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Cults of GloranthaCults of GloranthaCults of Glorantha

AuthorLawrence Whitaker

Additional textSimon Bray, Greg Stafford and Jeff Richard.

EditorCharlotte Law

Layout and Graphic DesignWill Chapman

Interior Illustrations Aneke Murillo, Jesus Garcia Lopez, Julien Tainmont-Pierrat, Rom, Jason Banditt Adams, Pedro Potier, Jordan Sheady, Miguel Regoden Harkness

Proofreading Nick Robinson

PlaytestersBruce Mason, Simon Bray, Ken Cabana, David Ednie

Special ThanksBruce Mason, Simon Bray, Pete Nash, Jeff Kyer, Moon Design and the Gloranthan community

The myth of Orlanth and Ernalda’s wedding written by Greg Stafford and reproduced with kind permission.

Credits

Copyright Information

ContentsIntroduction 2

Cult Structure and Format 8

Magic 16

Babarian and Nomad Cults 34

Draconic Cults 66

Invisible God: Malkioni Sorcery Orders 109

Solar Pantheon 150

Storm Tribe 190

Index 250

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Introduction2

This substantial volume deals with Glorantha’s myriad cults. It is not exhaustive: many Gloranthan societies have small, sometimes tiny, local cults that, whilst important to that society, have little consequence in the great scheme of Glorantha’s destiny. However this book is comprehensive: within these pages you will find details of theistic (divine) cults, sorcerous orders, ancestor and spirit cults, as well as many other peculiar cults each with a certain degree of importance.

Cults are important to Glorantha. They are essential vehicles for providing communication between the residents of Glorantha and the gods of the world. Cults are both religious and cultural structures that shape faith, belief, attitude and social structure. Cults offer community and connection: people from very different countries or regions find common ground if they worship the same or similar gods and follow the same or similar cults. Cults provide explanations and assurances for life and death’s great mysteries: how did I come to be? What happens when my life ends? What am I supposed to do in between times? How am I expected to behave? Cults provide guidelines for behaviour, morality and the journey from cradle to grave.

In short, cults foster and support community. They provide balance and focus and show how the universe works. Magic comes through cults; adherence to a cult’s ways, be it a theistic, sorcerous, mystical or spiritual order, grants access to the higher magical powers of that cult. Therefore cults are conduits for magical ability that go above and beyond the common, everyday magic Gloranthans experience.

Using this BookMost Gloranthan Adventurers belong to a cult. Those who do not belong to a curious minority viewed with suspicion and, sometimes, fear. Most Gloranthans, however, are not especially active within their cults: the god or gods of their cult are worshipped but for them cult business is a distant thing and they press-on with the routine of the daily lives.

Adventurers are different.

Many Adventurers are decidedly active, seeking progression within the cult as a means for gaining personal power, growing closer to their gods and advancing the cult’s agenda, status and influence. It is therefore expected that most Adventurers will become initiates of a cult and then go on

Introduction

What About Kyger Litor… and Thanatar… and…Whilst it is a long-upheld Gloranthan tradition to include a description of Kyger Litor in any book dealing with Gloranthan cults, you will not find Kyger Litor in here. Nor will you find the cults of most non-human species, or Chaos cults. Space, quite simply, precludes them.

You will find the non-human cults appearing in Races of Glorantha. You will also see the Chaos cults and a few others that we have not included in this book for space reasons, appearing in other Glorantha supplements and in the pages of Signs & Portents.

The focus of this book is to maximise the adventuring opportunities for the bulk of Gloranthan Adventurers, who will be human in the main and worship the cults of their cultures, rather than the slavering and quite rare, chaotic cults. As you will see, most cults are described in reasonable depth, with at least one myth, and this means that we have had to be selective when it comes to choosing which cults to include and which to exclude.

So, regrettably, no Kyger Litor but don’t worry; its coming…

to greater things, becoming the lords and rulers of the cult and being able to draw upon considerable power: religious, political and magical.

Choosing A CultThe most natural choice of cult is dependent on two things: one’s race and one’s culture. Humans will always join human cults and this book concerns itself with the human cults; Races of Glorantha deals with the cults of Glorantha’s elder races.

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Culture is more nebulous. In general one will join the cult of one’s home community; it is familiar, expected and natural. Citizens of the Middle Sea Empire will join the Malkionist cults; citizens of the EWF will choose a Draconic Cult or a Mystical Path; Dara Happa’s residents will join Solar Cults and so forth. However, things are not necessarily so straightforward.

The EWF for instance hosts distinctly draconic versions of both Orlanthi and Solar cults. Some God Learners worship the Invisible God indirectly, focusing instead on a sorcery order that only tangentially offers veneration but nevertheless abides by the word of the Abiding Book.

