Caveats:
A scenario idea that such a group of fanatics can cause is (courtesy of Hugh McVicker) is their arrival at a village, their sounding of the Lightbringer request, the enforced trek with most of the warriors off to fight the Chaos (for whatever reason) leaving the village poorly protected and the player characters coming to the rescue of the village and then heading off to help the survivors of the anti-Chaos quest to get back. The rebel heroes having headed off immediately their goal has been reached and abandoning the remaining villagers in the middle of the Chaos. Having been in the situation, it generates for the PCs an appropriate level of indignation and disgust at the misuse of Orlanthi traditions.
THE SUB-CULT OF ORLANTH REBELLIOUS A small but growing sub-cult of Orlanth from occupied Sartar and Prax based around Orlanth's role as the usurper and overthrower of the Evil Emperor. As it taps into a primal element of Orlanth's nature, it doesn't have the sophisticated cult structure that is seen in many of his other aspects.
I. MYTHOS AND HISTORY In the GodTime
Long ago in the God Time, Orlanth was once not King of the Gods, in fact he was not even born yet! At that time an Evil Emperor had usurped the rightful place of the Storm as Ruler of the Gods, had stolen the Sun, kidnapped the bountiful and beauteous Ernalda to be his concubine, enslaved the free spirits of the world and occupied the Spike against the wishes of the Elder Gods.
The Universe rebelled at this affront eventually, first creating wild and rampaging Umath, but he did not have the wits to see the problem and instead just ran around causing trouble. So the Universe tried again with his sons. Firstly crazy tempestuous Urox, but he inherited the thoughts of his Father and all the crazy tempestuous Urox could think about was who he was going to fight next.
Then came brutal and callous Vadrus, but while brighter than his wild and rampaging father or the crazy tempestuous Urox, he lacked the ability to see the harm that the Evil Emperor was causing the Universe and was too evil.
Then came Humakt the silent solitary one, honest, upright and clever, surely now the Evil Emperor would pay for his crimes? But no, for while Humakt the silent, solitary one could see the problem and might have even been able to defeat the Evil Emperor, Humakt the silent, solitary one didn't care about others and so his selfishness prevented him from doing what was necessary.
Finally the youthful and righteous Orlanth was born and here the Universe found a champion with the wits, the goodness and the selflessness to challenge the Evil Emperor. From his birth the youthful and righteous Orlanth could see the wrongness that the Evil Emperor brought, the sterility of his court, the oppression of those who did not agree or had come late to the world. The world cried out for change and the youthful and righteous Orlanth knew he was the one that would have to rebel against the Evil Emperor to bring this about.
But how was he to do this? He first challenged the Evil Emperor to a song contest, then to a dance contest, but the Evil Emperor's hold on the world was so strong that the frightened and weak Judges were afraid to declare the youthful and righteous Orlanth the winner, even hough it was clear that youthful and righteous Orlanth's performances were far newer and more exciting than the Evil Emperor's.
So discouraged the youthful and righteous Orlanth went away and thought long and hard on how he could defeat the Evil Emperor and for a long time he could think of no way around the stasis the Emperor had imposed upon the world. He longed to go and fight the Emperor but he knew that this would not work as the Emperor would just get up from the fight and the Judges would rule against him. He thought perhaps he could use Humakt the silent and solitary one's new weapon Death against the Evil Emperor, but Humakt being selfish refused to lend it to his brother.
Then one day, Eurmal, that sneaky underhanded wretch came and visited the youthful and righteous Orlanth as he sat on a mountain pondering how he could rebel against the Evil Emperor successfully. The sneaky underhanded Eurmal proposed to the youthful and righteous Orlanth, that he should do what needed to be done, and take the sword Death from his brother. At first the youthful and righteous Orlanth was repelled by this but eventually he saw that he must embrace the Secret Widdershins Path of the Wind where sometimes it is necessary to do the wrong thing in order to do the right thing. So with the sneaky underhanded wretch who was Eurmal, he went to his brother's stead and stole the sword Death from the silent and solitary one.
