>> I never thought of her as an actual spider, nor really associated >> with arachnids in any way. The "spider" part is a metaphor, because >> the sunspider spins the webs that hold the world together.
> As Peter points out, the Cragspider cult at least think there is a
> connection...
On Arachne Solara's three major appearances in myth (the Ritual of the Net, the Spider's Promise, the Sunstop), she appeared in the form of a spider. Her other habits include eating her male partner after mating with him... and Greg's arm-tattoo of A.S. shows her in the classic "Cragspider" form (a spider's body with a woman's torso attached).
Maybe she's a spider.
James writes:
> I'm running a Lunarish campaign in which several characters are
> looking for suitable Lunar cults to join. The problem in this is
> the lack of write ups.
Tales #16 should be back from the printers next week. It's the Lunar Special, and includes cult writeups for the Red Emperor and Danfive Xaron. I don't know how long distribution will take... but it'll be available pretty soon now. "Tarsh War" (a Lunar military freeform) is already available, and includes several different army and civilian characters who could be adapted for traditional RPGs. Tales #12 had the Cult of Granite Phalanx, a typical regimental cult for Hoplites*.
> I would like advice on the various Seven Mothers, particularly:-
> Deezola:
As well as the much-hyped healing aspects, I'd add some agricultural Earth-cult overtones. We have seen one role of the Deezola cult in the Empire as coordinating the harvests, ensuring that one region's surplus or special local produce is distributed elsewhere, so everyone benefits from the "Binding Within" of the Empire's internal grain market.
> Can they use weapons, attack people etc?
I think it very unlikely they would want to! But equally, the Lunars are generally freed from "traditional" constraints. OTOH, if you want to go around attacking people, are you going to join a cult of nobles, poets, healers and earth magics? :-)
> Etyries: Basically the same as Issaries, any major differences?
Also the Lunar specialists in diplomacy (this is an Issaries role too, but often overlooked). Etyries merchants can use contracts and set up lasting trade agreements, where Issaries merchants travel around doing everything themselves. The Etyries cult also divides up the Seven Imperial Monopolies (awarding exclusive exploitation rights for different regions of the Empire), and is rumoured to have mastery of double-entry bookkeeping ("Balancing the Books").
> Irrippi Ontor: Basically Lhankor Mhy.
With knobs on. Ideologically devoted to the Lunar Way (where LhM is famously unattached to any particular pantheon), keen on spreading Lunar doctrine and literacy (the IO cult teaches New Pelorian in the frontier schools), and with access to the libraries of the Empire and serious connections to the Lunar College of Magic.
> Danfive Xaron, Teelo Norri: Not really playable.
DX is eminently playable: this is the prison and ex-prisoners' cult of the Empire, also running its secret police and informers' networks (not to mention strict disciplinarians, torturers and philosophers). Like a cross between the KGB and Clive Barker's Cenobites. Full cult writeup in Tales #16, including the cult's mythology, enchanted shackles, "What the Overseer Beat Into Me", and so on...
Teelo Norri would cause some groups problems: an essentially powerless cult whose members are devoted to helping the poor and downtrodden. But great for an NPC either attached to the group or else a prominent local figure. ("Orlanthi Barbarians outrage Teelo Norri Nuns" is a common theme of Imperial propaganda posters).
Also, there are the local peoples of the Empire: the Dara Happans, Pelorians, Sylilans, Carmanians, the Bird People of Rinliddi and the Darjiini forts... read Greg Stafford's recent works "The Glorious Reascent of Yelm", "The Fortunate Succession" and "The Entekosiad" for character ideas.
Also, don't forget the allies of the Empire: perfectly good Lunar characters can come from the Char-Un, the Sable Tribe, the Stone Age tundra-hunters of Eol, the dusty Redland frontier, or the backwater barbarian lands of Talastar and the Provinces... all easily adapted to by those of us from Sartarite/Praxian/Balazaring campaigns.
I'd love to help more, but would need to know what kind of adventures you have in mind for your Lunar players. Are they acting as agents of the Empire? Or of a faction within it? Are they out making a quick fortune on the frontier? Are they touring the ancient tourist sites of Peloria, or living their "everyday" lives at the Temple of the Reaching Moon in Tarsh (or Sartar?)?
Obviously, different character types would be best for each of these campaign styles and settings.
End of Glorantha Digest V4 #359
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