Real-world cult write-ups

[PhilHibbs]

Would anybody be interested in a project to writie up Greek, Egyptian, Celtic, etc. cults for RuneQuest? The only cult write-ups that I have are the Gloranthan ones, and while those can be adapted for other settings, they do have a distinctive Gloranthan feel that can be hard to see past, so using a real-world pantheon would be a good way for people to get a handle on it.

Does Wraith Recon or any of the other books that I don't have have many re-usable cults? I get the impression that the Young Kingdoms cults are fairly setting-specific, and for a very different set of magic rules.

 

[Dan True]

Are you talking just a collection of spells and rank requirements, or do you mean real write-ups with relevant 'fluff': traditions, history, real-world parallel etc. and ways of fitting them in a campaign/setting?

- Dan

 

[PhilHibbs]

Start with the basics, the mechanics, and add as much fluff as desired after that.

 

[Dan True]

Hmm, I may be interested. It depends on the specific religions and how much time I have on my hands later this month.

-Dan

 

[Mixster]

I would love to help out on a Nordic Cult. But Greek and Egyptian sounds interesting as well.

 

[PhilHibbs]

OK I've made a start with a list of the Olympians, a short description of each (cribbed from Wikipedia) and palceholders for the writeups.
http://mrqwiki.com/wiki/index.php/Olympian_Pantheon

 

[soltakss]

Sounds like an interesting idea.

I can see some cults appearing in publications, but it depends on whether the publications cover the magical side. For example. RQ Vikings doesn't have a cults for the gods, I believe.

 

[Mixster]

Lets look at magic for the olympians, shall we?

You are using the death rune for war gods? Why not use the Disorder rune instead and use death only for Hades?
Here are my suggestions: (i'm just listing what I find appropriate, lets pick a number for balance reasons later)
Aphrodite

Magic
Common: Becalm, Dullblade, Glamour, Heal,
Divine: Aphrodisiac, Befuddle, Blessing, Disarm, Heal Body, Soul Sight
Apollo (apollo is also the good of medicine and healing, but also illness and disease, in the Illiad, he fires arrows with plague at the troops of Agamemnon. He is also the patron of oracles, he should probably have the truth rune).

Magic
Common: Cauterise, Fate, Firearrow, Ignite, Light, Lucky MultiMissile,
Divine: Cure Disease, Eclipse, Sunspear, Sureshot.

Ares

Magic
Common: Bladesharp, Demoralise, Fanaticism, Pierce, Strength,
Divine: Berserk, Blessing, DIsmiss magic, Fear, Madness, True (spear or sword)

Artemis (artemis also has a lot to do with the moon, she should perhaps have that rune, although I'm not sure which of the others to remove)

Magic
Common: Beast call, Bestial Enhancement, Boon of lasting night, Clear path, Multimissile.
Divine: Beast form (bears and deers are most appropriate), Eclipse, Heal wound, Sureshot

Athena

Magic
Common Magic: Abacus, Armoursmiths boon, Coordination, Endurance, Parry, Protection.
Divine Magic: Alter Target, Blessing, Extension, Shield, True (spear)

Demeter (also controls the cycle of life/death, hence resurrect and hand of death).

Magic
Common: Becalm, Heal, Hand of Death, Warmth.
Divine: Bless Crops, Clear Skies, Elemental Summoning (earth), Evergreen, Rain, Resurrect.

Dionysus

Magic
Common: Babel, Befuddle, Chill, Demoralise, Detect (wine), Golden Tongue, Vigour
Divine: Absorption (he absorbs wine ), Bless Crops, Cure Poison, Illusion, Madness.

Hades

Magic
common: Chill, Countermagic Shield, Darkwall, Disruption, Hand of Death, Slow
divine: Beast From (dog), Excommunicate, Fear, Laughter, Sever Spirit, Spirit Block.

Hephaestus

Magic
Common: Armoursmith's boon, Bludgeon, Detect (metals), Ignite, Mason's Boon, Repair,
Divine: Blessing, Consecrate, Disarm, Extension, Shield.

Hera (the queen of the gods, and also patron of justice, she should probably have the Law or Mastery rune instead of the rune of man).

Magic
Common: Babel, Bearing Witness, Heal,
Divine: Consecrate (also the god of home), Exorcism, Heal Body, Regenerate Limb.

Hermes
(no communication rune on the god of diplomacy?) (I know he is pretty much the god of everything, so we should perhaps settle on a few select choices?)

Magic
Common: Abacus, Clear Path, Countermagic, Endurance, Entertainers Smile, Golden Tongue, Mindspeech, Mobility,
Divine: Amplify, Dismiss Magic, Illusion, Laughter, Meditate, Mindlink, Spirit Block.

