This is primarily a cult for those who dislike violence and have strong principles of fairness and justice. Part of their oath of allegiance speaks of their goals of 'maintaining and promoting peace', 'fostering cordial relations with subject peoples', and 'administering Lunar justice with total integrity'. However it is not a cult entirely of pacifists, and Deezolans on active duty come under the command of the Lunar Army. To join the cult one must pass tests in three out of the following: First Aid, Oratory, Bargain, Poetry (there ARE non-Deezola Poets), World Lore, Ride, and Read/Write own language. One must also convince the selection panel of one's high ideals and interest in promoting peace and cultural exchange. Providing this is achieved, one sacrifices a point of POW during the initiation ceremony. From then on the Initiate must give 50% of time and income to the cult. One must be eligible in background (if not in skill level) to join the Lunar Army, in order to be admitted to the cult of Deezola. This does not mean they are members of the army, only that they may become so, either temporarily or for a full tour of duty.
Special Deezola Cult Skills
Lunar Laws - after initial training this skill starts at INT+3D4
Negotiate - communication skill, to show confrontational parties
common ground and appreciation of opposing viewpoints. After initial
training the skill starts at INT+POW%, however the game Storyteller
may impose penalties according to the intractability of the
protagonists. Poetry - after initial training the skill starts at POW%
The Cult Choice
The Initiate makes an important statement of choice during the
ceremony, they may choose to discard all weapon use in favour of the
power of reason and heartfelt expression (symbolised by the choice
between Poetry or Weapons Training). The actual oath of all who are
Initiated to this decision is: "I will never intentionally harm an
intelligent being, unless it needs restraining to prevent it harming
itself, and I will minimise the damage of any such action. I will
never kill an intelligent being. Any being I have incapacitated comes
under my protection. I will not allow any being under my protection to
be harmed." Taking this oath gives them the first 'Cult Gift', and
such cultists will from then on carry no weapon. The other Initiates
take a similar oath, emphasizing ethical behavior and the minimization
of violence without the absolute restriction on combat , and gain the
other 'Cult Gift'.
The First Cult Gift
Sense Deceit - This is a psychic ability similar to Sense Assassin,
and its initial value is a percentage equal to the character's POW at
that time. It increases with experience and registers not only
deliberate lies or grossly misleading information, but also those who
are pretending to be who they are not. It may reveal an exact identity
i.e. it registers exactly which is the lie spoken (and therefore
reveals the speaker), or it may just give a feeling, for instance if
someone involved in a negotiation is an imposter who is otherwise
being truthful.
The Second Cult Gift
The Initiate gains +10% in their weapon of choice, and will commonly
only ever carry a large weapon of this type, and maybe a spare. The
accompanying condition of this choice and gift is that the cultist
never attacks by ambush, nor by posing falsely as a friend.
Common Spirit Magic
Befuddle, Bladesharp, Countermagic, Detect Enemies, Glamour, Heal,
Protection, Spirit Screen
Special Deezola Spirit Magic
Lay on Hands - (Costs 3MP) A POW challenge is needed to drive out a
disease spirit, fumble and it possesses you instead. If succesful the
Spirit is dispelled back to the Spirit Plane. Restrain - The caster
focuses their will on one individual and prevents them from moving,
except for autonomic body functions. The caster must succeed in a POW
challenge. If so the spell costs 3MP, and is maintained as long as the
caster can focus complete attention on the subject. Range is three
times the caster's POW as yards. The affected target is lit with a red
glow. Sustain Life - This spell costs 1MP per 4HP or 2CON that the
recipient is below their normal level. It completely halts all further
deterioration due to injury, poison etc. Each application of the spell
has a duration of minutes equaling the caster's POWx3. It may only be
applied when a person has reached 1HP, or one third of their normal
CON, or less.
V. Rune Lords
To become a Rune Lord (gender unspecific term), the candidate must have 18 POW, 90% in two from First Aid, Lunar Laws, Oratory, Pelorian Lore, World Lore, and Negotiate, (and a minimum 50% in Lunar Laws and 60% in Negotiate and Pelorian Lore). If one is a Poet they must have 60% in Poetry, or if they took the weapon training they must have 80% in their main weapon. They must also speak and read/write three languages (Spk minimum 60%; R/W min 50%), and know one racial lore other than their own (can be another human culture) to at least 50%.
A Deezolan Rune Lord is equivalent to a ranking junior officer with authority in the Lunar Army, although this is a thorn to some Yanafali. A Yanafali of equivalent rank, outranks the Deezolan. The Deezolan position is not normally a combat position, but can lead to tricky situations when the choice between combat and negotiation is unclear. Rune Lords must give 70% of their time and income to the cult. Additionally Deezolan cultists of Rune status are qualified lawyers both in the courts and in the field. Traditionally such justice dispensing teams are composed of two members, one cultist of Deezola and one of Irripi Ontor, but this is not essential.
VI. Rune Priesthood
A Rune Priestess or Priest of Deezola is accepted when they have performed at least two years as a Rune Lord, with at least four active missions. The skill tests are the same as above except they must have 90% in at least three of the first skills, and a 70% minimum in the others. They must also be able to Speak 70%, R/W 60% minimum in three languages, as well as a having a 60% minimum in the foreign/non-human racial lore. Rune Priests are equivalent to middle rank officers in the Lunar Army, and must give 90% of their time and income to the cult. Priests are restricted in combat to a maximum skill of DEXx5%.
