St. Orlanth (1)

From: Nikk Effingham <wal_at_eff.u-net.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 21:07:23 +0000


As you may (or more likely, may not) know, I'm running a campaign in Otkorion. One of the major components is St. Orlanth, the major cult around which Otkorion is built. I was hoping that, since it is an important point, people might be able to offer suggestion on how to imrove it. Please replay via private E-mail. For more background Otkorion information please connect to http://www.personal.u-net.com/~eff/otkorion.htm

The Cult Of Saint Orlanth
by Nicholas Effingham, based upon the description of Orlanth in River of Cradles with thanks to Jeff Richard for his Composite Orlanthi Description

I. Mythos and History

Orlanth was, at first, a powerful Hero son of Umathil, the Great Mortal and Walker of Death, and a Mountain Spirit of the East who we no longer know today. Orlanth grew up in the Kingdom of Logic, in the Time of Logic. Orlanth was a great warrior, leader and magic user, he counted the blessings of the Creator every day he was awake and worshipped His Lord devotely.

The Ruler of the Cosmos was the Emperor. The Emperor had been given rulership of the Underworld and everything above it by the Creator. The Creator had then averted His gaze from Creation, content that the Emperor would attend to all matters. Yet the Emperor turned to Evil, Sin and Chaos. Eventually he became Unjust and demanded Evil things of his followers. Orlanth, refusing his worship, left with his father, and Umathil forged his own Kingdom. But the people of the world were still forced to Sin, even though they knew it was wrong.

Eventually, Orlanths brother, Humakt, was sent to find an answer to the problems. He was given a blessing by the Creator himself and found Death, a new power. Death was given to Orlanth as an honoured gift, and in turn Orlanth used it to strike down the Emperor. Without the Centerpiece of the Cosmos, the World turned to Sin. The forces of Evil, all servants of the Emperor, came forth and covered the world in Ice, and the Sun left it's place to help defend the Land. Glorantha was left in perpetual Darkness and Hate. Orlanth tried to assume the Mantle of the Emperor, in an attempt to right all the wrongs by becoming a new Centerpiece, allowing the Cosmos to return to normal. But Orlanth, try as hard as he could, was not able to replace the foe he had slain for Orlanth, Just as He was, had not been blessed by the Creator to rule the Cosmos. Therefore, no Leader could be found, no new Ruler, no new Emperor.

Unperturbed, Orlanth went on to try and bring the Universe to rights anyhow. When Death was lost to the Emperor's Servants, he sent Humakt to recover it. Eventually, he was forced to fight his own kin, who had turned to Sin and Hate. He fought often with his brother Vadrus, who was so unreasoning in his hatred that when he had exhausted his victims he turned upon Orlanth and the Umathili, his only worthy adversaries. Orlanth had to fight for his father's position as leader of the Kingdom, and won. He kept his brother, Urox of the Bull Family in line and managed to stop much of the carnage he may have caused. He even slew Thryk, the Winter Giant.

He always remained in search of new Quests to partake that He might return the Cosmos to normality. He rescued his fiance, Ernalda, who later became his wife. He defeated Daga the Drought Spirit, and conquerod Aroka who rose from the ruins of the Kingdom of Dragons. He travelled to the depths of the oceans and drank from the Well of Wisdom, defended by Daliath. He would return from that journey with Mastakos the Chariot.

Eventually, Orlanth faltered and people died. The world was devastated. Orlanth strucky upon a new idea, he would go on a Quest to find the Creator, have Him bless Him with the powers to control the Cosmos and then take the Mantle of the Emperor. He took with him six other companions, and collectively they are known as the Lightbringer's. Their Quest became the most famous in all of Memory. The other Questers were St. Humakt, St. Eurmal, St. Chalana, St. Goldentongue, St. Lhankor Mhy and the mysterious entity known as Ginna Jar. They marched to Hell, overcoming many obstacles and eventually arriving in the Underworld's Halls of Death. Here they spoke to the Creator, who instilled Omnipotent powers into Orlanth and Sainted Him. Orlanth became the King of All Gods and the Fist Among Equals. He reformed the world with a new order of rule known as Time. He renounced the Mantle of the Emperor and instead created the Iron Ring, whereby the Rule of the many overcame the tyranny of the One. The Emperor was forever imprisoned in Hell and may not return lest the world be destryoed under his Krjalki wake.

