Allied Spirit Values
The chapter on Rune cults states that allied spirits are cult initiates, and can sacrifice for Rune points "just as a normal initiate". There's nothing said about their starting Rune point values, passions, or Rune affinities. Until clarified by the Chaosium, let's say:
-
Allied spirits start with zero (Ø) Rune points.
-
Their Rune affinities are 90% in the cult Runes, 75% in Spirit, and (if embodied in an animal form) 25% in Beast (unless from a cult with the Beast Rune, of course).
- 90% Devotion (their deity)
City And Region Cults
In most or all cases, a city or region deity which responds to worship will only provide Rune magic or divine intervention within the established boundaries of the community.
Pantheons
The Storm Tribe
It's useful sometimes to know the complete membership of this group.
The modern gods of the Storm Tribe are: Chalana Arroy, Elmal, Eurmal, Ernalda, Heler, Humakt, Issaries, Lhankor Mhy, Odayla, Orlanth/Vinga, Urox, Yinkin, Asrelia, Ana Gor, Babeester Gor, Barntar, Brastalos, Donandar, Engizi, Gustbran, Kero Fin, Kolat, Maran Gor, Mahome, Minlister, Pelaskos, Redalda, Rigsdal, Thunder Brothers, Ty Kora Tek, Valind, and Voria.
Most of them share a common afterlife, centered on the Storm Village.
Various Cult Details
Ana Gor
Goddess of Human Sacrifice
While a part of Heortling culture, she has no temples, and very few worshipers. She is associated with, or a sub-cult of, several cults: Humakt, Maran Gor, Ty Kora Tek, Babeester Gor, and Esrola.
There is a sub-cult, Sorana Tor, found almost only at the Shaker Temple.
The Liberator
Asrelia
The Mother of Treasure
Asrelia is the Giver of Plenty, Keeper and Distributor of Life and All That Is Good And Desired. Her runes are Fertility, Luck and (especially) Earth.
Her twin sister is Ty Kora Tek (the goddess of the dead for the Earth tribe); and most followers of one are initiates of the other as well. Her daughters include Ernalda and Esrola. Among Dragon Pass humans she is often depicted as an old woman bedecked in endless necklaces and rings, and cloaked in robes studded with precious metals. Shining jewels, sparking flints, living stones, fossils, and numberless coins blanket the ground at her feet.
In Dragon Pass and other Heortling areas, old women who are past motherhood worship her; her subcult (of Ernalda) consists primarily of shrines inside larger Earth temples ("treasure vaults"). Her worshipers use her powers to safely hide wealth from outsiders. Her priestesses are in charge of the treasuries of most major Earth temples. Initiates within Sartar number about 1,500.
The Earth Goddesses book has a cult write-up.
Babeester Gor
Earth Vengeance
The Avenging Daughter of the Earth. Cultists guard Earth temples and punish those who desecrate them, but also hunt down kin-slayers and earth-oath breakers. "Although young, she is no virgin, for her deeds would be too awful to do alone." Her worshipers are usually found at Earth temples, and there are only about 250 of them in Sartar. See also here.
Initiates of Babeester Gor have all normal requirements and restrictions and receive all the usual benefits. They are "severed" from their families, clans or tribes. Initiates are sworn to slay despoilers of the Earth whenever met, and aid Axe Maidens in whatever is required. Initiates may not marry and must give any offspring to their local Earth Temple. The favored Rune metal is copper.
Besides Ernalda and Maran Gor, Babeester Gor is associated with Aldraya (though no spells are available).
Basmol
The Lion God
Deity of one of the Hsunchen peoples. His adherents are mostly found in Pamaltela, but bands still survive in Genertela: at the Wastelands, in Ralios and in Maniria (west of the Holy Country). The tribe in the Wastelands had their deity killed and skinned by Tada -- they cannot receive the Strength of Basmol Rune spell from their god (although Keenclaw and Transform Head (Lion) are still available). The Basmoli of the Wastelands are also no longer "associated" with Eiritha (and don't receive spirit magics from her). The cult offers the Catseye spell, as well.
Seasonal holy days are the solstices and equinoxes. Each Wild Day is a minor holy day. The shamans will set another High Holy Day each year.
Benkesta
Feed The Hungry, Clothe The Naked
This is a charitable sub-cult of Ernalda, found mostly in Esrolia. They provide food, shelter, and other aid to "Benkesta's Many", the poor, kinless, or otherwise bereft of the cities of the Holy Country.
There are seven temples of Benkesta, the Clay Pot and Spoon Shrines; two of them are in Nochet. The priestesses are called Walking Priestesses.
Bevara
Healers In Battle
A healing sub-cult of Ernalda; her worshippers are "combat medics", following armies into battle. They are not prohibited from fighting. Not a common sub-cult, usually regarded as "local" to Dragon Pass, and may in fact fade away between wars.
One of the "Seven War Women of the Storm Tribe" of Orlanthi culture in Dragon Pass.
