Re: Humakti; Spirit Cults

From: Nick Brooke <Nick_Brooke_at_compuserve.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 05:57:02 -0500



Thanks to Martin for printing his private dialogue with Greg. Particularly interesting (or gratifying) to me was this:

> I think you are right. They ARE dead, and their initiation
> rites are probably funeral rites. But they are the dead in
> life -- hence their hatred of the wrong type of living dead,
> the undead.

We played a Sword-making among the Lismelder as a funeral rite, years ago, in David Hall's Greydog game. Since the Lismelder live next to the Upland Marsh and Delecti's horrible minions, anything we learn about the Humakti -vs- Undead thing is of interest to me.

When Martin writes,

> they would have a poor link to life and its positive effects --
> they might heal more slowly than a normal man, have a lower
> chance of childbirth, be very, very bad farmers, be unappreci-
> ative of beauty in the natural world and be poor at socialisa-
> tion, being unnaturally grim and "awkward" to those still conn-
> ected to life

(and Greg agrees), I think that, while true, any such effect is visible along two axes. One is that the Humakti is specialising in death and killing while his peers are learning about life, love, farming, families, clans, leadership, and other "social" skills. Thus they are naturally backward, simply because they aren't practicing what other folk do when they go for their LH Bastard Sword Parry training down the Temple.

The other is that, in proportion to the increase in their power as Humakti, they may develop these grim, taciturn, infertile, obsessive, etc. tendencies. Joining the cult of Humakt may not require a funeral, a divorce, a clan-leaving, or a personality warping. But staying in it, devoting yourself to it, progressing in it, etc. almost certainly *will*. Except, of course, for those individuals who are so well-balanced, so well-adjusted, (so Illuminated ??) that they can stay cheery and rosy-cheeked and loving, even while in the midst of death, war and slaughter.

But they're weird. Humakti, among Humakti, act Humakti: it's the done thing.



Were-Ralph asks:

> Can anyone tell me exactly how spirit cults work.

Not exactly, 'cos it's an inexact science. You can find the rule mechanics in GoG and TG, not to mention Tales #14 (and there are Praxian spirit cults all through Tales #14-16, and in BoDR:Prax). Much of what's below is my own opinion, and in fact I'll try to formalise it in "Rule-Speak" at the end of the post, because I see there's a lot that is unclear or unattractive about the way the rules are currently presented. For my Glorantha, at least.

> a) How do you initially contact a _specific_ spirit?

Could be by luck (good or bad): chance encounters on the Spirit Plane (perhaps around a generic holy place where hungry spirits cluster, such as a Praxian oasis or ruin) has brought many beneficial  and malevolent spirit cults into the world. If a Shaman meets and befriends a nice spirit, he may learn how to summon it (and go back to arrange worship). If a Shaman meets and is taken over by an evil spirit, *it* may (while possessing the shaman) arrange a worship service to summon and propitiate itself!

Could be by being where the spirit is: many are sedentary. (This is how "local" spirit cults survive -- a spirit that happens to hang around the Hare Woods can always be found by the people who live down that way, for better or for worse).

If you want to call up a specific spirit, it's best to think in "Ritual Magic" terms: go to a place appropriate to the spirit, bringing gifts (sacrifices, trappings, items) that you think will be attractive to the spirit, and try to summon it to you there. A Praxian shaman summoning Sun Hawk would wear a hawk-feather cloak, a bright-eyed mask, and perform his ritual in the arid uplands at high noon. And Sun Hawk still might not turn up -- GM discretion whether to allow a "straight" or modified (+/-) Summon roll, depending on player preparations and campaign needs.

> b) Can you 'worship' more than one, or are you limited to only
> the one divine spell?

You're a shaman, and they're pipsqueaks compared to the Big Gods. You can worship any number of them (unless they object, e.g. if a Fire Spirit learned you were worshipping the Great Dung Beetle), and they're usually grateful for it. In "Nomad Gods", the Praxian tribal shamans 'worship' (i.e. use) any spirit they come across, regardless of existing alliances, except in special cases (like the Three Feathered Rivals, or raw Chaos).

> c) How do you re-use the spells, do you need to set up your own
> shrine to each spirit? Do you need 'Worship <spirit>' If so, how
> do you get it?