Hestia (probably should have Stasis and Heat to mediate the goddess of the home, as she has a hearth as her symbol)

Magic
Common: Becalm, Boon of Lasting Night, Countermagic Shield, Heal, Protection, Warmth.
Divine: Behold, Blessing, Consecrate, Cure Disease, Meditate.

Poseidon

Magic
Common: Demoralise, Detect Water, Water Breath
Divine: Beast Form (Any marine creature), Breathe Water, Ebb and Flow, Elemental Summoning (water), Rain, True (trident).

Zeus

Magic
common: Babel, Countermagic Shield, Firearrow (should be refluffed as lightning arrow), Pierce, Thunder's Voice.
Divine: Blessing, Crash of Thunder, Elemental Summoning (air), Lightning Strike, Shield, Spirit Block.

 

[HeirophantX]

I mean besides a retiarius gladiator, who the heck uses a trident? Aside from images of Poseidon/Neptune, and statues of some Hindu figures, where do you see a trident? Has anyone seen a reference in classical literature to a hero or anyone really, actually using a trident? So why would Poseidon grant a spell for a weapon nobody would use?

I say just make it True (Weapon) because there are many references in the literature to heroes having their arms consecrated.

 

[PhilHibbs]

I say just make it True (Weapon) because there are many references in the literature to heroes having their arms consecrated.

I like that it's specific. You want a weapon blessed, get a priest of the right religion.

 

[HeirophantX]

Well, one can argue that they're all of the same religion. I'm just saying that a Trident is an anachronistic weapon and Poseidon is a major divinity.

And Poseidon is a horse-god as much as a sea-god and is typically held responsible for earthquakes (being the Lord of Earthquakes).

 

[Mixster]

And Poseidon is a horse-god as much as a sea-god and is typically held responsible for earthquakes (being the Lord of Earthquakes).

Sadly, I don't think there is an earthquake spell.

Also, yeah he is a horse god, should we give him endurance as a common magic? That is good for keeping horses running longer.

 

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

I say just make it True (Weapon) because there are many references in the literature to heroes having their arms consecrated.

Make it True Spear but rule that it covers tridents (and any other long pointy weapons) as well.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Sadly, I don't think there is an earthquake spell.

I'm sure Maran Gor the Gloranthan Earthshaker must have one!

There are some HQ->RQ (though probably not MRQ) Conversions to be found from Nikk Effingham and Soltakss

 

[soltakss]

Poseidon could be Poseidon Earthshaker, Poseidon Ruler of the Oceans or both.

All the major deities have several aspects. Great temples would probably be dedicated to one Aspect and very small temples to a general version of the deity.

RQ3 had Shake Earth and Cause Fissure (I think) for Maran Gor. They should be easy to convert to MRQ.

 

[Simulacrum]

Poseidon could be Poseidon Earthshaker, Poseidon Ruler of the Oceans or both.

All the major deities have several aspects. Great temples would probably be dedicated to one Aspect and very small temples to a general version of the deity.

RQ3 had Shake Earth and Cause Fissure (I think) for Maran Gor. They should be easy to convert to MRQ.

I'd suggest the reverse is more true; a small shrine would probably be dedicated to a very narrow or obscure aspect that only offers a single specialist spell. But in any event its one thing to imagine what spells etc a Greek God may offer if worshipped via an RQ style cult - quite another to force historical Greek religion into an RQ cult shaped hole. Just as Pete did with Vikings, you'd probably reject the RQ cult rules and put forward an alternative way to represent ancient Greek religion and magic.

 

[EricJ]

I didn't see any form of divination in the lists earlier in the thread. Certainly the most important well-known aspect of the Greek Priesthoods was prophecy.

“If Croesus crossed the Halys, a great empire shall be brought down.”

Now, even though Divination existed in Chaosium/AH RQ, only Draconic Dream-questing seems to provide true divination in Glorantha; we aren't used to it in our games. What rules would a Greek campaign have for it?

 

[PhilHibbs]

I didn't see any form of divination in the lists earlier in the thread... What rules would a Greek campaign have for it?

Prophecy is always challenging in a roleplaying game, I once gave a character a prophecy of the future which I was intending to introduce within a few days, but he went and got himself killed later that afternoon.

 

[Mixster]

I didn't see any form of divination in the lists earlier in the thread. Certainly the most important well-known aspect of the Greek Priesthoods was prophecy.

“If Croesus crossed the Halys, a great empire shall be brought down.”

Now, even though Divination existed in Chaosium/AH RQ, only Draconic Dream-questing seems to provide true divination in Glorantha; we aren't used to it in our games. What rules would a Greek campaign have for it?

If there should be any prophetic spells, Apollo should have them. Since he is the patron deity of the Oracle.

Prophecy is always challenging in a roleplaying game, I once gave a character a prophecy of the future which I was intending to introduce within a few days, but he went and got himself killed later that afternoon.

Yeah, what's that sort of manner from a player character! :wink: