Experiences with Orgorvale Summer? (spoilers)

[Scorus]

My players agreed to found the cult of Orgorvale Summer (ala GA), with one of them serving as her priest. I'd be interested in hearing about any experiences that others have had with founding the cult. The book lists that the cult can be a subcult of Orlanth or Ernalda, part of the Colymar tribal cult (not sure how that would work), or an independent spirit cult.

What direction did your players go? How did they grow the cult? What powers did you give the priest? What have you done with the cult, tomb, and goddess?

I'm leaning toward not considering this a spirit cult, or at least something between a spirit cult and a regular cult given her importance in history and the fact that at one time she had a very large laity. It may become an Orlanth or Ernalda sub-cult, but I'm playing with the idea of Leika trying to use it to extend her influence within Sartar.

The priest is an Orlanthi hunter, the other two founding members are an Orlanthi warrior and a Daka Fal Asst. Shaman, all based out of Apple Lane.

[Arcadiagt5]

I've run this twice and had both an independent cult and an Orlanthi subcult created. Alas, I'm perhaps not very good at following up on stuff and haven't really gone back to it much in either campaign.

That said, the players in the campaign where she was created as an independent cult did install the shaman from the Quickstart campaign there as her effective priest. I ended up running the Quickstart adventure later, enough so that it was the PCs own cattle that was being stolen, and they quite liked the shaman NPC. So they decided that giving him a nice safe cave well away from the trouble with his own friendly goddess was just the thing to reward him for his help. 

Haven't really done all that much with it in the other campaign, yet, but this post is giving me some ideas. 

[Godweyn]

Well this is a big issue in our campaign, my players awaken Orgorvale too, and for the last months they have founded his independent cult at the best of their abilities.

But well, the information was short about her, so i gave her amnesia to buy me some time and craft sometime interesting (her awakening was unexpected...). The excuse for this, in my head at less, was that she was forgotten for so many years, in an almost forsaken grave, and worse, his identity stolen by a dragon in her last recorded interaction with humans. So her connection to the events in the god time was thin if we say it kindly. 
All related memories are of the things she was still remembered, she is the ancestor of all this people, she was the first queen of this place, she knows who is his family, and all her powers are related with that (summon ancestor, etc like the adventure book says).

And like this our good heroes need to find the "real" events in with Orgorvale was part, plus attract initiates. With more power, and more memories, Orgorvale will be able to display more abilities and grow with that.

Nowadays the homebrew growth of the younger of the summer goddesses include being a hippogriff rider (A little connection with the Pegasus Plateau), so she now teach ride hippogriff, and a little history in progress in the gods time called "The Child and the Raven" (Orlanth order Eurmal to babysit her or be smiten), when she learn to "create games", in the form of summon small earth elementals and command them.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Godweyn

[Scorus]

8 hours ago, Arcadiagt5 said:

Haven't really done all that much with it in the other campaign, yet, but this post is giving me some ideas. 

Good, my purpose was to get some cross-pollination of ideas!

For my game, as was at least mentioned in the GA, Orgorvale was imprisoned by the EWF. After the Dragonkill, Yerezum Storn's dream went elsewhere since there was no longer people there to worship it, since it had never been killed she was still imprisoned. The Dragonrise pulled and trapped it back into the old dream, thus providing her method of escape.

All of my players are Hiording and, coincidentally, when I generated the clan I made Orgorvale Summer their clan ancestor. So many of the spirits in the tomb bemoaning their lack of respect and attention potentially have descendants in the area that would be interested in this. The players have not yet announced the discovery so they can prepare for pilgrims. The Daka Fal and Lhankor Mhy in my party are planning on working together to catalog the spirits there.

One thing I am changing is her rune spells. This is partly because I have a Daka Fal player and it isn't fair for everyone to get his spells, but also because I want to push forward her earth rune side over her Man rune side. I will probably leave Summon Ancestor (which is not nearly as useful without the other two) and look for other man and earth spells to complement that.

I'll add more to this thread as we figure some things out. I encourage others to do likewise. I'll also mention that the potential for Orgorvale as tribal wyter is talked about in the JC book on Lysang, "In a Merry Green Vale".

[Oracle]

GA? 🤔

[Arcadiagt5]

11 minutes ago, Oracle said:

GA? 🤔

Gamesmaster Adventures. The bookthat outlines the Colymar, and provides three full adventures - Defending Apple Lane, Cattle Raid, and The Dragon of Thunder Hills (which is where Orgorvale Summer appears, albeit with very little in the way of writeup). 

