>P.S. to Michael Raaterova: great stuff on the Far Point earth cults --
>though I'm a little confused about the relationship between the
>traditional Voria cult and the subcult you described. More, please, esp.
>about the various earth spirits.
The traditional Voria cult as written in GoG is a small (even if quite numerous) cult for pre-adult girls. It is probably more of a propedeutical school, where the girls learn the stories and myths about how to girls and women should behave in society through didactic tales. The same goes for Voriof of course - V and V are the Youthful Twins representing the first of the societal stages.
The priestesses of Voria are the mentors of the girls, and their magic is for celebrating the Blossom Run of Voria in Sea Season - Lighten Mood, Grow Flowers, Blossom Run, Create Flower Crown, etc.
The Ernaldan Spring Maiden on the other hand is a slightly different cult. Although it of course shares some traits with the girls' Voria, it accentuates other things. One of the main tasks of girls is to collect herbs, grasses, nuts, flowers, spices, whatever, for the household.
Thus the Spring Maiden deals with herbs and flowers and stuff and their magic reflect this - Enhance [herb], Preserve [herb], Brew/ Ferment/ Create Potion (spell shared with Minlister), Command Windflower, Find [herb], etc.
Earth Maidens can initiate into the Spring Maiden subcult, but Vorian girls can't because they are girls - non-adults. Vorian Priestesses can initiate into Spring Maiden without having to be initiated into Ernalda Mother-of-All, because they already worship Voria in all her aspects. But they still count as initiates of Ernalda as well as Voria, because Spring Maiden is also an aspect of Ernalda.
Does this make it clearer?
MINLISTER I forgot to include Brother Brewer in the list of subcults. It is open to both men and women of Ernalda, but especially to Spring Maidens and Plough Brothers.
It is also a subcult of Elmal - the Honey Mead subcult. Different names, same cult. During recent times, when Yelmalio has largely replaced Elmal, quite a lot of Elmalite cult practices and mores have lived on in the Brewer subcult.
The Master Brewers are those who know the secret of Wind Mead, Clouded Mead, Golden Mead and Blood Mead.
The Blood Toast Day takes place in Dark Season during the Good Hope Festival. Its purpose is to feast so hard and loud that Ernalda stirs from her slumber to awaken in Sacred Time.
The Honey Mead Day takes place at the end of Fire Season, and is a part of the Elmal HHD and the Alda-Thing.
Brother Brewer is also a god of divination and psychedelic visions. He is quite dionysian, especially in Kerofini territory, where men should steer clear of the Women of the Frenzy during Daughter's Week in Earth Season.
EARTH SPIRITS There are a few detailed Earth Spirits in Questlines, among other types. Usually i don't write any game-mechanics of my spirits, but prefer to have them unspecified and improvised.
Spirits should never be steroetyped. It takes the fun out of them. Most of the spirits i listed in #206 (207?) i made up as i wrote them down. They're just names. The fun part is discovering that they all have personalities and quirks when you use them in a scenario.
I'll mail some Earthy mythchens when i get them sorted out in my head and written down in legible form.
Valete!
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