The Seven War Women are Bevara, Babeester Gor, Maran Gor, Vinga ... Ana Tor? ... ?
Boldhomers
Also known as the Feather Filchers, this gang/cult originated in Duck Point. The cult and gang has an eclectic membership: trollkin, ducks, and some humans. While publicly known of by the inhabitants of Boldhome, they're mocked and treated as a joke by most residents.
As thieves, they specialize in burglary and small thefts, along with (along the tributaries of the Engizi) some piracy. The cult's only special Rune spell is Hidebehind.
Keep in mind that some people (especially Lunars) consider Orlanth Adventurous) to be a thieves' cult..
Cacodemon
Remnant of the Devil
There isn't a RQG writeup of this cult yet -- these are just notes for quick reference. The Heroquest Cult Compendium has a long writeup.
The majority of cult members are ogres; some chaotic beings, evil giants, and a few depraved humans, also join. A more-supernatural chaotic race, called fiends, may also serve Cacodemon -- these monsters can fly, are immense (average SIZ 35), poisonous, very chaotic, and very magically potent.
The cult runes are Death, Disorder and Chaos. The marks of initiation are secret.
Known centers of power are in the Seven Hills of Dorastor, at Festering Island and the Chaos Holy Ground in the Elder Wilds, Snakepipe Hollow in Dragon Pass, an un-named location in the southwestern edge of the Grazelands, and Ogre Island in the Big Rubble. The ogres in the Big Rubble are known to be skilled in creating poisons and other alchemical substances.
The Rune lords, called Claws, are experts at death, destruction, assassination and ambushing. Rune priests, called Talons, have only one result if they ask for Divine Intervention: a fiend appears!
Chalana Arroy
Goddess of Healing
Some of the known Healers in Dragon Pass and Prax as of 1626-1627:
-
Alda Chur: there's a hospital here ...
-
Boldhome: 6 Rune level Healers, led by Berra Golden-Cup. The second-largest Chalana Arroy temple in Sartar, with about 40 initiates and lay members present.
-
Clearwine: 2 Rune level Healers: Kerisdana Hollybright, and one other.
-
Jonstown: 12 Rune level Healers: High Priestess is Erynn Mercy. Probably 80-100 initiates and lay members work at the hospital. This is the most important temple of Chalana Arroy in Sartar, and Erryn Mercy is the senior member of the cult.
-
New Pavis: 4 Rune levels: Adestra Butter-Milk, Serengor Sure-Hand, Yanale Ever-Laughing, and Finestan the Good.
-
Runegate: 1 Rune level: Erelena the Merciful.
We have a page on the likelihood of obtaining Rune spells from Chalana Arroy.
Donandar
God of Music and Entertainment
Within the Storm and Solar pantheons, he's the god of entertainers: minstrels, jugglers, musicians, carnivals, dancers, circuses and players (i.e., actors). His runes are Harmony and Illusion.
There are no "fixed" temples of Donandar in Sartar; there are fixed-location shrines in Furthest (the Grand Theater), Boldhome, and probably in Jonstown. Most temples are professional companies or troupes, and carries its own shrine to Donandar.
The deity wanders the world incognito; people are hospitable to entertainers in hopes of someday hosting Donandar -- which will bring good luck forever to a home.
Some of his worshipers belong to specific performance subcults. An example in Prax is "Dathar", who plays the ribcage harp and "low blow" pipes. Another subcult, found in Dragon Pass and Prax, is "Skovari", a goddess of folk music, dance and (especially) puppetry.
There's a writeup of the cult in The Goddesses of Earth.
The Lion of Justice
Engizi
Besides the information provided on RQG page 292, there are at least three sub-cults, or subsidiary deities: Dendelle (source of Send Food), Greatfall (a warrior who provides Deadly Wave, sort of like Summon Tidal Wave), and Varlene (the ferrywoman). Each of these have their primary worship at a single temple. See The Book of Heortling Mythology for more information.
Ernalda
The Queen of the Earth, Goddess of Women
The wife of Orlanth, and spouse of many other deities. Ernalda is the most important women's goddess; she oversees the spiritual welfare of women and all that they do. As Queen of the Earth she is head of a pantheon of agricultural deities.
She is the source of all feminine spirituality, peace, and fecundity; she is the Broad Earth that is the foundation of all creation. She is the source of all animals, plants, and peoples, through her many daughters. Ernalda is the most widely worshiped goddess in Sartar, with about 40,000 initiates.
Within Dragon Pass, her great temples are at Boldhome, Clearwine, Ezel (in Esrolia), Greenstone, Heruvernalda (in Tarsh), Nine Moss Hill (within the lands of the Kheldon tribe), Nochet (in Esrolia), and Vorda Hill (north of Whitewall).
A recent sub-cult is that of Magwyn Earth-Speaker.