It's more to do with congregations than shrines. If you can get loads of people to chant the praises of the Great Newt (and they will probably do this around a stream, pond, river or spawningpool),  you can hold your seasonal worship there ('cos it's where your dozens of worshippers will gather), and it might be handy to set up permanent facilities for the regular summoning ceremony (which is, of course, what Shrines are!). If, OTOH, you're out in desolate Prax, forget about keeping an immobile "shrine" to yourself.  A "Sun Hawk Shrine" would be the medicine bundle and mask and shamanic costume and ritual paraphernalia in the possession of a roving Shaman who had previously contacted Sun Hawk; if any other tribe got ahold of these, they'd be able to summon the Sun Hawk more easily themselves. (And if they did so at Sun Hawk's Perch, it becomes even easier: as ever in Prax, shrines and holy spots are known to and shared between many tribes, and used by whoever happens to be there).

Worship <spirit> might be just as necessary as Summon <spirit> (the rules are silent on this), but that seems rather expensive to me. I would be tempted to say that a Shaman uses his "Summon <spirit>" spell to arrange appropriate worship -- after all, in many ways the summoning is a result of successful worship by the congregation. (Also, otherwise, the el cheapo Rune spells of the spirit cults become rather pricey: you can get the one-point Rune magic of the troll spirit Blackfinger for the outlay of *5* POW: two to Summon, one to Worship, one to Initiate, and one to buy the reusable one-point rune-spell).

So that IMG a Shaman's character sheet would have a one-point Rune spell for every spirit cult he can organise a summoning/ worship service for. (I'd do this because I am promiscuous in my use of spirit cults: I think they are *fine* things for GMs!).

Members of a shaman's tribe will pay one POW for "initiation" instead, and list this on their character sheet -- I would not require the Shaman himself to pay this cost, as he is "linked" to the spirit by his ability to meet, summon and worship it (i.e. by the one point of POW he paid to get "Summon <spirit> in the first place).

NB: I would *not* allow the one-point Spirit Magic "Summon" spell to be used for Shamanic spirit-cult worship. I think a one-POW Rune spell is a far more appropriate cost. And I'd treat the Rune spell of "Summon <creature>" as one point rather than two, IMG, because Ritual Magic ceremonies are fun and should be encouraged, much like Spirit Cults.

Shamans get Spirit Cult Rune spells reusably, as long as they can hold a successful worship service every season. Other worshippers get them on a one-use basis. If a shaman fails to summon/worship the spirit, his spell becomes one-use -- though, again, I would be tempted to say "can only be regained next time he holds a successful summoning/worship service.

> d) I assume it is still preferable for him to be an initiate of
> KL if he wishes to be accepted by other Trolls.

Definitely. And entirely compatible with shamanic worship of Troll spirit cults.

The rules below are intended to make spirit cult membership easier and more widespread, and also to clear up who pays POW for what, and why. They are my proposal, and the "generous" availability of "one-use" Rune magics reflects my suggestions (in Tales #12 and elsewhere) for widening the scope of its availability to all users: I'm not trying to set up Spirit Cult worshippers as "super-users" of Rune magic, like Tricksters in GoG.



NICK BROOKE'S SUGGESTED SPIRIT CULT RULES
  1. First Catch Your Spirit...

Shamans need to have the 1-POW Rune spell "Summon <spirit>" before they can organise Spirit Cult worship. Any friendly spirit will teach this to a Shaman it encounters: spirits can be met by chance while wandering the spirit plane, contacted deliberately by going to places that are known to be holy to them, or summoned by holding a summoning ritual to attract their attention (in an appropriate location, appropriately garbed, with appropriate ritual objects, offerings and sacrifices).

Chance encounters are left to the GM. Holy places can be assigned depending on campaign needs; Stephen Martin's recent list of the spirit-cult holy places in Prax gives a fair idea of frequency. Summoning spirits here are easy, though full ceremony is usually employed (better safe than sorry!).

For summonings, a Summon skill roll is needed (modified by Ceremony attempts measured in hours): on a failure, the Shaman loses one POW and does not gain the Rune spell; on a success, the Rune spell is learned and the spirit appears for the Shaman. The difficulty of the Summon roll is modified by the GM, as the base Summon % only applies under ideal circumstances: good location, props, and knowledge.

Summon <spirit> is a reusable one-point Rune spell available to all shamans. It is automatically regained one season after its last use, whether or not that Summoning ended in a worship service (successful or otherwise). This is why Spirit Cult worship normally occurs every season. A Shaman may sacrifice for more than one use of the spell: this is entirely acceptable, and allows more frequent summoning and worship of the spirit in question.

