THE (CIVILIZED) CULT OF LODRIL MYTHOS AND HISTORY: Lodril is manifested as an aware semi-divine molten earth elemental. He wishes to return the planet to a molten state. So far, the only thing preventing this is the hard crust of the world, and the appeasements of cultists. Runic associations include Earth and Heat.
CULT ECOLOGY: This cult's primary purpose is to appease the God and keep it from erupting in anger when civilized people put his intense heat to productive uses (usually those involving forges). There are also similar spirit cults by which primitives seek to appease it so as to discourage volcanic eruptions. But in civilized regions, this cult has a monopoly on intense heat. Of course, there are also those cultists who are, instead, turned to the god's own base purpose.
CULT IN THE WORLD: Lodril Smiths operate intense forges capable of working metals harder than bronze (usually under the supervision of a Lodril Forge Master). Smiths and mages not of the cult attempting to operate such a forge would incur the wrath of Lodril, usually resulting in the uncontrolled release of lowfires and simpler elementals who would punish or even destroy the offender. In some cases, the God itself might manifest to punish the offender, often running amok in the world for hours afterwards, until the cult can again appease it. For this reason, the cult acts aggressively to discourage unauthorized forges.
INITIATES Requirements: Prospective initiates must be accepted to apprentice under a Lodril Smith. Children of Lodril Smiths are accepted automatically on their 15th birthday. Others must meet the following requirements: (1) Be able to Read Own Language at least 25%. (2) Have a magic skills modifier of at least 5%. (3) Know Mineral Lore or a metalcraft at 25%. (4) Pass a POW x 3% test. And (5) sacrifice a point of POW to the Lodril Smith or his familiar (if aplicable).
Benefits: Initiates receive experience as civilized metalworking crafters/sorcery students. Additional spells may be purchased from those available.
Sorcery Spells: Animate (Substance), Dominate Gnome, Dominate Salamander, Earthwarm, Enhance Forge, Form/Set (Substance), Heat Metal, Holdfast.
NOTE: Initiates spend 90% of their time performing duties, studying, and maintaining their skills.
LODRIL SMITHS (Acolytes)
Requirements: Must be 90% in a metalcraft, 50% in Read/Write Own Language, Heat Metal (Spell), and one other cult spell, at least 50% in total ritual magic skills. Must have been an initiate for at least two years, pass a POW x 3% test, and sacrifice a point of POW to the Forge Master or his familiar.
Benefits: Lodril Smiths receive experience as apprentice sorcerers. They are master smiths and apprentice sorcerers. Most cultists never advance beyond this point.
Sorcery Spells: As Initiates, plus common Enchantment spells, Appease Lodril, Summon (Creature).
NOTE: Lodril Smiths spend 90% of their time performing duties, studying, and mainting their skills.
LODRIL FORGE MASTERS (Priests)
Requirements: Must have been a Lodril Smith for at least five years and be at 75% all of the following: one ritual or lore, two sorcery skills, Appease Lodril (spell), and one other cult spell. Must then pass a POW x 3% test. Will then be taught the secrets of creating a familiar. Once the Lodril Smith successfully creates a familiar, he/she is both an adept and a Lodril Forge Master.
Sorcery Spells: As for adepts. May not teach Appease or Summon Lodril or Heat Metal to non-cultists.
NOTE: Forge Masters spend 90% of their time performing duties, studying, and maintaining their skills, until they retire. Leaves of absence may be sought on rare occasions if suitable replacements are found.
SPECIAL LODRIL SORCERY SPELLS Appease Lodril: ritual Ceremony. This spell allows the user to lead weekly formal "worship" services in which magic points are sacrificed to the god to appease his otherwise near constant anger. It does not permit the user a power gain roll. But all participants receive reassurance that the god is satisfied with their sacrifice for the time being, and that their own activities will not draw the god's wrathful attention for the next week. The ritual is also used to halt or prevent the god's rampages in other circumstances, such as when punishing "unauthorized" activities and when responding to a Summon Lodril ritual (see below). In these circumstances, the chance of the God being appeased and halting or refraining from it's rampage is 1% per magic point sacrificed.
Earthwarm: touch, passive, temporal (double normal duration). This spell causes a 10 meter radius of earth to warm up by 5 degrees C per point of intensity. This spell is normally used to protect travellers in frigid climes when no other heat is available, but is also used by renegade Lodril servants to help the God penetrate frozen ground more easily.
Enhance Forge: ranged, instant. This spell must be cast on a fire. Each point of spell intensity increases the fire's intensity by one level, adding 1D6 to the damage it produces. It also speeds consumption of flammables, causing the fire to burn itself out faster if not fed. This spell works on Fireblade, but the affected weapon takes 1D6 damage per intensity of the spell. The spell also increases the damage done by a salamander, but also likewise damages the salamander. The spell is normally used to bring a forge fire up to the temperature needed to work hard metals.
Heat Metal: touch, passive, temporal. This spell causes one ENC of metal to heat up and become malleable. It takes about a minute for the metal to become red hot. Each point of spell intensity creates 1D6 intensity of heat. Use the Fire and Heat Table on page 81 of the Player's Book to determine how much heat is needed for a particular metal. Thus a 7 point Heat Metal cast on bronze would bring it to its very softest for hammering and smithing, while an 8 point spell would simply melt it.
Summon Lodril: ritual Summon spell. This spell must be cast at an intensity 15 forge or at the lip of an active volcano. If cast at an active forge in a frigid clime, Earthwarm must first be used to allow Nehwon's appearance. Permanent POW may be sacrificed in the casting by all cultists present, though each cultists must succeed at a Summon roll to do so. The ritual creates a 1% chance per point of POW sacrificed that the God (itself) will appear. Lodril Forge Masters use the spell to summon the god seeking some service from it (the cult's version of Divine Intervention). In such situations, Appease Lodril must be cast simultaneously (usually by another forge master) to prevent the god from going on a rampage. Renegade servants of Lodril use the spell at the lip of a volcano. In this case, the (unappeased) god's appearance causes the volcano to erupt.
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