The Trickster
Flamal
The Father Of Plants
Brother of Hykim, the Father of Beasts; husband of Ernalda before she became wife to Yelm (according to Orlanthi). He was killed by either Zorak Zoran (or Eurmal), and reborn when Time began. He had various spouses, the plant goddesses.
His runes are Fertility and Plant (twice).
In Sartar, the only human worship of Flamal takes place at the Clearwine Earth Temple; there are only about 100 human initiates in this cult within Sartar.
Geo
A Home Away From Home, For Sartarites
A full writeup is in Tales of the Reaching Moon #3. Geo himself lived about a century ago, as one of Sartar's friends, ale-brewer and cook.The cult claims to be apolitical, but all Lunars and their friends were expelled from the cult during the occupation. Some of the Geo's locations were suppressed by the Lunars as "dens of sedition".
In short: members of the cult (and the inn staff) are either Sartarites, or close friends. Membership requires mostly respecting the hospitality of the cult, and not fighting inside the inns. Members are branded on their right little finger; becoming a member takes about as long as it takes to get really drunk. There are no Rune lords, priests, and no spells taught -- the inn keepers have some respect as the senior members in their area. The "Geo's Bouncer" is a figure of dread, but it's not clear if it is a huge bluff or not.
Cult members are guaranteed at least a bowl of porridge, a tankard of ale, and a warm place to sleep. No tithes are required, but rich members get a lot of "reminders" to make donations. Notable locations:
-
Alone
-
Ridge Inn: south of Jonstown, the first of Geo's inns
-
Creek Inn (north of Jonstown)
-
Cave Inn (near Whitewall?)
-
Always Open Inn (near the site of the Dragonrise)
-
River Inn (north of the Upland Marsh)
-
Wilm's Church
-
Shaker Inn (at the Shaker Temple)
-
Swenstown
-
Outer Inn (somewhere in the Far Place?)
-
Jonstown
-
Last Stop Inn (on the Praxian border, northeast of Old Wind)
-
Boldhome
-
Runegate
-
Duck Point (the Duck Inn)
-
Queens Post, in the Grazelands (the Horsing Around Inn)
-
Alda Chur: the inn here was closed by the Lunars
-
Alone
-
New Pavis
-
Nochet
Gorakiki, Goddess Of Insects
Gorakiki is the goddess of all insects; her cult is most popular among trolls, who domesticate many forms of her children. Her runes are Beast and Darkness. Her seasonal holy days are Freezeday of Fertility Week; the high holy day is in Dark Season. A temple of the goddess is called a Nest. There are sub-cults for various forms of insects; no member of one sub-cult may join a different sub-cult. There are four Hsunchen sub-cults as well (bee, dragonfly, locust, moth). The Yolp Mountains have the largest temples of Gorakiki in the continent of Genertela. Gorakiki-Roach isn't a common sub-cult.
Note that non-insects include myriapods (centipedes and millipedes), arachnids (spiders, ticks, scorpions, daddy long-legs), annelids (worms, leeches, slugs and snails), and crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, sawbugs, roly-polys, shrimp, etc.)
The cult is associated with Argan Argar (the god of surface darkness), who provides the Dark Walk spell to the roaches.
She's friendly with the cults of Kyger Litor, Aranea (the spider-goddess), Nakala (the goddess of the elemental Darkness), Swems (the deity of worms and leeches), and Xiola Umbar (troll god of healing and compassion). Some non-troll cults are usually friendly, as well: Asrelia, for example. Fire/Sky cults are uniformly hostile.
Spells conferred by Gorakiki & Allied Cults include:
Gustbran Bonesmith
Redsmith for the Storm Tribe
The god of the kiln and the furnace. He's a son of Caladra (or Veskarthyen), a volcano god, but was exiled and joined the Storm Tribe. Holy days of note: Clay Day, Harmony Week, Fire Season ("Forge Day"), and Fire Day, Harmony Week, Earth Season ("Bonfire Day").
In our campaign, we know there are many shrines in Sartar; temples exist at least at Wilmskirk, Boldhome and Jonstown. All of this is very provisional, waiting on the publication of Cults of Glorantha.
Besides redsmiths, glass-makers and a lot of potters also worship him (though Ernalda is also a cult of potters). Cults skills are Craft (bronze or pottery), Bargain, Evaluate, Meditate, Worship (Gustbran), Cult Lore (Gustbran) ...
An important exception to the general rules: initiates of Gustbran can learn enchantments.
Spirit magic may include Control Fire Elemental, Heat Metal, Ignite and Repair. Rune magic includes Create Bonfire, Furnace Fire. maybe Firedwell, probably Dismiss and Summon Fire Elemental (up to medium). I don't think they have Enchant (Iron), maybe Enchant (Bronze) which is a spell, but not very useful. Enchantments are for spirit armor, matrix creation, magic point storage, and bindings.
This is the primary cult of all Hunschen in Balazar and in other lands. (See the Hunschen entry for more info.)