In the First Age, the Sins of the mortals summoned forth Gbaji, a remanent of the Emperor, his third eye. It ruled evilly, pretending to be an apostle of Rashoran, a god who was Almighty and Blessed in the Darkness. In return, Saint Orlanth ordered the Angel of Death to slay Gbaji. The Angel sent Arkat Humaktsson to defeat the foe. In this respect, he did and we are forever grateful for the sacrifices Arkat made for us an his people, for he gave up his chance for Solace to slay the evil Gbaji.

Unfortunately, the God Learners brought ignorance, and with ignorance the True Worship of the Invisible God devolved and the sects of Malkionism formed. Our ancestors also reverted to Barbaric practices and worship. This was all revoked when the Stygian Heresy came back to power with the rise of the Jorstlandi Kingdom.

If you are pure of heart then when you die you will go to Solace, if you committed minor transgressions and repented, then you serve a period in a Spiritual Afterlife with Saint Orlanth before returning once again reincarnated. In Solace you will feel the Bliss and Harmony of the Cosmos and need never worry about anything again. Solace is Love, Joy and Virtue for eternity. Even chaos cannot reach you in Solace. If you are evil then you will go to Hell and become a tortured soul of the Devil. All pious worshippers and those who can afford it will have a chance at ressurection, but the details of which must be dealt with Saint Chalana's cult. When you die the body is burnt in an open roofed area inside the Temple to Saint Orlanth for no expense, the pyre is built with Rune carved logs and the Priest attending the ceremony will call for Saint Orlanth to summon cult spirits to send the soul to Solace. All people are buried in the same way, with the exception fo special Heros. St. Humakti are also buried in accordance to their own strictures.

The Runes that Orlanth Thunderous is connected with is Mastery, Mobility and Air twice. Orlanth Four Weapons is connected with Mobility, Air twice and Death. Orlanth Rex is connected with Mastery and Air twice. Orlanth Lightbringer is connected with Magic, Air twice and Fate.

II. Cult Ecology

Orlanth is the Ruler of Everything Inside the Cosmos and a lot that is not. Orlanth is both the King of All Gods as well as the Master of Storms. Through His virtue, belief, strength and leadership, the Cosmos was made anew and is what it is today. St. Orlanth defines the strictures that all good citizens must follow to reach Solace. Only a worshipper of Saint Orlanth may hope to achieve anything in life.

All men, with the exception of a few oddballs, worship St. Orlanth. St. Orlanth provides anything that a member of the four castes could need. Some women join, becoming members of Orlanth Thunderous, Rex or Lightbringer. Only men join Orlanth Four Weapons, women join St. Vinga or St. Humakt as befits their temprement.

St. Orlanth hates chaos, for it is the only true Evil, even the assassins of Azilos, with their special torturing techniques, cannot cause the Soul Death that Chaos brings. Chaos is a servant of the Evil Emperor, who is the cause of all that is wrong in the Universe. Though many people identify the Emperor with Ehilim of Galin, their God, this is a declared falsehood that is admonished by the Church. We hunt and destroy all masks of Gbaji and the Evil Emperor, the Red Moon that has risen is obviously such a mask and must be destroyed. The barbaric Garundyer seeks to bring it down, but will most likely fail for he does not know the true like of St. Orlanth.

The six virtues of the god are Courage, Wisdom, Generosity, Justice, Honour and Piety. St. Orlanth respects these, even if they are present in an enemy. If the enemy is Krjalki, then the virtues should be disregarded as a lie, for the Krjalki will do anything for an advantage.

