The Odaylans have an intricate & intimate relationship with the Lady of the Wild. As both mother & lover of their God as well as figure of both life (prey) & death to the cult she is bound intrinsicly into their world. She appears most often to hunters & although this is wonderful it is also terrible & always exacts a price from the mortal. As mother /protector/ hunter of all wild creatures she both provides the hunters' prey & preys apon them. The act of hunting brings a mortal into her domain more surely than any other. Unlike the various domestic activities, herding, berrying etc, hunting is always part spirit quest & so hunters attract more of her attention. The various rituals involved with hunting are as often as not aimed at Tara with her son interceding on the part of the hunters. Tara is not hostile to hunters any more than to any other carnivore but neither is she any more protective. Just as she demands things of wolves, alynx, badgers & jumping mice so she demands things of hunters. Her demands are never outside the capability of the species. Dying is within this definition & they may be outside the ability of an individual.There are always compensations, even for death. Any meeting with Tara is a mystical event, although Taran mystics have low life expectancies.
Share of Blood Meal Tara actively takes her portion of the blood by drinking it with the hunter. In return she allows the hunter toconnect with the soul of his quarry in such a way that he always knows its location. This gives the hunter a fear of fire. He can be near it but won't use it himself
Jackal's Portion Tara merely watches the butchering occasionally darting in to grab a bone or piece of meat. The hunter so blessed will never startle an animal. He becomes so much part of the wild they ignore him. He does however find beds unbearable
Wolf' Portion Tara takes all the guts & the hunter becomes impervious to all but the coldest weather (-5°c & below) & all normal insects ignore him. The hunter then finds normal clothing, ie shirt & trews, unbearable if the temperature climbs above 0°c hence they generally get about in kilts.
Bear's Portion Tara takes the whole kill. In return she gifts the hunter with the bear's ability to slay. Any strike the hunter makesagainst natural prey (ie in season) is lethal. As the hunter can kill using the simplest of weapons metal is eschewed even to the point of use as ornament or armour. NB this ability can only be used on such animals as are in season,it can be used on humans from the start of Harmony / Earth to the end of Harmony / Storm as this is Man season.
Yinkin's Meal The hunter shares the kill with Tara. Both eat the prey raw on site staying til it is finished. This imbues the hunter with the stamina to run down any prey. Thus this is what they do shunning all missile weapons.
Stag's Portion Sex. Regardless of the gender any sex with Tara results in a child wrapped in leaves & hair appearing at the hunter's stead 2-3 seasons later. This child will either be a great hunter or a wild priest of Tara. In addition the hunter concieves a great longing for the Lady of the Wild which outshines all mortals. This can be broken by moving to another land. The fornication brings out or heightens the hunter's dominance. The hunter will lead any group of which they are a part. This may result in challenges from other dominant individuals & ends when the hunter is decicively beaten.
Gargath lottery Tara hunts the mortal through the forest. If he escapes the experience tunes him to flight. Nothing can catch him in the wild. All ambushes are detected & enemies noticed on aproach through an attunement to the nature of both animal behaviour & that of wild spirits.Subsequently he can't bear to pursue an animal with an alynx.
Twinson's Fate The hunter is sacrificed on the Wild Altar. This confirms the old pact that ended the tearing claw. Any hunters related to the sacrifice are blessed with a 15% better chance of success
Deed of blood The hunter sacrifices a specific creature to Tara & bathes in its blood. This permanently removes the hunter's scent but heated water always acts as an uncomfortable reminder of the ritual. Thus the hunter chooses to bathe in rivers or rainfall.
Deed of Nurture The hunter is bound to succour a particular creature. Often this demands the raising the young ofa species This act gives the hunter an unerring sense of direction but prolonged nurture of a wild creature makes the hunter antisocial. So much so that human society is avoided; often for weeks at a time.
Bewilder The hunter must cause some ploughed land to return to wilderness. This imposes a connection to the local flora enabling the hunter to feel changes in the local forest making it easier to locate the best food sources & hence the best prey. Loss of this connection, as when the hunter is inside a house, is uncomfortable at first rising to unbearable the longer the lack of contact is maintained.
Taboo The hunter can judge the success of the hunt, the weather, coming battle, lawsuit, or other matters from the behaviour of a single species. Only one matter can be judged per species but the hunter will not harm the messenger species.
Darvall
madamx_at_mikka.net.au
>From quiet homes & first beginnings
Out to the undicovered ends
Theres nothing worth the wear of winning
But laughter & the love of friends.
Hilare Belloc
End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #338
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