Cult Magic
An initiate of Hykim & Mikyh can learn the spirit spells Mobility, Second Sight, Silence, Speedart, and Spirit Screen. Rune magics available are Transform Body, Transform Head, Transform Limbs (though each such spell will only work for one type of animal), Transform Self, and one other specific to your tribe.
The only "common" rune magic the cult provides is Sanctify (1). For the Crow tribe, we see: Treepie's Head (1), Treepie's Feathers (2), Treepie's Limbs (3), Transform Self (2). All of these transformation spells work at touch range; they can only be cast on a member of the Crow tribe.
Weekly minor holy day is Wildday.
The associated cult of Eiritha/ Herd Mother can teach the spirit spells Healing and Farsee. As for rune spells, Storm Bull can provide Impede Chaos; Trickster/Eurmal can provide some Illusion things, Reflection and Become (other shape) ... the particular shape is different for each Trickster shrine.
The Hunschen
There are many tribes of Hunschen and all pay homage to Hikym & Mykim, the ancestral Dragons. Each tribe has it's own toten animal; the Telmori & Odayla are the most famous. There are tribes of Catmen, the Corvidae, the Fallow Deer, to name a few. Each has Rune magics available Transform Body, Transform Head, Transform Limbs (though each such spell will only work for one type of animal), Transform Self, and one other specific to that particular tribe.
Solstices and equinoxes are major festivals and require songs, dances and sacrifices. There should also be days related to life events such as (for the Crow Hsunchen) The Hatching which celebrates births, and The Fledging which is the rite of passage to adulthood. The Molting is the rite of cult initiation and also of promotion within cult ranks.
Cult Skills
These come up later in play, so here's the list: Cult Lore (Hykim & Mikyh), Animal Lore, Insight (a particular animal species), Peaceful Cut, Plant Lore, Spirit Combat, Survival, Speak/Understand Beast speech, Worship (Hykim & Mikyh)
All of the above is provisional; this cult will be detailed in the forthcoming Gods of Glorantha book.
Hrunda
Protector of the Old Woods
The patron of Esrolian bluepaw monkeys, and protector of the Old Woods to the north of Esrolia.
Humakt
More information (beyond what's in the RQG book) on holy days, temples, and sub-cults is available here.
Invisible Lunes
A cult and gang of thieves in Furthest. While publicly thought to be linked to the Blue Moon, that is likely a lie spread by the cult. Their only special Rune magic is Invisibility (which they call Conceal).
Issaries
God of Trade and Language
Issaries is the psychopomp of the Underworld for the Storm Tribe -- he knows the secret paths into and through the Underworld. He's also the herald and emissary of Orlanth Rex. As the son of Larnste (Mobility) and Harana Ilor (Harmony), he's nearly the first "regular" god; he named and identified the Runes, invented and provided languages, and traveled widely. His sons are:
-
Harst Bronzetongue: the Trader, inventor of barter; aka "Spare Grain".
-
Garzeen Silvertongue: the Middleman, inventor of coinage and Tradetalk.
-
Autero (or Gultha) Goldentongue: the Guide, Speaker and Wanderer, and the specific form of the psychopomp.
A couple more descendants, not always mentioned by Sartarites:
-
Thereltoro (or Herald) ,Goodword: who carries words rather than goods; rare outside of Prax.
-
Etyries: the only daughter, corrupted by Shepelkirt; found mostly in the Lunar Empire.
After a person initiated into a Storm Tribe cult has been dead for a week, their spirit is guided by Issaries Goldentongue through the Underworld. Ty Kora Tek judges them: a good member of the Orlanth pantheon finds themself in the Storm Village of God World. An Issaries worshiper will be near Issaries' Hall and Tent (not far from Orlanth's Great Hall).
Young, uninitiated persons are guided by Voria, by the way. They don't go to Orlanth's Stead, but remain for a while in the Halls of Silence before being reborn.
The cult makes great promises to its worshipers.
-
Lay members are guaranteed that they will be guided to their proper station in the Afterlife, and that many opportunities exist in that Afterlife. Persons buried with a votive image of Issaries (purchased from a priest of the cult, for 15-100 L) will be assured that their case will be heard properly.
-
Initiates and priests are told that they can take some of their magical items and abilities beyond the grave.
-
Priests are more adept at preparing certain items to travel with them. Issaries insists that his Rune-level merchants contribute 10% of their earthly goods to a celebration among strangers during or after their funeral.
Priests, especially those of Goldentongue, are encouraged to map the Underworld while they still live, either through judicious trade with immortals or through Heroquesting.
Special Rune Spells
Besides the spells listed in the RQG book there is another enchantment, available to Goldentongue trader princes (and the Pathfinder sub-cult of Etyries).
Create Soup Bone: 2 points, one-use, ritual, touch only.