When you create a Gloranthan Adventurer, and come to decide which cult he will be a member of, look first at his culture and background. The natural choice will be a cult that forms the closest part of his upbringing but it need not be the cult one chooses to join. Adventurers are rarely sedentary and they gain greater exposure to different myths and viewpoints than most Gloranthans who never leave their home communities. It is thus very possible for someone born in the God Learner heartlands of Safelster to, perhaps, be swayed to a Draconic Cult or even an Orlanthi one. Most will not; but if you choose this route for your Adventure consider several things:

• How will you be viewed by your community and peers? Joining a contradictory or enemy cult could have profound repercussions for personal safety.

• What cults do your fellow Adventurers belong to? Again, striking a pose that is at odds with those you adventure with could introduce difficulties and tensions that might otherwise be avoided.

• What is your Adventurer’s goal regarding cult membership? What sort of relationship and personal power is being sought? All cults offer power of some kind but there is always a personal cost attached to it: a commitment. Committing to a particular path that one might later come to regret or become disillusioned with could again make life very difficult.

• What are the key myths of the cult? Myths are as important to Gloranthans as the culture of their birth. Myths explain many things and the appeal of a certain myth, and how it teaches and enforces certain kinds of behaviour, will be crucial. A meek and mild Orlanthi with a thirst for knowledge would not make for a good Storm Bull or Humakti cultist.

• How far do you intend to progress within the cult? Many Adventurers remain as initiates but higher standing brings greater power and prestige – always at some form of cost. To embrace the benefits of higher rank, what are you prepared to sacrifice?

Choosing a cult should not be a knee-jerk reaction or one that is seen to offer rapid power with no commitment in the short term. Do not join Storm Bull because your Adventurer is good with a weapon and likes killing: join Storm Bull if your father was a Storm Khan, your family hails from the Praxian Wastes and because you want to rid the world of Chaos because Chaos killed your family or friends. Look carefully at the cults as they relate to your culture, your community, your background and your personal desires. Make the choice based on certain informed decisions. Cults, once joined, are more than simply a magical or religious club; they are faiths and faiths are often vengeful if their principles are ignored and betrayed.

Attitude, Points of View and MythNo single cult has a monopoly on truth. Every cult has its own explanations for how the world came to be and what has happened in it. Some find common ground but many differ markedly. The truth, as far as it can be called that, is correct from the cult’s attitude and point of view. For example, the fact that the world was plunged into the Great Darkness, when chaos ravaged the earth, is not in dispute; however the cause of the Great Darkness varies from one belief system to another. So is how it came to an end: Orlanthi, for instance, believe that the Lightbringers went into the Underworld and rescued the sun emperor Yelm, bringing about his resurrection. The sun-worshipping Dara Happans, however, offer a different, Yelm-centric explanation that fundamentally contradicts and disputes Orlanthi belief. Both are correct. The ultimate truth cannot be known because there is no single, ultimate truth. The acts of creation and the acts that shaped the world as it is now, are the results of mythic action, often simultaneous and often confusing or difficult to comprehend from a mortal view point. Individual myths explain and rationalise, taking a particular attitude or stance but there is no single, unassailably true myth. There are many versions, many viewpoints and the correct viewpoint is the one you establish through your devotion and understanding of a cult.

It is therefore essential for all Gloranthan Adventurers to understand the following about cults, truths and myths:

• The myths of your cult are the most important. Some myths may coincide but have lesser importance; some will contradict and be wrong. Your myths are what matter.

• Some gods belong to multiple lines of faith and may have different names but their essences and, sometimes, their myths are the same. However, the point of view of your cult is the most important.

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• Myths are not static legends. They replay themselves constantly in the Otherworld and maintain the stability of the cosmos. With the right magic one may experience these myths first-hand and reap great benefits. This is what is known as HeroQuesting: it is perhaps the most potent form of magic.

• Myths are real, yet outside of Time. They can be experienced from many different points of view but generally move towards the same outcome. Without myths, the cosmos would not exist; it would be Null. Myths make who we are. Thus, the lessons they provide should be channelled and their fabric experienced. Myths should be allowed to drive behaviour.

• Myths can be altered. Most religions believe this is wrong as it disrupts the stability of the cosmos. The God Learners believe that, if myths are altered in the right way, everyone can benefit. But the risks are great as the fundamental totality of the cosmos is at stake.

Time and The Great CompromiseMortal creatures measure their lives through Time but Time is a relatively new creation. Time came about some 908 years ago when the Great Darkness was defeated and the Sun rose again in the sky. For that to happen the gods, who had warred, reached an agreement known as the Great Compromise. All gods and god-like beings, including spirits large and small, intelligent, unintelligent and inert, are bound by the Great Compromise, which is thus:

War between gods precipitated chaos and destruction. Further war between gods should be abandoned. War of this nature will lead to the destruction of the universe.