So with the sword Death hidden under his cloak, the youthful and righteous Orlanth went to the place of the Evil Emperor. He challenged the Evil Emperor to battle. He watched as the Evil Emperor paraded with his bow and arrows which proved nothing, did nothing, hurt nothing, changed nothing. And then freed to use the power of the sword Death by the Secret Widdershins Path of the Wind, he took out the sword Death from under his cloak and slew the Evil Emperor and freed the world.
Yet he had not yet learnt the second truth of the Widdershins Path and that is rebellion never succeeds without a cost and in killing the Evil Emperor, he had to let the Evil Emperor take the stolen Sun away from the world, bringing the darkness into the world.
Then seeing what he had done, he abandoned the Widdershins Path and became the King of the Gods. But even now, kingly and virtuous Orlanth still knows that sometimes when others seek to become the evil Emperor and rule the World and honorable attempts to stop the Evil Emperor have failed, that he must again take up the Widdershins Path to overthrow the Evil Emperor.
SINCE TIME BEGAN The path of Orlanth Rebellious is one that few Orlanthi take. For the most part there is little need to take such a dangerous and violent path and as well the Storm Voices and Wind Lords generally discourage strongly those who would head down this path of the God. The Orlanth Rex priests and the worshippers of Ernalda point out the costs to the clan and tribe of such rebellion and how those who take this path often end up as broken men devoid of family and honour. Indeed, this path is but rumour and scary stories to most Orlanthi. Generations may pass by with no man being initiated into the Widdershins path of the Wind.
Yet every time that the path of Orlanth is threatened by domination like that of the Evil Emperor, the path seems to spring anew. Some say that Harmast Barefoot was goaded into his Lightbringer Quest by a priest of Orlanth Rebellious, others say that he himself had undertaken the Widdershins path himself. Alakoring DragonBreaker too, was said to have had Orlanth Rebellious allies, though it is also said that he had them broken as soon as victory was won. Wherever Orlanthi are threatened by tyranny, rumours abound of the fanatical Widdershins Pathers who arise to fight for their freedom, regardless of the cost.
Since the invasion of Sartar in 1602 by the Lunar Empire, rumours have began circulating that Blood Rings have been formed and that the Lunar Emperor who openly boasts of being the Incarnation of the Evil Emperor of the GodTime will once again be brought down by Orlanth Rebellious.
Members of this cult know that darkness awaits them after death and their souls are doomed to the darkest pits of Hell, but they comfort themselves that Orlanth will remember their name and drink a silent toast to them in his stead in memory of their deeds.
Members of this cult either practice the common funerary rites of the locale they live in or leave their bodies to be scavenged as knowing their soul's destination, they see little point in honouring the lifeless husk of a damned soul.
II. CULT ECOLOGY The path of Orlanth Rebellious exists solely to act as the catalyst to overthrow tyranny against the Orlanthi. A splinter group in Orlanthi culture, such a path only becomes attractive when alternatives are few and far between. Even in the worst of situations, few Orlanthi can bring themselves to undergo the trials and throwing off of family ties which are necessary to take this lifepath. Yet it is the fanaticism of members of this sub-cult which generates the hatred and anger amongst the society necessary to rebel against those foreigners who dominate the Orlanthi.
Any Orlanthi can walk down this path and those who walk the Widdershins path may remain in their current position in other subcults/aspects of Orlanth except for Storm Voices and Acolytes of Orlanth Rex. Such deception is wrong, but the rebel is willing to pay the price for such deception. All members of this sub-cult pay a terrible price to belong. This varies from member to member, but all involve the major focus of the member's life. Examples include the extermination of the member's entire family, insanity, conversion to Chaos, disowned by their kin and loved ones, death and betrayal of the cause or whichever fate is most fitting for their crimes. All members eventually pay a very high price for the freedom which Orlanth grants them to do the wrong thing. All members are aware of their inevitable demise, but fatalistically treat it as a necessary price.
Members of the sub-cult take on terrible geases and receive terrible gifts in order to best destroy their enemy.
Orlanth's six virtues are Courage, Wisdom, Generosity, Justice, Honor, Piety but
the members of the sub-cult have their own unique interpretation of them.
Courage is seen as the courage to defy the oppressor and pay whatever cost is
necessary.
Wisdom is knowing that the cost of rebellion is cheaper than the cost of
submission to the Evil Emperor.
