The following is my full writeup on Jajagapa (I think it uses HW, not HQ, terms) as I envisioned it. It is a small part of my Imther material (even though the dogs are more associated with Saird).
Jajagapa
Catcher of Souls
Jajagapa was born when the world was young within the Bowl of
Reladiva. He was always a walker and traversed the great Bowl,
learning the joys of life. In his wanderings he met Reladiva and
loved her and they had a son, Rowdril the Dog Father. But Reladiva
loved the son more than the father and Jajagapa learned jealousy.
When Jajagapa confronted Reladiva, she was defended by Rowdril and
father and son fought. Defeated, Jajagapa left and wandered the
paths upon and within the Bowl, learning the sufferings of life.
Jajagapa became angry then and he tore apart the Tree of Ynparsal in
his rage. For this action, Heliakal judged Jajagapa to be a foe of
the entire Bowl and sentenced him to exile.
Jajagapa walked across many lands then and fought many demons and
giants, sometimes on his own and sometimes in the service of
others. Eventually, in the deep and dark lands, Jajagapa met
Vedalira, Mistress of the Empty Bowl. Vedalira was covetous and
grasping, desirous and unyielding. She trapped Jajagapa with his own
courage, pride, and loyalty. Vedalira gave him food and direction
and only demanded three things of him in return: that he serve her
loyally and answer her call; that he never enter the Black Hut; and
that he never talk to another in the Bowl. Jajagapa accepted this
offer and made her a vow. He served her and loved her, guarded her
and protected her, like a dog. Burdened by the chains made of his
vow, Jajagapa often wept alone in the Well of Misery.
There was a servant woman who cleaned the Black Hut. She befriended
him, though he would not answer her. She saw his misery and gave
him her shadow and broom. He hid, and saw Vedalira give away
Jajagapa's food to another. He confronted her, but she mocked him.
Then he swept away her mask with his broom, revealing her monstrous
face. She attacked him, but he took the sword Judgment and with it
slew her, severed his chains, and shattered the Black Hut and Empty
Bowl. In the ashes, he found sparks that could not be extinguished.
He found the bones of his son Rowdril and the souls of his
grandchildren. With tears and remorse he woke the dead bones and
souls, forming the Lost Pack.
Jajagapa went then to seek the evil that harmed the world. He
traveled through the Four Hells and led the Star Captains back into
the Sky. He slew the monstrous Orzurmak, and cleared the Sky of
evil. The Lost Pack grew. Then he heard a cry for help coming from
the last survivors who hid in the shattered Bowl of Reladiva. These
survivors had slain Feviral the Cancer, but were now assailed by the
dead soul of Feviral, which would not die. Jajagapa descended to the
world. He wrapped Feviral in his mighty net and dragged the soul of
evil into Hell to be devoured by the world spider. Jajagapa taught
the survivors then how to seek out and slay the evils of the world
and find BarDom, the heart of Saird.
Worshipers: Dog people form a distinct kin-group, the Jajaloring peoples, who live mostly in Imther, Vanch, Holay, Aggar and Saird (their homeland). In Imther, they form an underclass, though in their sacred city of Jamaston they rule themselves. Jajagapa provides the whole basis of society to his followers: kinship, protection, provision, justice, a place in the pack, and proof of life after death. Jajalorings are not hsunchen, do not consider themselves to be dogs, and do not turn into dogs, though ignorant outsiders often believe these things about them.
Manifestations: Jajagapa is present in all dogs and dog people, in the acts of herding and hunting animals, in the Lost Pack wandering stars, and as the armed psychopomp of the Underworld, in which role he carries a net and is accompanied by a pack made from lost souls he has caught. He has the ability to go and fight the souls of the powerful dead, and drag even great magicians to Death. His net is crowded with less powerful souls. He also appears in the mundane world in response to certain portents as a pack of demonic dogs led by a grim and fearsome specter in the robes of a king, jet-black as the rest: The Wild Hunt.
Holy Days: In the Theyalan calendar, Jajagapa's holy days fall on the Godsday of Movement Week, Sea Season (Puppy Day); Godsday of Death Week, Fire Season (Kill Day); Clayday of Fertility Week, Earth Season (Sex Day); Godsday of Stasis Week, Dark Season (Pit Day); and Fireday of Death Week, Storm Season (Spark Day).
