas are one of the key components to the strange art of pneumatic invocation. Donning a pneuma and focusing one's consciousness, a wise Husker can cause the world around them to change in a nearly-magical way. From causing sudden gusts of wind to healing near-fatal wounds, pneumatic invocations are akin to the stuff of legends.