I love the Scary Earth cults, and Maran Gor is probably the scariest.
> She and another PC had the idea to be twin sisters who reflect the light and dark earth.
That sounds like a good rationale.
> I realize it's a bit of a stretch to have a full Maran Gor initiate in Sartar, but PCs are often the weirdos in their clan.
Well, yes and no. In HeroQuest terms, initiates are rare and Maran Gor is rare, so an initiate of Maran Gor is very rare. However, in RuneQuest terms, initiation is a slightly lower level, so there should be more initiates.
Certainly Tarsh should have a lot more Maran Gor initiates than Sartar.
> But I have no idea what a Maran Gor initiation looks like. I could do an Ernalda initiation and have Maran Gor step in at some point, but I was wondering if anyone else had any ideas of what a Maran Gor initiation might entail.
For me, the Earth-Pairs are important. So, Asrelia is paired with Ty Kora Tek, Ernalda with Maran Gor and Voria with Babeester Gor. Earth cultists can take the normal path of Voria - Ernalda - Asrelia, or can vary the path somewhat.
Babeester Gor is the Avenger, the Guardian, the Protector. Maran Gor is the Earth Shaker, the Destroyer, the Blaster. Ty Kora Tek is the Crone, the Dry Woman, the Guardian of the Dead
Maran Gor is a very martial deity, who blasts and shatters the earth. She command dinosaurs and other great beasts. She uses axes and maces.
So, for an initiation, there should be a series of choices to make. If the participants choose to take the path of anger and destruction then they are suited to Maran Gor. If anger and vengeance then Babeester Gor. If they see an enemy and attack it, then they might be headed for Maran Gor, but if they protect someone from an enemy then it would be Babeester Gor.
One good way of doing this is to have the Women's Hall and have lots of equipment available, Each participant can take three things from the Hall. The equipment available could include axes, shields, maces, looms, cradles, rattles, needles, shawls, shrouds and so on. The things that the participants take and use shape which deity they will ultimately follow. So, someone who takes a rolling pin, apron and mixing bowl would be different to someone who takes a mace, axe and shield.
If the participants meet a troll, what do they do? Anyone who talks to it might be more suited to Ernalda, anyone who attacks it on sight suits Maran Gor, anyone who stands in front of the other women might suit Babeester Gor, anyone who asks about the secrets in the darkness suits Asrelia and anyone asking about the Otherworld would suit Ty Kora Tek.
If they meet a broo, what do they do? Burying the group in the earth suits Ernalda, attacking it suits Maran Gor, defending the group or tracking it down and killing it later suits Babeester Gor,
If they meet a diseased plot of land, what do they do? Crying and doing nothing suits Voria, healing the land suits Ernalda, Blasting the land to cleanse it suits Maran Gor, sacrificing someone to wash away the poison with blood suits Maran Gor, seeking to find the poisoner suits Babeester Gor.
In such an initiation HeroQuest, you should decide whether one choice decides the fate or whether it is chosen by a number of choices.
See Ya
Simon
Powered by hypermail