[skulldixon]

I am in the process of creating 4 sacred objects that were taken from the cult for the time of the third Unity Council when they imprisoned the goddess and replaced her with an imposter. They have been lost to time and the new cultist as given the objective by Orgorvale to seek them out and return them to her Temple Tomb where they belong.

This gave the players something more to do than seek out other cultist to join them as well as restoring the Temple to something akin to its former glory (which is more about time and money). 

So far what I know about these items if that the First was a gift from her Grandfather - Orlanth. The second was a Gift from her Father - Vingkot, The Third gift was given to her by her Husband - Ulanin the Rider (Which is a saddle), and the fourth was given to her by the Dryad Tardisis.

The Saddle is the only one I know what it looks like so far. I haven't decided for anything else yet and still need to write up the lore and abilities of each one. But I have time since they just became her new cultist last week and I though it this idea right before game.

 

This will also be a the prefect opportunity for the Assistant shaman in the group to learn about and how to make Medicine Bundles (using the rules from the Treasure of Glorantha Jonstown Compendium) and how to make a God Bundle so that they can make a shrine in Apple Lane.

[soltakss]

15 hours ago, skulldixon said:

This will also be a the prefect opportunity for the Assistant shaman in the group to learn about and how to make Medicine Bundles (using the rules from the Treasure of Glorantha Jonstown Compendium) and how to make a God Bundle so that they can make a shrine in Apple Lane.

Lovely to see that people are using the Medicine Bundles in play.

[skulldixon]

My group is going to run the Orgorvale Summer cult as its own cult instead of a sub-cult under Orlanth. 

So far what I have written up for the cult writeup is:

Cult Runes: Man and Earth

Initiate Requirements: Standard

Favored Passions: Devotion (Orgorvale Summer), Loyalty (temple).

Spirit Spells: Heal 1, Strength (2 pt.), Vigor (2 pt.)

Common Rune Magic: All

Special Rune Magic: Summon Ancestor, Summon Specific Ancestor, and Summon Spirit Teacher.

Cult Skills: Herding, Riding (Horse), Homeland (local), Understand Herd beast, Worship (Orgorvale), Animal Lore, Staff Sling Cult Weapon Skill (players picked this).

Associated Cults:

• Orlanth: Provides?
• Ernalda: Provides?
• Yelmalio: Provides?
• Elmal: Provides?
• Argan Argar: Provides?
• Ulanin The Rider: Provides?

Still working on what Rune spells these associated cults would provide.

Edited March 14, 2021 by skulldixon

[David Scott]

1 hour ago, skulldixon said:

Still working on what Rune spells these associated cults would provide.

Perhaps it's not known what Rune spells are available. The priesthood would need a shrine to the god inside a major temple to her. She's only actually associated with Orlantha and Ernalda, and friendly towards Argan Argar and Yelmalio (and Elmal). Friendly cults don't provide magic or training. Alternatively they could go to an Orlanth or Ernalda temple and see what appears. Better still would be a sacred time heroquest to meet Orlanth & Ernalda to see what they would offer her and why. 

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, skulldixon said:

Cult Skills: Herding, Riding (Horse), Homeland (local), Understand Herd beast, Worship (Orgorvale), Animal Lore, Staff Sling Cult Weapon Skill (players picked this).

Riding and Animal Lore might go more with Ulanin the Rider - particularly the former.  You have to ask what her relationship is to Animals - what's her myth (vs. Ulanin's).

Another consideration given the Man Rune, is that it may be largely up to the new temple and its staff to determine what skills are actually useful for the cult vs. having a predetermined set.  These likely evolve out of the needs of the temple and Orgorvale's mythic deeds, whatever those are.

[skulldixon]

49 minutes ago, David Scott said:

Perhaps it's not known what Rune spells are available. The priesthood would need a shrine to the god inside a major temple to her. She's only actually associated with Orlantha and Ernalda, and friendly towards Argan Argar and Yelmalio (and Elmal). Friendly cults don't provide magic or training. Alternatively they could go to an Orlanth or Ernalda temple and see what appears. Better still would be a sacred time heroquest to meet Orlanth & Ernalda to see what they would offer her and why. 

That's all pretty true and the heroquest is a great idea.

41 minutes ago, jajagappa said:

Riding and Animal Lore might go more with Ulanin the Rider - particularly the former.  You have to ask what her relationship is to Animals - what's her myth (vs. Ulanin's).