Saint Orlanth's Holy Days occur every Windsday with congregations of Orlanthi for ceremonies. Windsday of Movement Week in Storm Season is a High Holy Day. A celebration over the two weeks of Sacred Season and the first day of the New Year are held to celebrate the Lightbringer's Quest and the Creation of the Cosmos.

III. The Cult In The World

While a being known as Saint Orlanth is worshipped in the Aeolian religion, it is not this cult. Also, St. Orlanth has connections in mythology with Invisible Orlanth but St. Orlanth is worshipped only in Otkorion. It is the basis of the entire Church, around which all other Saints are worshipped. All male members of society are members of this cult, and many females are as well. Great Temples exist both in Fiesive and Valantia, minor temples are spread across the country and shrines exist in every village and all along the Stormwalk Road.

The cult is ruled by Surantyr the Non-heretic, Archbishop of the Henotheistic Church of Otkorion. Below him are Bishops, one each for the two cities and another five to rule over large dioceses of land outside of Royal land holdings. Below the bishops are the High Priests of the minor temples, and acolytes who run shrines. Communication is provided by sending messages to your immediate superior on the hope that they filter through to whoever is concerned. The Bishop decides the ruling High Priest of a temple, and a vote held by all the Bishops, both Iron Rings of the cities and the Head of the Seventeen major families, decides who will be the new Archbishop upon the demise of an old one.

Shrines teach Cloud Clear.

IV. Initiate

Virtually all male members of Otkorion society are worshippers of St. Orlanth at the initiate level. Initiation occurs at the age of fifteen, at which point the canidate is also initiated into their chosen Caste (either Farmer, Wizard, Knight or Lord) which is usually the same as their father. Initiation requires a minor, minor HeroQuest ritual which briefly re-enacts the Lightbringer's Quest. All adult members of Otkorion society automatically pass. Others must pass three tests out of the following skills; Ceremony/Orlanth, Speak Ralian, Speak Stormspeech, Orate, Sword Attack, Jump and any weapon parry. Initiation culminates in the sacrifice of 1 POW. Especially in larger cities, mass initiations are carried out.

Initiates are expected to devote themselves fully tot he service of their Lord and never waver from their associated tasks as a member of one of the four castes. They are promised a place in Solace if they suceed in their tasks within their chosen castes. Those that fail are sent to an afterlife where they will then return, born again through the powers of St. Ernalda, Orlanth's wife. Those who are evil, sinful and not virtuous are sent to Krjalki Hell as the Emperor's playthings to be tortured for eternity. They receive training in magic specific to their caste, and 50 hours of training in the cult skills given above. They must devote 5% of their income to the city taxes, 5% to the cult and 10% of their time to the cult.

All initiates gain access to one-use Rune Magic from the small selection below. Orlanthi initiates are normally intiatiated into one sub-cult of Orlanth appropiate to their Caste and thenceforth become priests. To become intiated into a sub-cult they must demonstrate proficiency in the sub-cult skills. They do not need to sacrifice any more POW, time or income.

Common Rune Magic: All.
Special Rune Magic: Cloudcall, Cloudclear, Flight. Sorcery: Attract Missles, Bless Sword, Boost (armour, damage, STR, CON, DEX), Evoke Lightning, Fly, Haste, Neutralize Magic, Project Sight, Resist (damage, infection, magic, spirit), Sense (life, magic), Treat Wounds, Worship Invisible God.
Subservient Cults: Barntar.

V. Acolyte

Acolytes are middlemen who attend to the more tedious tasks of Orlanthi religion. They are usually not paid or supported by the Temple, although exceptional cases do occur. Often Acolytes are supported by their families rather than the Church.

A canidate for Acolytehood must be initiated into one of the four major sub-cults described below. An acolyte must then pass the tests described for Priests. They must also donate 1000 Orbs to the Church, and do not have a chance to gain an allied spirit. They gain access to reusable Rune Magic of their specific sub-cult. An acolyte just devote 50% of time and income to the Church and may requisition long sabbaticals. The Church always has a need for more acolytes, unlike priests which are not always in demand.


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