All this talk about gnomes [and recently Lodril] got me thinking.
Why do all gnomes have to be mindless? Some of them should have free INT and a few of those should have really high INT. In some cults, like Maran Gor, they could be allied spirits. Also, gnomes aren't all cast in the same mould. Some gnomes are better at breaking stone, some at pushing dirt around, tunneling, building moats and ramparts, collapsing surface structures, creating holes in the ground, holding things stuck, building wells, ploughing the field (especially if bound to an enchanted copper plough), creating patches of quicksand or transporting people or keeping them safe underground (like Earth Meld, for you Vampire players).
Frex, a Maran Gor Malignome (dark earth magic gnome) could not only have
some of the usual gnome abilities (like disrupting surface structures by
pushing the earth upwards), but also the spells Crack Stone and Create
Fissure. It would also have high values in some or all of the cult virtues
(Vengeful, Suspicious, Temperate, Valorous and Cruel). Add to this a
penchant for smashing stones together when idle and tugging at the roots of
trees, and you have an elemental with attitude.
There are lots of other Earth Spirits than gnomes - Drainers, Rock Fox, Keepers, Well Toad, Jewel Lizard, Bone Snake, Deep Drummer, Serpent-that-stares, Desert Worm (Dune-esque), Burrowers, Sleepcradle, Shakers, Weed Reapers, Ripplers, Crackers, Tailed Frog, Knockers, Hands-that-grasp, Cave Maw, Sand Bull, Serpent Women (nice Lamia who worship Ernalda), Copper Worm, Sleepers, Eater-in-the-Marsh, Seeders, Wasters, Ash Mouse, etc.
All kinds of burrowing creatures and reptiles could be sacred to an Earth
Cult or other. Cthonian waters could also be sacred to Earth Goddesses as
are caves, Sidhe hills, underground ponds, graves, meadows, tilled fields,
hearth stones and heart stones, copper implements and adornments, kettles,
life blood, menstrual blood, semen, sickles, needles, ritual scarring, sex
(at least for Ernalda Lover = Uleria), containers, monoliths and what have
you.
EARTH CULTS IN FAR POINT First some notes on terminology.
'[Earth] Maiden' is my name for Ernaldan initiates, '[Earth] Daughters' are acolytes and '[Earth] Mothers' are priestesses.
When it comes to Maidens they have the usual duties and restrictions and privileges. Daughters, on the hand, have a slightly different role - they are the cult representatives who take care of and lead all the fertility rituals and blessing ceremonies of the clan. Communal ceremonies they perform together with the Godi (Orlanth or Yelmalio acolytes). Usually they don't teach magic though - that is one of the things Mothers do, apart from supervising the temples and doing cult business.
Speaking generally, i don't think acolytes should be free-roaming agents of the cults. They are the ones that take care of either communal/clan ceremonies and leading the clan in seasonal rituals, and the priests take care of temples, teach magic and bind spirits etc.
In some cults though, the acolytes take care of the temple and the priests/lords are the ones dealing with the community (Humakt for example, if you have acolytes of Humakt, or Lhankor Mhy). In this case acolytes could be called temple priests instead.
Acolytes should never have access to the full magic of priests or lords. That is a function of elevation ceremonies/'higher' initiation. They could have access to the priestly spells as one-use. An Orlanth godi shouldn't have access to Thunderbolt or Wind Warp. 'Thunder' yes, but not Thunderbolt. Thus, a Wind (initiate) shouldn't have access to Thunderbolt either.
When i talk about 'initiation' it covers all of the various forms of initiation, not just the sacrifice-a-point-of-POW-and-be-done-with-it initiation.
Likewise, my usage of 'subcult' is deliberately obscure. I use it to denote spirit cults, hero cults and small cults that don't fit in any Godlearnerish schema.
If you get confused and don't understand what i really mean when you read the following stuff just ask me to clarify. And i will propably succeed in confusing you some more when i try to explain.
OK, here's my take on earth cults in Far Point. First and foremost is Ernalda Mother-of-All who subsumes a lot of the other Earth Cults within her own cult as subcults, or Sisters (or Brothers), of Ernalda, on the same basis as the Ring (=Minor Council) of Orlanth. These 'subculted' cults don't have as strong magic as the fullfledged cults.
Anyways. The cult of Ernalda is basically the same as in the write-up. Ernaldans have many responsibilities and duties among the people. They heal the wounded and bless the land with growth, and the people with fertility. They keep the peace. They protect the earth from reavers. They are the stewards of home and hearth. They have command over the spirits of the earth, and use them well in times of peace or war.
When it comes to leadership in the clan, the Ernaldans usually lead the internal politics, and the Windy types the external politics. Women are not subservient to men - they have different functions and duties in society. A mythically concise way of explaining the relationship is that Orlanth acts on the advice of wise Ernalda. Most, if not all, of the communal rituals and ceremonies are led by godi and daughters together.
Women are more independent in Far Point than in Sartar, which is perhaps due to the large amount of influence from the Kerofini people.
Earth Maidens (it's a title, not an age-gender term) are the vast majority of the cult members. They provide the wealth and prosperity, but don't have many obligations except to follow the ethos of the cult, use their magic wisely and participate in the rituals (if you don't participate you become inactive and can't use your divine magic).
Some Maidens aspire to higher rank and more powerful magic. If there's a need and they are deemed worthy, they'll be initiated into the rank of Earth Daughters, who are the spiritual leaders of the clan together with the godi (whether they are Orlanthi or Yelmlians).