Spirit Of Reprisal - Raw Greed
This spirit is loosed by the god against any cult member who breaks cult vows. It may also be summoned with a Divine Intervention by a priest who wishes to summon it. It may also be found in certain jewels called Greed Gems which always ‘attack’ anyone who picks them up (see the spirit combat rules below). These jewels are faceted with 51 sides and are valued at 1,700 L.
The spirit of Raw Greed will attack with a POW and CHA of 2D6+12, Spirit Combat skill of POWx5, and typically Spirit Combat damage of 2d6+3. It will continue attacking until it is "dead" or else the character has lost all their personal magic points; if defeated, it has no spells to obtain.
If any personal magic points are taken from the defender, they are covertly possessed, and get a 5% Greed Passion per point lost. This does not imply overwhelming desires, but does magnify current desires far out of proportion and make victims wish for personal control of the object or object type. If in stealing something from a priest they were cursed this way, they will lust for whatever they stole and will never part with it if possible.
Cult vows include: cheating on weights and amounts in sales or trade; not making your tithes to your Issaries/Etyries temple; wilfully refusing to take part on worship (especially the high holy day); defiling an Issaries/Etyries market or trading-grounds; not going to the aid of your Issaries priest; stealing by priests (except from those who stole from them, or from Chaos) … there are other circumstances.
The cult for Orlanthi wind shamans.
A cult of assassins and mercenaries in Esrolia.
The Hungry One, a terrible and very secretive cult of Chaos. Few people even know of the cult's existence.
A daughter of Kero Fin (and thus probably a half-sister of Orlanth), the mother of wild beasts, spirits and entities; mated at various times with "Wild" Orlanth, Ironhoof and Yinkin; Odayla and the satyrs are descended from her.
Lanbril
He is the god of disguises and thievery among the Heortling peoples. There's a cult write-up in The Lightbringers.
Lhankor Mhy
Lord of Knowledge
The Sword-sages are famous, but not very numerous in Sartar. There are shrines in several tribal towns: Wilmskirk, Clearwine, etc.; a small temple in Boldhome; and a full temple in Jonstown. Out in New Pavis, there's another small temple; the Great Library in Nochet is famous all across Genertela.
There's a page on the availability of Rune points for this cult.
Lightning Thief
His runes are Fire/Sky and Illusion. He is a god of thieves and bandits, certainly found in Tarsh. See Furthest, Crown Jewel of Tarsh, page 131.
Lokarnos
The Solar god of trade and wagons.
Maran Gor
The Earth Shaker
Maran Gor is the earthquake goddess, often called the Earth Shaker. She is a daughter of Asrelia, and a sister of Ernalda, and was once generous and kind. Maran took no husband or lover; when the troubles of the Gods War came, she took the title of Gor, and became an object of fear and awe. She was then a destroyer and was powerful and famous during that black time. Now she is only actively worshiped by those that enjoy the carnage which is her most precious gift. Most great earth temples still include shrines to this deity, and prayers are sent to deflect her wrath.
Her statues portray a stout, blocky woman, hands clenched into fists and foot raised to stamp the earth. Her runes are Death, Earth and Disorder.
Worship of Maran Gor is more often found in Caladraland (in the southwestern part of the Holy County) and in Tarsh (the "Shaker Temple" is dedicated to her). Within Sartar, most worship of Maran Gor is propitiary.
Her cult is written up in The Earth Goddesses.
Mastakos
The God of Movement and Change
The charioteer of Orlanth, usually depicted as a blue man driving a chariot drawn by sea-horses or dragonflies. His priests are found in Dragon Pass at (among other places) Larnste's Table and the Traveling Stone -- holy to Larnste, God of Movement. They are considered "sanctified locations" for Orlanth (the cult is sometimes called Orlanth Mastakos, in fact). The shrine at Traveling Stone can provide a day's worth of blessed speed if an Orlanthi makes the proper prayers; only a few hermit priests lurk at that holy site during the Lunar occupation (even without being persecuted by the Lunars, they wander off quite often).
Movement priests are notoriously hard to catch!
His worshipers, when heroquesting, seek his camp (it's never in a predictable spot) -- the camp is a good place to journey to many places on the God Plane.
This cult is written up in The Lightbringers.
Nanda
A sub-cult of Ernalda. Nanda:Ernalda :: Vinga:Orlanth ... it's for men acting in a feminine, Earth-worshiping role. Also like Vinga, not a cult with separate temples.
Orlanth
King of the Universe
Apparently the Cults of Glorantha book will include a change: Orlanth has a minor holy day every Windsday; notable holy sites are listed here.
Note that the only "great" temple of Orlanth Lightbringer in Dragon Pass (and maybe in Glorantha) is at the Hill of Orlanth Victorious, where the god began the Lightbringer Quest.
Besides the sub-cults provided in the RQG book (Adventurous, Thunderous, Rex and Vinga), there are others:
Orlanth Lightbringer
Apparently fairly mystical; it is best known for providing support for gaining heroic ability, and for supporting some heroquests (guess which one is their favorite).
