Wistomaniac wrote:
Okay - so I've looked at the whole cults thingy and I've got one thing to say: it gives me headaches... Could someone please explain me how it works... I've read the stuff in Cults1 and 2 for Glorantha and I don't feel much wiser...
Cults are described using a format. I will use Ernalda, because She seems to be a popular deity. The first thing to know is which Pantheon (family) of deities Ernalda belongs to.
If I am a non-priest and a non-initiate, but I worship Ernalda, I can find out how she’s useful to me by looking at three items: Runes, Cult Skills, and Cult Spells.
(For Ernalda)
Runes: Earth, Fertility, Harmony
Cult Skills: Any farming related Craft, First Aid, Lore (Animal, Ernalda Theology, Mineral, Plant, or World)
Cult Spells: Heal, Second Sight, Shimmer, Strength, and Vigour.
Runes: These basic runes determine what spells you could possibly learn from the cult. However, this particular item is governed by the Game Master. Look at the Rune cult spells for Ernalda: Heal, Second Sight, Shimmer, Strength, and Vigor. Most Ernalda cults teach these basic spells. However, the GM may also determine that a specific cult have access to some spells granted by Runes that are not in the cult spell list. For instance Protection (a spell governed by the Earth rune) might possibly be taught by a particular cult of Ernalda. This is determined by the GM, however.
Say you are a common worshipper of Ernalda and you find an Fertility rune. Now, after you integrate with the rune (page 63 in the core rules) you can go to your local Ernalda priest/priestess and learn a spell (page 64 in the core rulebook). You could learn Heal (governed by the Fertility rune) (see page 74 in the Core rulebook) – one of the most important common rune spells to learn. These spells are meant to be helpful to common people such as farmers, crafters, mothers, etc., but adventurers also may find them extremely useful.
Common worshippers can learn any available rune magic spell up to magnitude 2.
The Worshippers info tells you who would commonly belong to that cult and the Worshipper Duties tells you what you would most likely do as a lay-worshipper in exchange for the benefits the common spells give you. As a common worshipper you may also go to the cult to learn any cult skills. Okay, that’s pretty much it, if you are just a worshipper of Ernalda. You need to become an initiate if you want more benefits.
Becoming an Initiate
The standard requirement for initiation into a cult is listed in the Core Rulebook (page 80). Candidates will be tested to determine their knowledge of the cult (the GM may do this through actual roleplay, or with percentile rolls – or with a combination of both). Commonly the character must succeed in five skill tests of cult skills. In addition he must make a gift of at least 50 silvers. Additional requirements may be listed under the item: Requirements. In the case of Ernalda, there are no additional requirements.
If you become an initiate you are eligible to learn any Rune Magic spells that have an automatic magnitude of 2 or less. You can also learn cult spells (spells taught only by their cult) up to a magnitude of 4. Initiates are also considered to be lay members (worshippers) of all the rest of the cults of the deity pantheon. In this case, since Ernalda belongs to the Orlanth pantheon, the initiate would automatically be considered a worshipper of all other Orlanth pantheons (but not an initiate). This does not mean that you cannot become an intiate of another cult in the pantheon, but you do not automatically become an intiate of the other pantheon cults.
Initiates may learn common divine magic. In this case the type of deity becomes important.
The Type of deity is mainly for the purpose of determining common divine spells available. In the RuneQuest Companion (page 17) you will find the spell Heal Body. It is a divine spell (and a very good spell to have). Heal Body lists
Cults:Earth and Fertility. This references to the deity Type. Ernalda’s types are Earth and Fertility. Therefore, initiates of the Cult of Ernalda can learn the divine spell Heal Body from an Ernalda cult. In addition, any divine spell that lists
Cults: All would be considered common divine magic for Ernalda.
Type is also for referring to your goddess by different names in different cultures. ‘My goddess is the goddess of Earth, too.’ You might possibly convince a priest/priestess of another religion (perhaps the cult of Dendara – see pg. 22 of Cults Handbook 1) who is also of the Earth type, but of a different pantheon, but this would be up to the Game Master.
Special Divine Cult magic is available to Initiates, as well. For Ernalda, these spells would be Bless Crops, Command (Gnomes), Command (Snake), Command (Swine), and Ease Childbirth.
Initiates may also learn spells from associated cults. The associated cults are other cults of the same pantheon. Associated cults of Ernalda are Babeestor Gor, Maran Gor, Ty Kora Tek, and Vinga. (Associated cults might be considered cults of a pantheon that have a closer tie to one cult in a pantheon than others of the same pantheon.)
Higher Levels
Because few members become Acolytes, Runelords or Runepriests, I will not explain those rules and benefits here. The rules for these and for Runepriests and Runelords are listed on page 14 of Cults of Glorantha 1 and they are quite clear.
The acolyte concept was originally designed to allow a higher level initiate the freedom from priestly duties to go wandering off on adventures that might potentially benefit the cult.
I hope this was beneficial.