The Earth Mothers are the temple priestesses. They don't lead the clan ceremonies, but take a much greater interest in cult and temple rituals. And tribal politics. They teach magic and call spirits for the cult and the people, and sometimes provide shelter for the weak and oppressed, if the fosterlings can present some gifts and become initiated. In a way Earth Motherhood is a form of subcult, open only to daughters. The other subcults are open to Maidens as well.
GHOST CRONE is the Sister of Ty Kora Tek, who is the ancestor shaman and grave tender of the earth. Also called 'Mother of the Mound' at the Ghost Temple in the Woods of the Dead, where the Skullfaced Woman is buried. Crones are the grave tenders and the ancestor worshippers of Far Point, together with a few Kolating.
Ghost Crones are usually older member of Ernalda (hence 'crone'). They can
(and in some areas are required to) become ancestor shamans, but the main
power of the Crones are their command over ghosts and rapport with
ancestors. A few maidens are chosen by Ty Kora Tek at early age, and they
have an easier time being initiated into this subcult. Crones can only
summon ancestors that reside in the halls of TKT.
HEARTH MOTHER is the Sister of Mahome, who is Matron of the Household, Keeper of the Hearth Stone (= the mahome), who blesses the stead and wards it from evil. Every hearth is a mahome altar where the Fire Within is contained.
Elmalites and Yelmalions hold this cult in high regard.
HIDDEN SISTER or EARTH WITCH is the spirit wrestler of the upper and lower earth, who commands the spirits of soil and stone, land and loam. She is ugly and scarred, for she has sacrificed much for her powers. The only known temple sacred to the Witch is the Three Fingered Caves in Lizard Wood. She has her own shrine in the Copper Snake Temple in the Longdoe Hills.
A few children are chosen by the Witch when they are born and they are automatically initiated to her mysteries, but they have paid a price - All those chosen have a deformity; withered limbs, stunted growth, missing body parts, hunchback, androgynity etc. Normal ernaldans that want to join must undergo a pretty bleak and gruesome initiation during which they have to sacrifice something of their Self to gain the powers of the terrible Witch.
Initiates of the Witch (who can be either male of female) must awaken their fetch before they can become Witches.
AUNT WEALTH is the Sister of Asrelia, who hoards the bounties of the earth during winter and gifts us in spring. Winter Plenty, Wise Woman and Gift Giver are other names for her. She too shares the Snake Temple.
This subcult is technically open to Maidens, but usually only older members of Ernalda join Aunt Wealth - wisdom comes with experience and age. This is not a cult of youthful exuberance.
This subcult wields a lot of political power in proportion to their diminutive numbers.
SPRING MAIDEN is the Voria, the Flower Child. She knows the ways of every herb and flower. She can be seen dancing in the blossoming meadows every spring if you squint your eyes right. Every garden of flowers is her temple. There is a great temple to Voria in the Vale of Flowers, but no one tends it, for it is cursed. Should the curse be lifted the First Spring will happen again, or so the story is told.
Concisely put, members of this subcult are herbal wizards.
Technically, this is not the same cult as the girl's cult of the same name. Vorian girls cannot initiate themselves directly into the Spring Maiden cult - they have to be initiated into Ernalda first - though vorian priestesses can, and very often do. These women automatically count as initiates of Ernalda.
BROTHER PLOUGH is Barntar, Plougher-in-the-Field. Every properly enchanted copper plough is a temple to him. His servants are the Weed Reapers and the Stead Gnomes. He fathered the White Cow to draw his plough together with the White Ox, for there can be no Plough without the Mahome.
Most men who are initiates of Ernalda belong to Barntar. In some areas of Far Point the cult of Barntar is a subcult of both Ernalda and Orlanth. You can initiate yourself directly into the Barntar cult without having to initiate into either Orlanth or Ernalda, but you still count as an initiate of Ernalda and/or Orlanth.
BROTHER GNOME is the spirit man. He is a servant of the Earth Mother and tends all of her gnomes, even the Malignomes and the Strangling Tail. All those initiated to him are men. To gain the power over gnomes they must subincise themselves to create the male vagina, in an annual ritual. It is not a numerous cult, and those initiated to Brother Gnome are seen as more than a little strange. Gnome Brethren are not shamans, like the witches.
This cult is a possibility for crossdressers and homosexuals to have socially sanctified refuge, as members are expected to be and act weird. The same goes for the Earth Witch, but that cult has a much harsher lifestyle with ritual scarring and sacrifice of body parts, and so doesn't get many members who aren't highly motivated to serve the Witch.
The SNAKE PIPE DANCER is also revered in Far Point. This cult was detailed in RQA #5. There are also a lot of lesser cults revered in the earth pantheon, but they are mostly plundered from Bryan Maloney's Praxian Spirit Cults, so go look them up yourself. They're worth it (Little Brother indeed...).
The place names are from the Trollpak Map, if you don't recognize them.
I haven't written all of the specific spells, or initiation rituals, or requirements and stuff like that yet. But i'm working on it. If you feel you need it right away you can either ask me to e-mail you what i have or make them up yourself.
The most detailed subcult write-up i have is the Earth Witch. I can either post it to the digest when it is finished or send you the present draft in private if you want it.
There are also some myths that go with this write-up but they'ren't coherently written down yet. But i'm working on them.
COMMENTS WANTED! If you have any comments, praise, critique or questions don't hesitate to communicate them. PLEASE!
End of Glorantha Digest V2 #206
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
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