Niskis the Lover
Orlanth as a lover and seducer of women. Not the most admired of sub-cults; there aren't many members, but his few shrines are popular with Orlanthi. The cult offers Charisma and Erotocomatose Lucidity as Rune spells; in addition, when using Leap from an Orlanth cult, and leaping from a building, the Rune spell acts as if it were one Rune point higher. New initiates must have a Fertility rune affinity of at least 60%, and must take the Charisma rune spell if they don't already have it.
Orlanth Four-Weapons
Purely a sub-cult for Wind Lords (or some heroquesting initiates), this centers on the Lightning Spear (Lightning), the Sandals of Darkness (Dark Walk), the Scarf of Mist (Mist Cloud), and the Shield of Arran (Earth Shield).
Michael doesn't quite know how this works in the RQG system.
I suspect the cult abilities are obtained through heroquests.
Ancestral Queen of the Orgorvaltes
Goddess of the Oslir River
Pavis
The founder of the city which bears his name, Pavis was half-man, half-elf, and lived about eight centuries ago. He studied draconic lore and magic, and allied himself with the dwarf, Flintnail.
This is a community religion; its Runes are Harmony, Earth, Stasis, and Man.
Associated cults include Aldraya and Flintnail; friendly cults include Zola Fel, Orlanth Rex, and Eiritha. In theory, Mostal is also a friend, but few Mostali know this.
Lay Membership
Almost anyone living in the Big Rubble or New Pavis can join the cult, merely by attending one of the regular festivals (holy days). Followers of Chaotic cults, Waha, Storm Bull, or Jaldon Goldentooth may not become cult members. Obligations are pretty minor, and are typical of city cults; lay members can learn the Glue spell for free from the cult (though scheduling a priest can be difficult), usually up to level 4.
Initiate Membership
To be initiated, a person must theoretically have been born in the Big Rubble or New Pavis. Rituals of adoption are used for deserving non-Pavisite candidates (such as Argrath, who was actually adopted by Ginkizzie). The usual 1 point of permanent POW must be sacrificed upon joining.
Initiates must sacrifice all but one of their "personal magic points" on the seasonal or high holy days. They can receive training in Speak old Pavic, Craft (masonry) and 1H Hammer from the cult for free, and training in First Aid, Read/Write Old Pavic, and Great Axe at half-price; they will be taught the spells of Strength and Heal (up to Heal-2) at half-price as well. The only common Rune spells are Divination, Find Enemy, Summon Cult Spirit, Command Cult Spirit, Heal Wound, Spirit Block, and Warding. Spells from associated cults include Sunripen (from Aldraya), and Support (from Flintnail); Rune priests and lords have access to the usual enchantments, plus the City Harmony spell.
Pavis' spells City Harmony, Divination, and Find Enemy spells only work within the Big Rubble, New Pavis, or within 100 meters of the defensive walls.
Mousers And Cat Burglars
A cult with two factions -- one aspect is dedicated to cats ridding the area of vermin, and welcomes donations to support their cats. Another, secretive aspect seeks protection money, lest "vermin" (the cult's cats and initiates) filch your stuff. The "filching" faction is only found in cities, mostly in the Holy Country.
Ratslaff
Jester and Buffoon of the Celestial and Solar Pantheons
A trickster and prankster, the "Duke of Disorder." His Runes are Disorder and Infinity. As with Eurmal, his worshipers are ill-mannered, gluttonous, and selfish in every way. They are vagabonds, drunkards, madmen, outcasts, and thieves.
Associated cults are Acos (god of Law and Upholder of the Cosmos), Harana Ilor (goddess of Harmony and Peace), Kargan Tor (god of War and Courage), Larnste the Shaper (lord of Change and Movement), Orenoar (mistress of Truth), Tylenea (mistress of Masks), Uleria (goddess of Love) -- of these, only Uleria has any modern cult. There are very no temples and very few shrines of Ratslaff; they usually have to visit Uleria temples for worship, or sanctify a location.
Cult Skills: Cult Lore (Ratslaff), Worship (Ratslaff).
Favored Passions: Hate (Authority).
Spirit Magic: whatever the local priest can provide.
Rune Magic: the only common spells are Divination, Extension, Multispell and Sanctify. The cult's special Rune magic are all the Disorder Rune spells; however, any one priest will only offer one particular special Rune spell, which changes every year.
Enchantments: Binding Enchantment, Magic Point Enchantment, Matrix Creation, Spirit Armor Enchantment.
Rune Priest Requirements: ..Be an initiate of the cult; possess at least one Rune affinity shared with the deity with a rating of at least 90% (this is almost always the Disorder Rune), and a Devotion (Ratslaff) Passion of at least 50%. Possess at least 5 Rune points dedicated to Ratslaff; have a POW of 18 or higher. Have Worship (Ratslaff) and Cult Lore (Ratslaff) at 50% or more (this last item is probably the most difficult requirement). There are no god-talkers of Ratslaff, but the priests don't expect loyalty, and avoid responsibilities. Allied spirits are provided, but they're erratic and disobedient.