Sacrifices: Some Jajalorings think dogs are sacred and never kill or eat them; they sacrifice herd animals instead. Others think dogs are sacred and sacrifice them on special occasions. Still others think dogs are sacred and eat them every chance they get, even raising dogs for food. (A delicacy, medicine, and sacred substance of this last group is dog lard.) These differences are associated with differing clans of the Jajalorings and reflect how the different dog servants survived the Darkness.
Membership Requirements: Be accepted by the pack. Generally, adults cannot be adopted, but rare individuals may do so by proving their identity as dog people. Most worshipers are male. Jajaloring women generally worship Reladiva. The default subcult, described below, is Husvet the Barker, though there are subcults following many of the dog children such as the Fine-toothed Hound, Rowdril the Dog Father, and Ensoval the Hunter.
Mundane Abilities: Butcher, Close Combat (Spear and Shield), Ranged Combat (Bow), Run Long Distances
Virtues: Clannish, Dogged, Relaxed
Affinities:
Dog Father (Breed Dog ritual, Defend Earth, Endure, Summon Aid,
Swear Loyalty, Sword of Judgment, Tear Apart Tree, Tears of Remorse)
Pack (Call Pack, Defend Pack, Fight as One, Fight Predator, Follow Prey, Form Pack ritual, Great Bark, Hound's Baying, Pack Chase)
Great Secret: Be One with the Hunt (character becomes a part of Jajagappa's great net and is taken out of play).
Other Side: Jajagapa's Great Pack roams his realm, the Dog Plains. The Plains are filled with plenty of animals to hunt, dry places to rest and water to play in. From the Plain, initiates can exit to the Storm Age, the Darkness Age, the Underworld and the Sky World. After death worshipers become hounds in Jajagapa's Great Pack and frolic across the Plain until Jajagapa sends them back to rejoin the Jajalorings.
Other Connections: Jajagapa is the father of most dogs in Peloria and Saird.
Disadvantages: In Imther, Jajalorings are ritually and socially second-class, forbidden to intermarry with Imtherians, unable to own land, and lacking some legal rights. (Imtherians consider dogs unclean, though hounds are acceptable.) Jajalorings are equivalent to foreigners, and above tricksters and Orlanthi. In Saird, Jajalorings are shunned except by other Jajalorings and are economically oppressed by the ruling Heortlings and Lunars.
Subcults
Ensoval the Hunter
Ensoval is the god of ordinary dogs that help humankind in domestic
duties, including hunting. They call him the Hunter and the Brother
and he taught men to hunt. He is a pup of Rowdril. Ensoval was an
important figure to the Dawn Age Jajalarings. As the tides of
culture washed through, Ensoval's importance diminished greatly and
other specialized dogs now have greater power. He remains the
Hunter for the dog folk of Saird.
Membership Requirements: Be a Jajaloring man. Ensoval is primarily found in Saird and Sylila. In clans and villages where this cult is known, membership is usually hereditary, but followers of other subcults of Jajagapa may join. Initiates are servants of the local rulers, though all owe their first allegiance to their father, Jajagapa.
Mundane Abilities: Ensoval Mythology
Virtues: Helpful
Affinities:
Pack (Follow Master)
Hunting Dog (Blend into Background, Command Hunting Dog, Hear Sound, Scare Cat, Silent Approach, Spot Movement, Startle Prey)
Secret: Death Bite (character unfailingly slays one final foe though it slays the character as well. Jajagapa will always find the soul of this hunter and gather it into his net.)
The Fine-toothed Hound
The Fine-toothed Hound is a child of Rowdril, one of the many dogs
born within the Bowl of Reladiva. He was a friend, companion, and
protector of Norian in the Golden Age, when they dwelt at the Court
of Heliakal. He was among the dogs who chased Tunoral out of the
court and among those who chased their own father, Jajagapa, from
the Bowl. As the world grew dark, the Fine-toothed Hound hunted far
and wide for foes and prey. He continued to guard Norian's body
after Orak took her. But finally, in the Great Darkness, the Finetoothed
Hound was lost and starving. Khelmal found him and won his
friendship. Together they worked to free Norian and restore her to
the world. Since the Dawning, dog servants who follow the Finetoothed
Hound have been accepted as part of Imtherian culture.
Worshipers: The Fine-toothed Hound is the main subcult of Jajagapa found in Imther. Initiates are servants of Khelmal and his kin, though all owe their first allegiance to their father, Jajagapa.
Membership Requirements: In clans and villages where this cult is known, membership is usually hereditary, but followers of other subcults of Jajagapa may join.