All should find a common ground for the protection of the universe and share that responsibility.

The mortal races should be free to grow, develop and change. The mortal races may channel and emulate the gods but are apart from them. Mortals are not gods and vice-versa.

The result of the Great Compromise was the creation of Time and, if there is a single truth in the universe then this is it. Time provides stability for mortals but in a finite framework that the mortal mind can behold and comprehend. Certain races, like the dragonewts and the mostali, live within Time but are immortal and exempt from it. Most, though, are bound to Time just as the gods are bound outside of Time.

Moreover, Time exists in three forms:

Linear Time – Cults believing in Linear Time maintain that, once created, Time cannot be uncreated or reversed: it will continue forever in an unbroken line until something causes the world to end.

Cyclical Time – Cults believing in Cyclical Time hold that seasonal events, such as the phases of the year, the path of the sun across the sky, the cycle of day and night, are the same event occurring again and again. Thus the world does not change, although mortals may change within it. Myth continues to influence all life, as fixed by the Great Compromise.

Illusory Time – Before the Great Compromise time had no existence and therefore no meaning. All things happened at once or may have happened in any order. Mortals cannot comprehend this complexity, which exists still, and so Time is Illusory; a way of spanning the Godtime (where myths continue to exist and function outside of time), Chaos (which threatens all existence) and the mundane, perceivable world. Time itself is an illusion born of mortal need. It can be taken into the Godtime and imposed on events. This is, however, to cause immense philosophical consequence and invite chaos back into the cosmos. It is risky and dangerous. It is also at the heart of the God Learner philosophy.

The way Time is interpreted forms part of the definition of each pantheon or belief system described in Cults of Glorantha, although it should be noted that some cults within a pantheon or system have a different way of viewing Time based on certain mythic observations or arcane knowledge.

The Gloranthan CalendarThe calendar used in Glorantha is a Jrusteli concept based on close observation of how the world changes from season-to-season and day-to-day and how the Runes have an incessant, unstoppable effect on the environment. Their observations have been codified into the calendar which is in widespread use across all cultures, which accept that the Runes have a natural effect on climate that is inimical to their nature.

The calendar is opposite:

As Glorantha is flat, and does not revolve, seasonal changes are a direct result of Runic influence rather than physics. The further actions of gods may also cause additional seasonal changes and this was common during the Dawn Age. Following the Great Compromise such interference is uncommon but not unknown. The Great Compromise stipulates that the physical world should be influenced solely by the Runes and not the actions of deities. The fact that Runic powers manifest in the ways seen in the different seasons has caused the God

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Learners to wonder if they form some kind of pattern that rotates through Glorantha, or if the Runes simply rise in influence, exert it and then slowly fade in a similar manner to the way the sun rises.

Naturally enough the God Learner’s curiosity has led to musings on how human sorcerers might control the seasons, reordering them, lengthening, shortening, or even removing them altogether. Such power is currently beyond them because manipulating the Runes directly is something beyond even the gods: this does not, however, stop the God Learners from trying.

SeasonsSeasons are formed of eight weeks and named for the Elemental Runes that have their most conspicuous effects at this time. There are five, with a sixth season known as Sacred Time, occupying the final two weeks of the year.

Sea SeasonFollowing the rebirth after Sacred Time, Sea Season is when things begin to grow and blossom. Light rains are frequent and the earth is abundant. Tides are at their calmest and the air is beginning to warm as the Fire/Sky Rune asserts its own dominance.

Fire SeasonThe Fire/Sky Rune is at its strongest, bringing long, hot days and cool nights. Plants ripen and fruits fill-out on the bough. The minds and bodies of humans are at their most vibrant with considerable energy flowing through Glorantha. Fire Season was the first season after the Great Darkness when the sun emperor Yelm rode out from Hell and across the sky in his fiery chariot.

Earth SeasonAs the Fire/Sky rune subsides, the Earth Rune’s power asserts itself. This is the harvest time when the goddesses and gods of the earth cause all that has been planted to be ready for harvesting. Life is at its richest, even though the world is beginning to cool and trees are preparing to shed their leaves. Colours, especially earthy colours, such as browns and greens, are at their most vibrant and vivid.

Dark SeasonThe Darkness Rune seeps out of the earth as the harvest completes and the world cools. Leaves fall from the trees and the land becomes stark. The sky becomes a grey plate, heavy with snow. This is a time for preparing foods and storing them, and for completing unfinished business. Many are grim during Dark Season, subtly depressed after the previous two seasons.