Shadow Gangs
Rival Splinter Thief Cults of Nochet
At least three different variants of a once-unified cult exist within Nochet; their rivalry sometimes spills over into street battles or secret murders. The Shadow Mongers and Shadow Fishers are matriarchal; the Knowing Shadows are male-dominated. Each cult and gang is more powerful in different parts of the city, and their "styles" of crime differ as well.
None of these three cults offer any special Rune spells; the Shadow Fishers and Knowing Shadows do obtain the spirit magic spells Bludgeon, Befuddle, and Forget from their priests. The Shadow Mongers conversely offer the spirit magics of Shimmer and Silence.
Storm Bull
Berserk Destroyer of Chaos
Throughout Prax there are usually between five and eight Storm Khans of the cult wandering across the plains. They are usually found at, or among:
-
the Impala tribe, leading the "Storm Impalas"
-
the temple in New Pavis
-
among the Bullocks, now part of the White Bull Society
-
the temple at the Paps
-
Karkarjan's Sword, the leader of the guardians of the Block. He trades some of the Truestone to merchants.
A more complete list of holy sites can be found here. Senior initiates, or junior Rune Lords, will be designated Heart of the Bull, Horns of the Bull, Liver of the Bull, etc.; a Storm Khan leading a temple or large group will be called the Bull's Head.
There are at least three Khans in Sartar in the period immediately after the end of the Lunar occupation: one in Jonstown (Jarang, a Taraling of the Colymar tribe), one in Boldhome (Korgar Bullroarer, who took the post last held by the unlucky Tonalang Great-Helm), and one in the general area of the Greenstone temple (Gringblast Groaning-Shield). There are many others: out in the Wastes, and among the trolls of Shadows Dance, for example.
At Runegate, in the lands of the Taraling clans, the Colymar offered sacrifices before fighting the Chaos Flood of 1610 that reached the walls of the town. They were victorious and in thanks, the Colymar tribe had this shrine constructed. Sacrifices are made by whatever Storm Khan wanders into town.
The Werewolf God
Ty Kora Tek
Goddess of the Dead
The functions of Issaries and Ty Kora Tek overlap -- Goldentongue is the psychopomp for the Storm Tribe, while Ty Kora Tek fills that role for the Earth Tribe. The following information would be considered more "correct" in Tarsh or Esrolia.
A week after their death, a person's soul is guided by Ty Kora Tek to the Necropolis, or Halls of Silence, in the Grey Hell. She keeps the dead from leaving (she's a sister of Asrelia, and daughter of Gata). Burial in the earth is common, though some tribes/cultures have crematory ovens, and place the bones and ashes in an urn to be buried.
Dead souls who are honored and remembered by the living have a pleasant existence (at least among the Storm and Earth Tribes); forgotten souls, not so good. At some point she releases forgotten souls to be reborn.
Most of Ty Kora Tek's shrines are attached to great Earth temples, or the necropolis of a city. Large cities may have a minor temple; Nochet supports a major temple, and the Megapolis (in Esrolia) supports her only great temple.
The cult is described in The Earth Goddesses.
Uleria
The Goddess of Love
The cult is found across Genertela; temples are found in Carmania, among Solar cultists (but see below), in Dragon Pass (major temples at Alda-Chur, Furthest, Apple Lane and Boldhome), in various Holy Country cities; in Prax (temple at Pavis), and among the Teshnan cults and paths. Most priestesses and initiates seem to be regular travelers.
Dara Happan Solar cults recognize her, but don't like her -- titles used in their texts include Goddess of Lust, Desire and Nakedness.
The priestess at Apple Lane is a member of the Hiording clan, named Aileena.
The cult is described fully in The Earth Goddesses.
Valind
The God of Winter
There are not many worshipers of Valind the Winter King in Dragon Pass, but offerings are made to him by Orlanthi to pray for a shorter, less-terrible winter. He's considered a cruel, secretive and violent deity; Orlanthi consider him to be a coward, as well.
Initiates must live (when initiated) in a land subject to winter snows.. Many are hunters or raiders. They have the same abilities regarding the weather as Orlanthi.
There's a minor temple to Valind near Boldhome, on the slopes of Quivin Mountain; the nearest major temple is in the Rockwood Mountains.
Priests undergo a ritual submitting themselves to Valind's Fury, and become somewhat resistant to ice and winter. They must reside in lands subject to winter. Preferred sacrifices are weapons, or white animals.
Valind engages in "fraternal contests" with his kinsman Orlanth each winter. The adherents of the "winner" might taunt the cultists of the "loser".
Associate cults are Ygg, the sea-storm god (and Valind's son), Orlanth, and Himile (the Uz god of cold). He's an enemy to Vinga, however.
