Dragonmaster

From: Torres, Capt Timothy M <TORRESTM.HQAMC_at_MHS.SAFB.AF.MIL>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 13:27 CDT


Another teaser, e-me for the rest

...Tim

BAKHTI' DRAGONMASTER MYTHOS AND HISTORY      The worship of Bakhti' began after time began.

     The Dragonkill War wiped out all human inhabitants of Dragon Pass, leaving it to the other humanoid races. The great secret of this time is that a small band of humans led by the Hero Bakhti' survived the war, befriended and sheltered by a renegade Dragon known only as She Who Whispers in War. They learned the ways of dragonkind and awaited the return of humans to their tribal lands. When the defeated Pure Horse Tribe fled Prax, the "Dragonmasters" were there to welcome these "Grazelanders" to the peaceful fields of Dragon Pass.

     When the Kingdom of Tarsh attacked the tiny Grazelander nation, they found a foe far better prepared than they expected. While the Tarshite hordes ultimately drove the Grazelanders into the hills, the sagas relate these two important tales:

     In the Battle for Life, a mere dozen Dragonmasters and 200 warriors, led by the Dragonmaster Hero Pol-Joni, held off the entire Tarshite army killing or mortally wounding more than 3,000. The valiant effort gave Pol-Joni's messengers time to mobilize the rest of the Grazelanders, who split their forces. One force began the evacuation of the women and children, and the herds. The second force (of 500) raced to meet the invaders but was too late to save their embattled comrades.

     In the Great Revenge, "The 500" used guerilla tactics to slow the advancing army of 12,000. Some Tarshite survivors told of entire companies that simply disappeared without a trace. Others reported demonic shrieks from the surrounding hills as they followed the fleeing tribes. Many who were there when the Tarshite forces found them-selves overextended and finally began their withdrawal from the hills claim to have seen dragons flying in defense of the Grazelanders.

     The remnants of the Grazelanders went through a time of internal strife. Many felt the invasion by Tarsh was punishment for forsaking the old ways. Those Dragon-masters who led "The 500" formed the core of the dissidents who ultimately left the Grazelands to found the Pol-Joni tribe.

[For more Pol-Joni tribal history, see the Cult of Pure Horse/Giver]

     The Dragonmasters make no promises of an afterlife. Immortality can only be had in the sagas. A heroic death is especially important toward this stature.

        Runic Associations: Beast, Luck, and Mastery

ORGANIZATION      This cult has no formal structure other than its priests. In any gathering of strange Dragonmasters, the most heroic, most charismatic, most powerful presides.

     There is no high priest of Bakhti' Dragonmaster. Each temple is run by a priest known as the Dragonhead. Only priests may initiate members. Priests may organize their initiates any way they like, not based on rank or power, but only on the job at hand. The one exception is that each priest must assign the most respected initiate as Dragonwing, who serves as messenger to the other temples, associated cults, and tribal khans. Other functional positions include Dragoneye, Dragonshield, and Dragonheart.

     The cult center of power is wherever the Dragonmasters are. Holy places include the cave grotto of She Who Whispers in War (somewhere in the Dragonkill Mountains), the Life Battlefield (in Tarsh), and the founder's stones at Jaldon's Point and Queen's Post.

     Holy Days are on Wildday of Truthweek in each season. The Dragonmasters gather to share their stories and the old sagas. The gathering lasts 36 hours beginning at dusk of the day prior to the Holy Day. The Holy Day fast and worship ceremony lasts from dawn to dusk, followed by an all-night feast. It is a status symbol to be able to provide the herd animals slaughtered for the feast. A Dragonlord who fails to provide such is thought to be weak.

MEMBERSHIP      LAY MEMBERS of this cult are known as Warriors

     INITIATES of Dragonmaster are known as Dragonclaws. This cult does not encourage reliance on others. Therefore, it will not rescue or ransom individual cult members from their own failures. However, the priest will use the Dragonroar to notify the cult. Retribution will be considered, as will the potential danger to the tribe from whatever or whoever is holding the Dragonclaw. In any case, individual cult members are not prohibited from taking appropriate action.

     RUNE LORDS of Bakhti' Dragonmaster are called Dragonlords, the embodiment of Dragonmaster ideals. Although not tied to any one temple, they may accept a calling to be khan.

     A candidate for Dragonlord must never have shown fear. He must defeat a dream dragon in single combat, appear before the Dragonmasters at a Holy Day gathering, tell the battle story, and gift the teeth to the gathering, dividing them up among the Dragonlords, Dragonheads, and Dragonclaws (in that order).

      Dragon-lords do not gain allied spirits in the usual way, but may gain one through the Wyvern Challenge (sub-cult rune spell).

     The PRIEST of Dragonmaster, known as the Dragonhead, is not subservient to the Dragonlord. However, his role is one of supporting and advising any Dragonlord who operates nearby. All Dragonheads become Dragonlords as soon as they can. In fact, there is no equivalent to the High Priest in this cult, since priests who meet the requirements become priest-lords instead.

     Like Dragonlords, Dragonheads do not receive allied spirits. Any Dragonhead with 15 points of reusable rune magic sacrificed for may forfeit his post to work toward Dragonlord status, provided there is an available acolyte (at any temple) ready to assume the post.

Skills: Evaluate Beast, Speak Draconic, Climbing, Riding, Spot Hidden, and Tracking.

Spirit Magic: Demoralize, Mobility

Divine Magic: Dragon Eye, Dragon Wing, Dragon Shield, Dragon Roar

Spirits of Reprisal

     Fear, doubt, guilt, and shame are heaped on Initiates and Rune-levels who leave the cult, causing them to act as if magically demoralized for a number of weeks (initiates) or years (rune levels) equal to their POW.

Wyvern Riders

     Cult members may join this elite sub-cult of Dragonmaster by sacrificing three points of permanent POW in the Wyvern Challenge ritual.  This ritual is performed once each year at the Holy Day gathering during Storm Season (immediately prior to the Sacred Time). In succession, each applicant steps into the challenge circle, unarmed and unarmored, and offers up the required POW. If there is a healthy wyvern within range
(100 miles), the POW is sacri-ficed and the wyvern arrives to battle the
challenger. If the wyvern wins the battle, it is allowed to eat the body
(all requests for Divine Intervention will fail), and the spirit is
absorbed by Bakhti' Dragonmaster. Material goods owned by the challenger now belong to the cult, though his family will be provided for. If the challenger wins the battle, the wyvern becomes his allied spirit and the challenger starts a Ride Wyvern skill at 5% plus natural bonuses. If there is no healthy wyvern within range, the POW is not sacrificed. There will be no further challenges this year.


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