Common Divine Magic
All Common Rune Magic
Special Divine Magic
Command Gnome, Reflection (both re-useable)
Special Deezola Divine Magic
The Blessing - (3POW, re-useable) This spell is to enhance a special
force of six Seven Mothers cultists (original or group cults). They
can be any combination, including the Deezolan, and could even be six
Deezolans. For the duration of the spell, the members (who must all
sacrifice one POW except for the caster) are in permanent, clear,
group-Mindlink and may swap MP and cast spells on, or through, each
other. Each member needs to give consent to another for such actions,
but this takes only 1SR for such communication. Such spells have a
success % equal to the highest skill of a group member in that spell,
+10%. Call She Who Waits - (3POW, single use) She is called when
groups or individuals are separated by conflict when they could be
working together, and if they don't work together the consequences are
dire. She may appear in spirit, aiding the presence and persuasive
power of the summoner, or rarely she appears in person as a dark and
mysterious hooded figure, whose words are always wise, forceful, to
the point, and spoken with chilling authority. They are not always
words that the summoner might have hoped to hear! Group Avatar - (2POW
single use) Also requires six Seven Mothers cultists as above. The six
sit and Mindlink only, and may take no other actions of any
significance. They create an illusory seventh person, a composite of
all of them, a spirit warrior. This powerful individual has all their
abilities and also a mind of its own, although it needs a specific
purpose and follows the mental communications of the caster alone,
though the others may make mental suggestions to the caster. The
communers all sense through its senses. It has HP equal to twice their
average, and all other properties depend on the characters of its
creators. (These equal the highest of any group member +10%) Only if
this group avatar is utterly inactive can the circle be temporarily
broken for some reason, for instance to speak to a non-member. The
avatar must be supplied with physical accoutrements, but uses the
spells and other abilities of its creators as it wishes. It may be
damaged only by magic. Inspiration - (1POW Single Use) Various uses,
self or other. Gives Divine Inspiration into a situation where
creativity has become stagnant. Recipient might be trying to compose
epic poetry, to create a package of terms to reconcile two warring
factions, to solve a life-threatening puzzle... Effectively this makes
the single important roll an exceptionally impressive Critical Inspire
Followers - (2 POW, single use, re-useable by Priesthood) A successful
Poetry or Oratory roll is required to make this work. Its typical use
is for a noble leading from the front of his warriors, perhaps think
of Henry Fifth. It affects a number of followers equal to three times
the caster's POW, and others may be affected indirectly. The duration
is this same amount in minutes. If the caster dies in combat the
affected followers become fanaticized, as in the spell of that name.
PreHealing - (2POW Re-useable) Each use allows the caster to put as
many MP as they like into storage. The regular MP reservoir can then
be filled up again normally. Only one use can be active at a time. The
spell activates when the caster reaches 1HP or less. It also works if
the caster's CON is being eroded, not HP. In this case it activates
when the caster reaches 1CON, and each three saved MP restore 1CON.
Used this way, the spell will cure a regular disease or neutralise a
poison, but will not drive out a disease spirit. Prevent Decay - (1POW
Re-useable) Typically cast on a corpse. Each use prevents bodily
corruption for 24 hours. This is mainly used to reduce potential CON,
STR, DEX , APP and INT loss for those who might be resurrected Ward
Disease - (1POW Re-useable) Takes 1 POW from recipient on use. Each MP
added to spell increases recipients CON by 1 for the purpose of
combating the specific disease. If there is a second disease it takes
2MP for each 1 increase in relevant Stat. Permanently increases
resistance from then on, thus making it quite a different option to
the Lay on Hands spirit spell.
VII. Associated Cults
Arachne Solara - the Spider Goddess is acknowledged and included in some of the inner rituals, however gives nothing in return. Perhaps there is truth in the rumour that Heroes of the cult can Quest to learn special Rune Magic or Sorcery from her. Basekora provides Regrow Limb and Earthpower - Deezola never betrayed her roots as an earth worshipper and is thus rewarded. Erissa provides Restore Health (INT) - - Whilst Deezola moved beyond Erissa constraints (see Chalana Arroy) she never neglected her attention to fairness and the healing arts, and retains close cult connections. Irripi Ontor - as a close friend of Deezola's, provides Truespeak Seven Mothers give Command Lune and Mindblast
Yanafal Tarnils provides Truesword - Once, during the Red Goddess HeroQuest, Yanafal was ambushed by champions of Orlanth. Deezola at once attacked to defend him, despite her comparatively poor fighting skills, thus granting him the moments he needed to marshal his energies. He gives Deezola this spell to aid her when she feels combat is unavoidable. Yelm provides Resurrection - Erissa is from the Solar Pantheon, and Deezola approached Yelm during the Red Goddess quest. With the help of the other Mothers, she obtained from him this power to bring back the souls of the dead, and the Quest continued.
VIII. Spirit of Reprisal
The Spirit of Reprisal for Deezola appears as an enigmatic hooded figure. Its POW is calculated by subtracting 1 from the culprit's POW and adding D4 to that. This being is visible on all planes. Its face remains hidden but it has glowing green eyes. If somehow the face is revealed, it looks identical to the transgressor. The spirit is immune to all forms of physical and magical attack, and uses Spirit Combat only. If it defeats the transgressor, that person is unharmed, but drops to minimum in all cult related abilities, POW drops to original, loses the special gift, and receives an indelible mark - a sideways Harmony Rune on their forehead. The spirit asks for any cult items to be returned to the nearest temple, and if this is refused then the spirit possesses the cultist and makes that journey for them. The spirit frees the cultist once the items are deposited at the temple. Even if the cultist is not defeated the inverted Truth Rune appears, however abilities are not lost. Nevertheless, unless the cultist immediately goes into penance, and makes amends, the Rune becomes permanent, and they are of course excommunicated from now on.
Powered by hypermail