Mundane Abilities: Sense Enemies, Fine-toothed Hound Mythology
Virtues: Loyal
Affinities:
Pack (Cast Out of Pack ritual)
Hound (Chase Raccoon, Command Hound, Follow Invisible Trail, Hunt Far and Wide, Protect Master, Swim Carrying Prey, Tireless Pursuit, Tree Prey)
Husvet the Barker
When war came to the Bowl of Reladiva, many of Reladiva's favorite
beasts were slaughtered. So the herds were given into Husvet's
protection and he watched over the herds, keeping the herds in line
and watching for predators. He is the favored dog deity in the
lands of greater Saird.
Worshipers: Husvet is the main subcult of Jajagapa found in Holay, Saird, and Vanch. Initiates are servants of the local rulers, though all owe their first allegiance to their father, Jajagapa.
Membership Requirements: In clans and villages where this cult is known, membership is usually hereditary, but followers of other subcults of Jajagapa may join.
Mundane Abilities: Know Local Pastures, Husvet Mythology
Virtues: Watchful
Affinities:
Pack (Make Herd Obey)
Herding (Command Herd Dog, Bark of Alarm, Find Good Pasture, Find Water, Slay Predator, Smell Predator)
Secret: Summon Herd Protector ritual (the summoner calls forth a daimon of the herd animals he normally guards, who will act to protect the herd)
Manakara the Watch Dog
When war came to the Bowl of Reladiva, Rowdril left Manakara behind
to guard the women's quarters. Manakara's children forever watch
over the households where they reside, guarding against all
intruders. He is the favored dog deity in the cities of Saird.
Worshipers: Manakara is a favored dog in cities for he is ever alert against foes.
Membership Requirements: In cities and villages where this cult is known, membership is usually hereditary, but followers of other subcults of Jajagapa may join.
Virtues: Suspicious
Affinities:
Dog Father (Defend Home)
Watch Dog (Bark Endlessly, Command Watch Dog, Crushing Neck Blow, Drive Off Rat, Sense Cat, Sense Intruder)
Secret: Spirit Watch (after death, the character continues to defend the home, attacking intruders as a ghost)
Rowdril the Dog Father
Rowdril was the first son of Jajagapa and is considered the first
dog and leader of the Pack. He valiantly defended the goddess
Reladiva, even against his own father. Verenmars revived his
worship in the Second Age and his image graced the war banners of
Saird. His special breed is the war dog.
Membership Requirements: Be a Jajaloring man.
Mundane Abilities: Mass Combat (Pack), Rowdril Mythology
Virtues: Brave
Affinities:
Pack (Forage, Rally Pack)
War Dog (Command War Dog, Harass Foe, Howl for Blood, Pursue Foe, Scout Foe, Smell Foe's Weakness, Skulk Away Insolently)
Secret: War Pack ritual (character becomes a unifying spirit for all summoned packs, uniting them into a great war pack)
Jajagappa Psychopomp
The Psychopomp is the Underworld and Death aspects of Jajagappa. He
hunts the unruly and unwanted spirits and turns them into productive
members of the pack. In this aspect, he appears on the Gods Wall
(IV-12), dog-headed and carrying the net he uses to catch any souls
that go astray after death, or which have no divine protection, or
otherwise are prey. They are hunted down and shredded, devoured and
reshaped to be another hound in the pack. Since evil beings are, by
definition, astray, Jajagappa Psychopomp is also viewed as the
enforcer of morality.
Entry Requirements: Must be a Priest of Jajagappa
Mundane Skills: Cast net, Knowledge of Underworld, Psychopomp Mythology, Sword and Net Fighting, Tracking
Affinities:
Pack (Spirit Pack)
Soul Hunting (Bind Spirit, Howl of Terror, Net of Souls, Rend Spirit, Smell Soul, Strengthen Net, Sure Cast Net)
Secret: Rend Spirit (any spirit you defeat with this skill becomes a spirit hound follower with a might equal to its highest skill)
Worshippers: Jajaloring priests and spiritual guardians of the pack. They hunt down enemy spirits and other foes of their people.
Other Connections: The Jajalorings claim that Jannisor Moonchaser was one of their priests. Jajalorings will always house priests of the Psychopomp anywhere. While the cult makes the ruling Heortlings uncomfortable, it is tolerated as it serves a religio mythical place in Sairdite culture.
Harald
Powered by hypermail