Generosity is the blood and life that the rebel is prepared to give for his/her
people in the struggle.
Justice is what is dealt out to the oppressor by the rebel.
Honor is knowing that the rebel is performing the actions to turn the world to
rights.
Piety is following their god Orlanth in his earliest incarnation.
Members of this sub-cult celebrate all of Orlanth's normal holy days but also celebrate the first day of Dark Season to commemorate the liberation of the world and the death of the evil Emperor.
III. THE CULT IN THE WORLD The sub-cult of Orlanth Rebellious has very little actual political power in the world with no acknowledged leaders. However the sub-cult does wield extensive political influence when the area in which it is based is occupied by a foreign power. As the occupation continues and as the consequences of the occupation become worse, the hearts and minds of all Orlanthi turn towards the fanatical and desperate policies of Orlanth Rebellious. In order to defeat Orlanth Rebellious, the cult must be exterminated or alternatively, the conqueror must win the hearts and minds of the conquered Orlanthi and thus remove the mythic support of the community for their role. An Orlanthi society which has accepted its defeat and assimilation will see the sub-cult wither up and disappear.
IV. CULT MEMBERSHIP Membership of the sub-cult of Orlanth Rebellious is unlike the other sub-cults ofOrlanth. People who join the cult of Orlanth Rebellious are dedicating themselves to an ancient and primal aspect of the God. Such sophisticated concepts as Lords and Priests were unknown to Orlanth at that time, thus membership is a far more primitive state. Joining Orlanth Rebellious does not affect the status of the rebel in other aspects of Orlanthi religious life except in so far as their actions influence their peers.
In game terms any initiate, acolyte, lord or priest of Orlanth may join the sub-cult. Joining this sub-cult is rarely a conscious decision, but usually occurs when some great wrong has been done to the individual who cries out with hatred in their soul to Orlanth to help them avenge and right the wrong. Joining the sub-cult is an intensely individual experience, where a worshipper of Orlanth's extreme emotional reaction allows them to reach the God and create a direct link similar to a priest's with the God. In game terms, establishing the link costs 3 POW. This link is formed by a HeroQuest specifically for the individual, though the general outline of the quest is similar.This quest must be completed for the worshipper to establish the link.
It is important to note, that as the HeroQuest is inherently one that cannot be prepared for, and therefore is very difficult to complete successfully.
Examples could be the worshipper who returns to find his village wiped out by the invader, someone who has been tortured by the invader and then escaped, or the survivors of a disastrous battle swearing vengeance for their fallen comrades. In each case at the point of establishing a link with Orlanth Rebellious, the worshipper swears a vow to which they dedicate their life, soul and blood. Such a vow might be, to destroy all those responsible for the death of the village, to defeat and wipe out the units of the opposing army, to drive the Lunars from Sartar or for the extremely ambitious, to destroy the Lunar Empire.
The link frees the worshipper to act as an avatar of Orlanth Rebellious to step across the line of Orlanthi behaviour and be freed to do the wrong thing with Orlanth's blessing. As part of this freedom, members of the cult must take on geases and in return receive gifts. Upon completion of the initiatory HeroQuest, worshippers receive 2 gifts and 2 geases. They may gain a geas and gift after any major blow against the tyranny, for the cost of 1 POW.
GEASES Die when the vow is completed. The bearer of this geas will die at the very moment of their successful completion of their vow.
Soul doomed to Hell. Come what may, the soul of the initiate will end up in hell for their deeds when they die.
Family will all die. All people directly related to the initiate will dies as a result of the actions of the initiate.
Clan will be destroyed. The clan of the initiate will be destroyed as a viable entity as a result of the actions of the initiate. Not all members of the clan need necessarily die.
Never parley with the enemy. The initiate may never negotiate or treat with the tyrant or his lackeys, even in bad faith.
Sacrifice enemies to Orlanth. Captured enemies must be killed and sacrificed to Orlanth. The ceremony is usually simple and to the point.
Head Hunting. The initiate must take at least one head (preferably the leader) from the enemy in every battle in which they participate.
Die before being captured. The initiate will die rather than face the ignominy of being captured by the tyrant. When captured, the initiate will die in horrible spasms, foaming at the mouth, spitting blood and so forth.