The cult is fully described in The Lightbringers.
Velhara
Also called the Lady of the Wilds; she's a daughter of Kero Fin (and thus half-sister to Orlanth and Yinkin). Mother and protector of wild things of Dragon Pass (of Odayla in particular). Among Orlanthi, most of her worship is through shrines at remote Orlanth temples -- she herself doesn't go in for the whole "buildings and taming" thing.
Vinga
Goddess of Protection and War
We've got a separate page for this goddess.
White Bull Brotherhood
The society, or brotherhood, has members in all the animal-riding Waha-worshiping Praxian tribes (including the Pol Joni, but not the Ostrich Riders, Morokanth, Basmoli, Agimori, Zebra Riders, etc.). Relations with Orlanth and Storm Bull are especially good. The term "brotherhood" has been emphasized since Argrath rose to power.
The leader since Storm Season of 1616 is a Sartarite, Argrath (though he went by other names before becoming the White Bull), formerly a slave of the Bison tribe.
Apparently his allied spirit, or fetch, or something, is the actual White Bull spirit, which he freed from some sort of prison.
The White Bull spirit, and some followers, have existed for decades or centuries; the societies were small and secretive, usually led by mad shamans. Ancient prophecies foretell the White Bull (possibly the son of the Storm Bull) leading the tribes to victory over Chaos in a final battle.
Runes are Storm and Movement.
The Prophecies
from Pavis: Gateway To Adventure
The White Bull prophecies are an ancient collection of sayings and phrases that foretell the coming of the White Bull who shall lead the Praxians to final victory over Chaos. Until then, the prophecies demand that the Praxians must remain strong enough to guard against the Chaos that lingers in Prax and the Wastes. When outlanders sap that strength, or the Praxians are divided by tribal feuds, White Bull societies crop up in every tribe to fight back.
Non-Praxians associate the White Bull prophecies with xenophobia. Indeed, phrases from the prophecies are often used by the Praxians to express their contempt and hatred for outlanders.
Yarandros
A Tarshite cult for cavalry warriors in Tarsh; his runes are Movement and Death. See Furthest, Jewel of Tarsh, page 132.
Yelmalio
The Adventures From The Lunar Provinces book has additional gifts for Yelmalians, a couple of new spirit magic spells, and four more Rune spells. Any particular Sun Dome temple in the Lunar provinces should be able to provide one of these additional Rune spells: Defend Against Darkness, Face Darkness, Summon Hawk, and (from the associated cult of Yelm) Command Horse.
A cult (specifically star-worshiping) within the Solar pantheon. Runes are Fire/Sky and Death.
Ygg
God of Storms At Sea, and Piracy
He is a son of Valind; his Runes are Movement, Wind, and Death.
To be an initiate, you must kill a captured foe.
There's a complete cult write-up in The Lightbringers.
Yinkin
God of Alynxes/Shadowcats
The priestess of this cult in Boldhome is Geranna, who dresses like an Earth priestess, but has her hair done up to resemble cat ears, and her face painted to look more "cat-like" (per Ashley Munday circa 2000). Besides the "main" cult as described in the RQG book, there are several sub-cults.
-
Alusar the Spy: good at finding secret or hidden things, and at seeing the hidden. Provides Clear Sight (as per the Red Book, but only when the Sun is down, or dead, or you are more than 3 meters underground; based on Beast Rune in this case) and the Find Enemy Rune spell (a common spell for other cults, but not normally available to Yinkini).
-
Gavren the Hunter: good at wilderness stuff, leaping, squeezing through small places; members of this sub-cult must hate trolls, however. His cult offers Leap (so you don't have to get it via Orlanth) and Become Small Alynx (a 3 pt spell, of the Become (other shape) type).
-
Hevren the Chaser: speed, jumping and movement. His cult offers Leap (so you don't have to get it from Orlanth), and Fleetfoot (which can only be cast on Yinkin cultists, or members of an associated cult). A Rune priest of Hevren can sacrifice for Great Leap.
-
Murni the Mouser: pretty much the same as "rodent-killing" aspect of Pranna. Rodent-destroying stuff, and squeezing through small places. This cult offers the divine spells Draw Beast and Become Small Alynx (a 3 pt spell, of the Become (other shape) type). They also teach the skill of making undetectable poisons to put in food. Note that Murni was a runt, born with a bobbed tail, and is unable to lose any tail-portions. She protected Ernalda's granary at one point, keeping it clear of mice, and is thus friendly with Ernalda's cult.
-
Tol Cloud-Yinkin: fighting physical and spirit creatures; he's an enemy of hsunchen, though (including were-wolves). This cult offers Tol's Strength (a 3 pt spell, similar to Boar's Strength), and Conquer Beast.
A 2 point Rune spell available to "deserving" Yinkini is Heroquest (Whistling Caves); it's a way to be saved eight times by a sylph (if you succeed at the heroquest, of course).
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.