Welcome to the Glorantha Digest, and thanks for writing! I hope to hear more from you in future issues. Any new group of Gloranthan RuneQuesters deserves all the support we can give it!
> Can an initiate learn all of the command and special divine magic
> spells available to the cult as one-use (provided that the spells
> are reusable for priests)?
Yes, if a priest is willing to teach them. The priest must know the spell and be prepared to pass it on. It will be more difficult to learn subcult divine spells, as specific shrines and priesthoods specialise in these. This gives you room for local variation and gamemaster "fudging" of spell availability.
> Can initiates learn common divine spells and/or spirit magic spells
> from "associate" or friendly cults?
Per the rules, only the specific "Associate Cult" divine spells can be learned from friendly cults. These may be taught by a priest of either cult, I imagine, though I can't remember the specific rules. You couldn't learn common divine magic from another deity within the rules. Of course, the rules are as flexible as the gamemaster needs them to be.
> What does an initiate of a "rare" cult do?
Your suggestions are both fair enough (pilgrimage, wandering priests). Another option would be to join a "common" cult as well. All Orlanthi (i.e. 85%: the famous "Orlanthi All") worship Orlanth or Ernalda, and around half of all Orlanthi are members of more than one cult; most of these probably worship Orlanth (or Ernalda) and some other deity. Such initiates would get their Yinkin cult's special spells from a smaller temple than the Orlanth temple they get their common divine spells from. Does that make sense?
Also, some "rare" cults are only worshipped for the one rune-spell which can be obtained from their shrines. There's no point going overboard in your worship of the god of Rain, once you've got his Rain-Making spell!
> Are all clan members expected to become initiates of Orlanth, or just
> Lightbringer gods, or just "acceptable" Orlanthi cults?
It'd be harder to be accepted if you weren't an Orlanthi yourself. The trouble with this area is that the 'culturally realistic' answer ("You must be an Orlanth initiate") conflicts to some extent with Maximum Game Fun. As clan chieftain, I'd certainly treat non-Orlanthi differently at the clan moots and when deciding who to trust. "King of Sartar" has a bit on this: worshippers of other "acceptable" cults are seen as strange by ordinary clanspeople. This kind of attitude is best brought over by the gamemaster's role-playing of clan NPCs.
I've never played in Dorastor's Risklands (I'm a Greydog myself), so this isn't based on my own experience, but it's what 'feels right' to me.
> I assume the clan gives them seed, oxen, a plow, and some sheep. The
> clan would also have to help feed the steadholders. To what extent
> does the clan require them to pay this back?
The clan would IMHO expect the new steadholders to contribute to the same extent in future years. Nobody is being "paid back". Probably the clan chieftain gets a bonus first pick of the offspring of any sheep that were originally a 'gift'; probably he can call on the steadholders who use the clan's plough (rather than their own) to work his own land at some time during harvest. But the chieftain is the front-man for the Clan, and the property 'given' by the clan is its own odal property: it's collectively owned and used. The whole question above looks very different when you consider that, as clan members, the new steadholders do have a fair claim on the odal property of the clan. Their status within the clan may be lowered as a result (being on the 'odal dole'?), which would be a handy incentive to 'repay' (i.e. contribute more than you received) this clan charity in future years, if you ever want to make much of yourself. It's hard to imagine a stickpicking dole-taker ever being chosen Clan Champion in a contested weapontake vote, for instance: it would reflect badly on the clan.
> I asssume that the clan levies some form of taxation, as any govern-
> ment, to provide services that benefit the entire clan.
It's more likely IMHO to be in the form of produce (not just harvested grains: add in eels from the stream, honey from the hives, and anything else that your stead produces better than the others) and WORK. The clan members' labour is extremely valuable to the clan, probably more so than agricultural overproduction (given the availability of Bless Crops, why bother doing too much?). When the clan builds fortifications, it doesn't call in outside contractors and pay them via what it has levied as tax. The chieftain gets every clansman to come and perform the backbreaking work of piledriving for stockades, digging and mound-building, and fixing that old "murus gallicus"-style wall together, etc. It's hard labour, but you're all in it together. That's what clan life is all about.
Produce (and nice presents) are probably presented to the chieftain on a seasonal or annual basis. The clan priests' tithes will also be used for the good of the flock: much will be used as sacrifices (which meat and other foodstuffs are then made available to feed everyone who turns up to worship), while if the 'temple' does retain any foodstuff in its stores, this likely goes to feed its own dedicated initiates and acolytes, who receive this food and support in return for the work they do: defending the Risklands and serving the Gods. (If, that is, there are any full-time cult servants in this land: traditional Orlanthi 'godi' aren't, but the likes of Tribal Champions probably fit this description).
Have a look at the way amounts due to Anglo-Saxon or Frankish kings and nobles were tendered, if you can find a good history book. I'll see if I can find a good example to post here. The form of this 'taxation' is far more entertaining than mere coin or grain (and can generate scenarios!).
If you don't have it, beg, borrow or steal to get your hands on a copy of Greg Stafford's book "King of Sartar". This contains inter alia a wealth of incidental detail on the Orlanthi clan and tribal set-up with loads of cultural stuff you can pillage for your own games. And their myths.
Also, the "Glorantha" boxed set ("Genertela: Crucible of the Hero Wars": the box with the orange cover) includes in "Players' Book: Genertela" a good chunk of material about the Orlanthi, viewed both from within and outside their society. I can't recommend these products too highly!
Any more questions, please ask.
Powered by hypermail