Re: Orlanthi initiation rites

From: Tradetalk_at_...
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2003 15:33:48 +0100

Victor asked:

>In that vein; has anyone does this with the game before? Does >anyone have any tips for shepherding these novices into >creating Orlanthi at a level that's younger than they otherwise >might be? Start with scores of 15 instead of 17, frex?

I just playing this with my gaming group - which has also more woman as men (4 to 2) - and we have just ended the initiation rites.

The main problem of my gamers is, that they have no time to read all the background stuff about the cultures and cults. Therefore we decided to start with kids in the age of 14 years.

We have taken the Culbrea tribe and the Marthroding clan as base for the story, which starts in 1598. In this time the "kids" learned that basic of a clan, the connections of men and woman and what is important for an Orlanthi. We have build up a whole story about the farmstead were they are born and who the relatives stand to each other. In this setting we have played four small adventures, were the kids have to care about vanished sheeps, have to rescue a small child and something similar. Mostly with to solve with their brains instead of weapons.

The Inititation has take place in the holy time 1598/99. For this I used an article Sven Kosel has written long time ago for RuneQuest. It is nearly based on ethnological theories as John described it.

Sven described it within the Orlanthi mythology in three phases: 1. Destroying phase - First three days of the Holy time Story of Orlanth the youth
- The PC were brought by the "giants" to a secred cave

• Ritual cleaning by the priest
• The kids are dead and mourning of the relatives and parents
• Yinkin was blown away 2. Border phase - next six days of the Holy time story of Orlanth adventures and Orlanth thunderous
• Struggle with Yelm
• Meeting with Eurmal and detection of death
• Orlanth killed Yelm
• Darkness the gods are fighting each other
• Heler was freed and wisdom was found 3. Reborn phase - last five days of the holy time story of Orlanth Lightbringer and Orlanth Rex
• wooing of Ernalda, new cloths and weapons are given
• Six companions, giong to the west
• Going to the underworld, following Yelms blood - each PC has to withstand a specific danger
• Compromise in Hell
• Dangerous travel home and prozession of the new adults in the village

My characters has decided to become devoted to specific gods in the Orlanthi Pantheon, so it was easy to checking their use for this cults in Reborn phase.

One wants to become a Orlanth adventures character and was forced to lead and to regret the deed he has done (killing yelm) one wants to become an Isssries merchant. She must dealing with in Argan Argar troll in their way one wants to become a vinga and found a child which she must defend for all dangers one wants to become a Humakti and she must show her honesty in a fight one wants to become an Odalya hunter and finds tracks of animals and must decide to kill only when it is need one wants to become a chalana Arroy and has to heal a unhealable person which could be healed by taking the damage on herself

You can believe me it was a very interesting game session last time.

Cheers

Ingo