Storm SeasonThis is the time of the Storm Gods. The Air and Mobility Runes are unleashed together creating a time of violent storms, vicious rains, deluges of snow and other activity that imposes hardship for humans. Animals are brought indoors and only the foolish embark on pursuits that will involve lengthy travel. The intensity of Storm Season is never consistent, reflecting the nature of Orlanth, most tempestuous of the gods. If there is one season the God Learners would control, it is Storm Season.

Sacred TimeSacred Time occurs one Storm Season ends and lasts 14 days. Glorantha mythically and symbolically re-enacts the death and rebirth of the cosmos. Sacred Time is important to all theist religions and the Dragon Worshippers. Magic is strong and

1 Week = 7 Days

8 Weeks = 1 Season

5 Seasons + Sacred Time = 1 Year (350 days)

Days of the Week Weeks of the Season Seasons of the YearFreezeday Disorder Sea SeasonWaterday Harmony Fire SeasonClayday Death Earth SeasonWindsday Fertility Dark SeasonFireday Stasis Storm SeasonWildday Movement Sacred TimeGodsday Illusion

TruthSa

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many important rituals and ceremonies are reserved for Sacred Time when they will be at their most potent: HeroQuests are traditionally held now. Even the weather becomes neutral as the Elemental Runes subside and the Magic Rune exerts itself. Days are neither warm nor cold, sunny nor overcast. Rain does not fall but neither does the sun break through. The sky is a slate slab covering the world.

WeeksJust as the Runes influence the nature of each season, so they influence the nature of each week – although the influence is less profound than at the seasonal level.

Disorder week, the first of each season, is a time where confusion is at its highest; things lack clarity and focus and if individuals are distracted, it is because the Disorder Rune is at its strongest.

By contrast, Harmony week sees all things coming together as the Rune asserts itself over Disorder. Plans fall into place, arguments and disputes are settled with far greater ease and the world seems to have found its balance.

Death week follows Harmony and it signifies the ending of things. Many plans and projects come to their natural conclusion during Death week and although mortality itself is not influenced significantly, those who follow cults with the Death Rune, such as Humakt, find a certain vibrancy during this week.

Fertility week sees a rebirth. For females, conceiving a child is at highest during Fertility week and those cults with the Fertility Rune see their magic and outlook at its strongest. Fertility week of Sea Season is the time for planting crops and sowing grain. Sexual energies run high.

Stasis week sees the Stasis Rune slowing all things down. There is a natural urge to rest during this week. Some dragonewts spend the entire week stock-still, immobilised by the Stasis Rune’s influence. In humans, it manifests as a need for relaxation after the exertions of Fertility week.

And then Movement week forces all things into action once more, energising the world. The Mobility Rune is ascendant here and all things act with renewed energy and vigour.

The seventh week, Illusion week, sees Glorantha taking on an almost dream-like quality. Dreams are at their most vivid and there is always a feeling that what can be seen and perceived is

quite different to the reality. Some cultures, such as in Esrolia, take to wearing masks and outlandish disguises during Illusion week, celebrating the secretive nature of the Illusion Rune.

Finally Truth week sees many revelations. Magic based on illusion and trickery is easier to counter; secrets have a habit of being made public; attempting to tell a lie of any kind is difficult as the Truth Rune exerts a powerful influence over the world, compelling everything to its true nature.

Magic and HeroQuestingNew magic is presented throughout Cults of Glorantha and summarised in the Magic chapter. HeroQuesting, too, is also covered and is discussed in more detail in the next chapter.

Creating Your Own CultsYou should feel free to create your own cults, for your own societies and cultures. Use the Cult Structure template to guide you and decide upon magic from the spells presented here and in the RuneQuest Core Rules. A few rules to guide you…

• Cults usually reflect a real-world need: a profession, a way of life, a philosophy. Look to fill these gaps.

• Not all cults are large. Many are local cults revering a local nature spirit, a small, forgotten god or a hero known in a particular region. Anyone or anything can be the focus of a cult with its magic reflecting what it is, what it did, what it does and what it offers to those who worship it.

• Cults provide meaning. Meaning is usually conveyed through myths. Look to the many myths in this book to help you create your own but spend some time being creative in the myths for your cult. They can also, quite freely, contradict the myths of other cults and other cultures – even within the same pantheon. Every cult explains its own gods in its own ways. There is no single truth.

• Paths to power. Cults usually offer a path to influence of some kind. Any cult you create should offer the same but be balanced with its purpose, role and mythology. A new cult to challenge Orlanth, for instance, would soon be crushed by the warriors of Orlanth Thunderous; but a new cult revering one of Orlanth’s many heroic brothers, that honours heroes of Orlanthi settlements, would be made most welcome.

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