-- Secrets of the Moon Bear The Cyclical Ursine By Mark Galeotti The High Bear pantheon is a form of Orlanthi worship strong in Sylila and northern Aggar, in which Odayla the Bear, also known as the Star Bear, is revered above Orlanth himself. With the arrival of the Empire and Lunar worship, the High Bear pantheon has managed largely to adapt itself well, and the Red Goddess is often portrayed as riding the great Star Bear. Lunarised Sylilans interpret this to mean that Sedenya is Mistress of the Star Bear, while traditionalists simply say that he is lending his strength to her cause. However, a new bear cult has arisen which seems to unite elements of the new and the old – what remains to be seen is who will benefit the most. In 5/34 (1497), Hwarin's Well began to send clouds of red smoke into the skies, while the Gyndan seeeresses who tended this oracular site tried vainly to understand the portents. For seven days and nights it burned, the smoke darkening and lightening with the phases of Rufelza. On the seventh night the smoke took the form of a great red ringed bear, terrifying, inspiring and majestic, which ascended to the moon. For the next fifty years, debate raged as to whether this was the manifestation of some new or unknown deity, a symbol of Odayla's marriage to Rufelza or a curse or blessing on Sylila. It led to the infamous Twenty-Seven Disputations, which left half of Kerikor a smoking ruin and the other half festooned with pamphlets. It sundered the marriage of Satrap Anadras and his Aggari wife Bheronwydd. It prompted Blind Fekeh, the `Bard of Lakrene', to write `Star and Moon', arguably his greatest play. The Moon Bear's existence and divinity was gradually accepted, first through the minor and major miracles he wrought and then by his dramatic appearance at the Black Night Burning a century ago. An entropic discharge at the Jillaro Temple of the Reaching Moon led to a so-called `meltup' as raw essences boiled into the night sky just as the Glowline failed. Rufelza's face was blotted from view and dark creatures of otherworldly hunger – later identified as the Tokari Void Locusts – began to congeal from the clouds of unresolved possibility. Suddenly the Moon Bear roared through the sky in all his terrible glory, his fur streaming sparks of moonglow, his fangs glittering as he roared a challenge. He was blotted from view as the Locusts swarmed around him, then he blazed with power and the void parasites boiled away. Since then, his cult has become recognised by all and embraced by many. Indeed, the Moon Bear and his various aspects have become the dominant cult in the satrapy. He has seven forms, each associated with one of the moon's phases and also the cycles of life in Sylila, the most popular being The Sleeper, BendraYoo Stand-Up and CandarYoo the Forager. However, the Moon Bear's origins and motivations are still unclear and in many ways discovering and defining this will be crucial to shaping Sylila's future. On the one hand, there are aspects of the Moon Bear's worship – and especially the Red Moon Burning subcult – which make it a credible candidate to replace or absorb Odayla the Star Bear, marking the definitive incorporation of the High Bear pantheon into the Lunar Way, just as Sylila was brought into the Empire. There is even talk of mating the Star Bear with Red Moon Burning to produce a new Lunar divine dynasty for Sylila. However, there are also traditionalists who look at Sylila's history in another way. They insist that the presence of this new deity shows that even the Red Moon can be brought into the High Bear pantheon – they too favour a divine mating, just as Dalthippa and Ingkot's union brought new power and prosperity to Sylila. Whether the Moon Bear will allow Sylila to use the moon's powers for their own glory or instead finally bind the `Barbarian Satrapy' to the Empire is one of the unresolved questions which will be answered in the Hero Wars… Entry Requirements: None. Mundane Abilities: Bear Lore, Mythology of the Moon Bear. Affinities: Bear (Bear's Hide, Bear's Strength, Identify Scent, Ignore Pain, Terrify Prey) Otherworld (Bite Away Magic, Bite Away Sorcery, Bite Away Spirits, Communicate with Otherworldly Beings, Sense Otherworldly Presence) Worshippers: A growing number of Sylilans from every walk of life, who see the Moon Bear as combining the best of both Lunar and High Bear faiths. Other Side: The Moon Bear roams the skies near Rufelza, and burrows in her skyplains lead to the surface of the moon. Holy Days: The high holy day is Red Smoke Night (Full-Half/31 or Gods/Illusion/Dark), celebrating the night smoke first began to pour from Hwarin's Well. This initiates a week of varied festivities, with the appropriate day devoted to each form, culminating in Red Moon Burning's increasingly regal ceremonies. Other Connections: The different subcults all represent aspects of the Moon Bear, and they are closely linked. The High Bear pantheon is ambivalent about the Moon Bear. Disadvantages: Subject to the Lunar Cycle Aspects of Moon Bear Moon-Gazer (Crescent-Go) The most enigmatic of Moon Bear's forms, Moon-Gazer is the cub who watches the night sky for signs and portents with a natural wisdom that is neither taught nor affected. She is as often the heartening presence who assures the community of good harvests and safe returns as the howling prophet of terror and woe. As such, her followers are respected and always protected, but rarely fully accepted into their communities. Mundane Abilities: Arresting Presence, Carrying Voice, Understand Omen. Virtues: Mercurial, Quiet. Affinities: Moon-Gazing (See at Night, See Far, See What's There) Otherworld extra feat: See Otherworld Secret: Signs and Portents (At