Some divine or divine/shamanic cults encourage worship of certain spirit cults, and may maintain ritual knowledge, apparatus or sites that makes this easier and more readily available to their practitioners.  In a sense, a sub-cult shrine is a permanent, institutionalised  "Spirit Cult", with its own occasional devotees, attracting a fragment of the worship given by Initiates of the main cult to their deity. But that's enough God Learning metaphysical speculation for today!

2) Then Worship It...

A Summoned spirit should be worshipped. To be a member of a Spirit Cult congregation costs 1 POW, sacrificed in a manner analogous to Initiation. This should be noted on the character sheet, as it is normally permanent (someone who once worshipped Sun Hawk in their youth can still do so in old age, if the spirit can be found). At the worship ceremony, worshippers sacrifice all but one of their MP to the spirit. Roll 1D100: if the number rolled is less than or equal to the number of worshippers, the worship was successful.

If you attend a worship service but are not a worshipper (you're present, but have not given POW to the spirit), the Shaman and/or Spirit may detect you and feel unkind towards you: a POWx3% roll is probably appropriate (they are detecting your "uninvolved" POW, so having a high POW works against you), whether you are "hanging out" in the congregation, hiding behind a nearby rock, or whatever. Commonly, simpler and/or more malicious spirits assume such persons are intended as sacrifices, and don't ask twice before tucking in!

Spirit Cult worship does *not* require a "Worship" Rune spell. The Shaman's ability to summon the spirit is equivalent to this. Shamans who have sacrificed for the relevant Summon spell do *not* need to sacrifice 1 POW to participate in Spirit Cult worship: they already have a "link" of sorts to the spirit, understanding its nature well enough to direct Magic Points to it (compare with Initiation).

3) Then Get Its Magic...

Spirit Cult worshippers who have participated in successful worship can sacrifice for the spirit's Rune spell(s). Shamans who know the relevant Summon ritual can gain these Rune spells "reusably": they are regained every time a successful worship service is held with the Shaman participating or leading worship. "Ordinary" worshippers regain the use of their Rune spells as per normal one-use magic (i.e. if you follow my "One-Use Rune Magic" guidelines, they are regained annually following a successful worship service; if not, they are one-shot spells, gone for good once cast).

4) And Keep It Happy...

Some spirits will require certain actions, attitudes or taboos from their followers. Most can't afford to be so picky, or their "cult requirements" are pathetically trivial (e.g. "always butcher frogs"). Some can be scary, though: be creative! A follower who breaks his taboos cannot successfully participate in the next worship service (i.e. his participation counts for nothing, he is not a % in the Shaman's roll, he cannot gain or regain Rune magics). A Shaman who breaks his taboos has the replenishment of his Summon spell delayed for another season, and may have to explain this to his congregation.

Successful spirit cult worship is normally carried out seasonally: this is magically efficient, keeps the spirit happy, and tops up cultists' Rune spells on a regular basis. Spirits can afford to be forgiving, though -- their sense of time is different to ours -- and will not bear lethal grudges if "neglected" for a while. Most are pathetically grateful for whatever worship they can attract, and see no point in driving away their semi-faithful worshippers.

Major religions consider most spirit cults beneath their notice. Most spirit cults are glad of any worship they can attract. It is unusual for a mainstream cult to bear a special animus towards a spirit cult (how did it survive?), or for a spirit cult to have unduly onerous membership requirements (how did it survive?). Clearly there are general exceptions -- a Yelm priest is unlikely to sympathise with shamanic worship in any case, even less with shamanic worship of Darkness spirits. And the mutual antagonism between the Three Feathered Rivals is famed throughout Prax: pity the Shaman who maintains good relations with more than one of these quarrelsome birds!

5) And Trust The GM!

Spirit Cults are *ideal* for GMs wanting to spring surprises on their players. As opponents, they are sources of weird, one-off Rune spells for otherwise "normal" opponents. If followed by the players, the ad-hoccery inherent in Spirit Cult worship invites new and interesting scenarios, heroquests, and challenges. Spirits have interests, needs, requirements, and objectives, just as much as player characters do: a spirit cult with powerful and capable followers will encourage the spirit to widen its horizons, expecting  more and more from its "faithful" devotees.

Happy hunting!

::::
Nick
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