Cannot be resurrected. The strength of the tie between the God and his worshipper is so strong, that the spirit of the initiate heads straight to Hell upon their death.
Must slay all followers of the Tyrant. The initiate may show no mercy to those who follow the Tyrant, even the youngest must be stamped out like a viper's young.
Lose all positive emotion. The initiate is so wrapped up in their revenge/mission, that they feel nothing but hate. Such a person feels not positive emotions at all and will repel any who do not share his/her mission.
Live off the spoils of the Tyrant. The initiate may only live off goods taken from the Tyrant and his/her followers.
Gifts
Reuseable gifts may be renewed at a temple of the appropriate god as per normal Divine Magic. Single use gifts may be gained again by the sacrifice of POW at a temple to the relevant god.
Divination Block (Reuseable). Initiates may obtain this as a reuseable divine magic spell. This gift is obtained through Eurmal and thus can only be renewed at an Eurmali Shrine.
Ignore Authority (Reuseable). Initiates may use this reuseable divine magic. This spell allows the character to resist the call of Orlanth Rex magics.
Blood Oath (Single Use - 1 point) This ritual binds the caster and one other person per point of spell so as they will not be able to betray the other persons involved in the Blood Oath. Those who betray the Oath bring death upon themselves in the form of a Sever Spirit (of 5D6 POW in strength).
The following are still to be detailed
Inspire (Reuseable)
Rebellion (Single Use - 2 points)
Undetectable Lie (Reuseable)
Death Wind Ceremony (Single Use - 4 points)
Reprisal Immunity (Reuseable)
Torture (Reuseable)
Travelling the Magic Road (Reuseable)
Create Blood Ring (Single Use)
Vow of Silence (Reuseable)
Sever Spirit (Single Use)
Worshippers of Orlanth Rebellious may worship and obtain divine spells at the standard temples, but also may regain the divine spells at the site of any battle where the forces of tyranny have been defeated.
V. SubCults
Being a sub-cult itself, Orlanth Rebellious has no actual sub-cults. The most fanatical members however occasionally perform the Death Wind Ceremony and dedicate themselves to the death of their enemies by summoning the Death Wind into themselves and then unleashing it upon their intended victim. This ceremony is both difficult, dangerous and suicidal. A successful use of the ceremony results in the focus of the ceremony embodying the Death Wind. The focus will then survive for POW hours, within that period they must find the named target of the cermony and touch them. Upon touching them, the Death Wind bursts out of the body of the focus and attacks the target. At the end of the POW hours, if the target has not been reached, then the Death Wind will break free of the body, destroying the worshipper and sending their soul to Hell and then return to Orlanth. A failed ceremony will result in the death of the caster and all those supporting the caster in the ceremony.
SPIRITS OF REPRISAL Members of this sub-cult may be immune to the normal spirits of reprisal amongst the Orlanthi, but their own spirit is far more deadly than those normally sent by Orlanth. The Death Wind is the embodiment of the Sword which was used by Orlanth to slay the Evil Emperor. It comes from the Sky, a horrific black twister which attacks all those present with the traitor by physical force while it sucks the soul from the traitor and then throws it down into the darkest pits of the underworld, far from the steading of Orlanth. Those nearby may run away but those who stay will be torn to pieces as will any buildings in the nearby vicinity.
VI. ASSOCIATED CULTS EURMAL Eurmal was the one who suggested that Orlanth use the sword Death in his struggle against the Evil Emperor and who aided him to steal the sword from his brother Humakt, when Humakt refused to lend it to him. Some say that Eurmal alone was the thief but members of the sub-cult know that this is not so. In recognition of the event, Eurmal grants to followers of Orlanth Rebellious the ability to sacrifice for Undetectable Lie and Divination Block.
VII. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES Use of the cult in games
In general, this sub-cult would be used for non-player characters only. Given the fanaticism required to be a member of this subcult, most adventurers would not qualify and members of this sub-cult would be unlikely to associate with adventurers for any length of time unless the campaign is actually focussed on an Orlanthi rebellion.
VIII. HEROQUEST PATHS Details still to be written
End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #388
Powered by hypermail