>Every cult has is restrictions and vows, but none of these grants
>special powers to the follower....
Other than the power of prayer and communication with your deity; the ability to make acceptable sacrifices in return for divine favours; the maintenance of purity to participate in rituals (i.e. the ability to do cetrain magics); the ability to assume the status of priest.
Sampson was granted superhuman strength so long as he did not cut his hair. Cuhulain could not die so long as he abstained from eating dog meat. These are the best examples I can think of off the top of my head. Irish mythology in particular is full of heroes with geasa and their associated magical powers, but there are several in greek mythology too.
>Thats what I meant, though it was off-topic from Jane's post. I don't
>have a problem with cult vows, I was just questioning whether the >game
system to handle it was necessary. :-)
Ok, the gift/geas system in RQ was pretty game mechanical, but not grievously so IMHO. It reflects a real extant tradition in many cultures. I'm sure that Humakti and Yelmalions in glorantha do have a religious tradition of gifts and geases recognisably similar to the RQ rules equivalents.
Simon Hibbs
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