the Narrator's discretion, the devotee will receive prophetic visions when gazing at the moon – these may be clear and helpful but will more often be cryptic, disturbing, ambiguous or all three.) UrruYoo (Dying) UrruYoo is the hunter, who brings down the reincarnating moondeer and mundane prey alike for his community. He is especially popular amongst the highland tribes. He uses not ranged weapons but stealth and speed to get close enough to his prey for a kill, and also knows the secrets of claw-fishing in the cold highland streams and the snarl that robs his prey of the will to flee. Mundane Abilities: Fishing, Hunting, Remain Motionless, Sprint, Stealth. Virtues: Fierce, Patient. Affinities: Hunter (Attract Prey Animal, Burst of Speed, Endure Cold, Hide Scent, Quick Slash, Stunning Smash) Bear extra feat: Startling Roar Secret: The Great Snarl (The hunter's bellowing snarl freezes prey animals within earshot with terror. Only trained, magical or otherwise special animals may resist; no multiple target penalties apply. Timorous sentient beings such as trollkin and cowards may also be affected, at the Narrator's discretion.) The Sleeper (Black) The Sleeper brings her people the daily respite of healing sleep and the deeper comfort of the Great Sleep from which they will eventually awake reborn. She is the representation of winter and hibernation, healing and time. Mundane Abilities: Calming Presence, Sing Lullaby. Virtues: Caring, Gentle, Unhurried Affinities: Healing Sleep (Bring Sleep, Cleanse Dreams, Hibernate, Sleep Safely in Cold, Sleep That Casts Out Spirits, Sleep That Heals Minds, Sleep The Heals Wounds) Otherworld extra feat: Lay Dead to Final Rest ritual. Secret: Sleep Back to Life (As Storm Tribe, p151, except that a devotee may also sacrifice her own life to cast this on another worshipper of the Moon Bear instead.) CandarYoo the Forager (Crescent-Come) After hibernation comes hope and hunger. CandarYoo shows his worshippers that there is opportunity and sustenance in even the most unusual places, whether taking the honeycombs from bee's hives or digging truffles from the ground. He is also the cheerful, no- nonsense midhusband who helps women bear their cubs safely. Mundane Ability: Evaluate Food Quality, Forage, Identify Edible Plants, Know Way Home, Midwife. Virtues: Cheerful, Curious, Hard-Working, Optimistic. Affinities: Feed Family (Appease Bee ritual, Dig, Ease Birth ritual, Find Potable Water, Make Little Food Go Round, Preserve Food ritual, Smell Food) Bear additional feat: Smell Danger Otherworld additional feat: Smell Magical Contamination Secret: Survive Anywhere (As Thunder Rebels, p229.) Nest-Builder (Empty-Half) Nest-Builder puts a sheltering roof above her family and protective walls around them. Whether a shack or a marble villa, homes are her responsibility, as are the families and communities which grow within them. Mundane Abilities: Assess Possible Mate, Build Shelter, Make Minor Repairs. Virtues: Caring, Gentle, Protective. Affinities: Nest-Builder (Bless Conception ritual, Bless Home ritual, Calm Dispute, Warm Home) Otherworld extra feat: Exorcise Home ritual. Secret: Awaken Home (The devotee can use this ritual to awaken the natural daimon soul of any dwelling – the resistance depends on the size of the home and the bond with the worshipper. A small house in which she lives would have a resistance of 14, a large house owned by a close friend, perhaps 5W, while awakening the daimon of a palace owned by a stranger would require defeating a resistance of 1W3. The daimon remains present for the next 7 days and has a might equal to the secret's ability level, which it uses to avert mishaps such as fires and burglaries.) Red Moon Burning (Full) Red Moon Burning's full powers have only begun to be recognised since the Black Night Burning. She is a figure of power and mystery, a leader and a knower of secrets. As such, her temples have become viewed by some as candidates for challenging the established cults of Hwarin Dalthippa and Ingkot for spiritual rulership of the Sylilan nation. Entry Requirements: Must be Sylilan born or adopted. Mundane Abilities: Natural Authority, Perceive Motivations, Sylilan History. Virtues: Commanding, Self-Confident, Strong-Willed. Affinities: Majestic Radiance (Assert Authority, Blaze Through Darkness, Burn Away Cold, Burn With Moonlight, Get Everyone's Attention, Resist Magical Compulsion, Snarl Down Opposition) Bear extra feat: Command Bear Secret: I'm In Charge Here (Allows the devotee to ignore multiple target penalties when asserting her authority or using her Majestic Radiance affinity. It can also be used to augment any such actions.) BendraYoo Stand-Up (Full-Half) BendraYoo is the warrior form of the Moon Bear, the fierce defender of his community who fights with relentless and savage skill. The temple of BendraYoo is a passionate advocate of Sylilan interests within the Empire as well as Imperial expansion. It sponsors and supports the Jillaro Cutters, a Heartland Corps regiment of heavy infantrymen whose roots go back to Ingkot's own Bearskin Housecarls and yet who are beginning to turn to the Moon Bear's ways. Mundane Abilities: Close Combat (Wrestling; any claw-like or edged weapon), Stand Tall. Virtues: Fierce, Protective. Affinities: Bearclaw Fighter (Bowl Over Foe, Claw Missile Out of Air, Crushing Hug, Gutting Slash, Smash Away Shield, Smash Away Weapon) Otherworld extra feat: Rip Otherworld Entity Secret: Fight On! (The devotee can continue to fight until brought to –40 AP, without penalties. Win or lose, at the end of the combat then the effects of any damage will be applied, before any post- contest healing can be applied.)
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