Another consideration given the Man Rune, is that it may be largely up to the new temple and its staff to determine what skills are actually useful for the cult vs. having a predetermined set.  These likely evolve out of the needs of the temple and Orgorvale's mythic deeds, whatever those are.

There isn't much written about her from what i have been able to pull up so far. So I'm unsure what her mythic deeds are.

I was largely basing some of this off of the fact that it sounded like her people were non nomadic horse people who were in conflict occasionally with the grazelanders. 

But you're not wrong. Though this write up is a work in progress so it could change over time as the group messages whatever decisions they need to make.

[jajagappa]

4 hours ago, skulldixon said:

There isn't much written about her from what i have been able to pull up so far. So I'm unsure what her mythic deeds are.

I was largely basing some of this off of the fact that it sounded like her people were non nomadic horse people who were in conflict occasionally with the grazelanders. 

But you're not wrong. Though this write up is a work in progress so it could change over time as the group messages whatever decisions they need to make.

The tales of the Vingkotlings seem to consistently overlook or ignore Vingkot's Daughters (and she's one of the daughters of the Summer Wife who would have had connections presumably with the Life Rune and agriculture/horticulture).  Instead, both the Orgorvaltes and the Berenethtelli end up as tales about the Rider Husbands (pastoral over agricultural or even hunter-gatherer).  Using the Man Rune for Orgorvale strongly suggests community and civilization, but one that suffered during the Storm Age and eventually turned to or gained the aid of one of the nomadic horse cultures.  

The main thing we know of her tribe is that at the Dawn they hold the upper Stream Vale and the gap between the Quivin Mountains and the Storm Mountains (the lands of the Colymar, Locaem, Sambari, and Kheldon), and the closest tribe to both the Old Wind Temple and the Hill of Orlanth Victorious.  It's also the primary access to Prax so a focus could have been on trade instead of agricultural.

Did she have some relationship with the Stream?  Or have connections with the rolling hills of this area (Thunder Hills, etc.)?  Were her lands cultivated gardens?  Unfortunately we don't know, so you could go any number of ways with that.

[skulldixon]

I found, before game yesterday, while reading the Heroquest: Sartar Companion  book, that there was a orgorvalite hero named Vestorfin; so when my players had encountered the Chief of the Anmangarn, One Vestorfin Tribute-taker, and were telling him about how they released Orgorvale Summer from a spell put on her by the EWF and were reestablishing her cult, Vestorfin told them about how he was named after a orgorvalite Hero due to being descendent from that bloodline. The reawakening of the Goddess seemed significant to him. Though, I don't think he will become an initiate since he has his hands full being a Storm Voice and clan chief.

But he did tell of Vestorfin's hill nd its imprtance to the Orgorvalites in the past. 

[skulldixon]

I'm curious how your players developed the cult's holy days? 

 

[dumuzid]

For Argan Argar's associated spell, I recommend Safe.

[Pentallion]

All I can say is when your Trickster wants to seduce Orgonvale don't say something flippant like "Yeah, right, if you 01 your charm......"

[skulldixon]

So other than the Day of her reawakening as a Holy day for her cult, I was thinking about where to pull 4 other holy days. There is very little written about her so there is not much you can pull from so its mostly just make something up.

So with that in mind, I have this as her next holy days.

• Windday of Movement week of Seas Season to mark the day when Orgorvale tamed the Wild White Stallion. Ulanin had unintentially challenged her newly learned riding ability and she proved him wrong.
• Clayday, Harmony Week of Fire season; Marks the Day that Orgorvale Summer Married Ulanin the Rider.
• Earth Season -N/A
• Dark Season - N/A

[skulldixon]

I had this thought the other day that might help create additional Lore of Orgorvale Summer.

There is a reference to the Queen's Tomb being the Tomb f the Sleeping Queen, so I had the thought that what if this reference is not about Orgorvale Summer being imprisoned but is hinting at a "Sleeping Beauty" like event that happened in her lore? There is not much lore for her overall so it makes it very easy to insert almost anything into her story. 

So I'm thinking about adding one of the holidays or maybe even two separate Holy Days to link to this Sleeping Queen Event, one where she falls asleep and cannot be awakened and another where She is finally awakened - possibly by Ulanin the Rider.

 

Anyway. food for thought.

[Arcadiagt5]

In one of my games Orgorvale Summer is now, effectively, a spirit cult that will have Shamans rather than other Rune Priests. So a new PC is a Farmer from the area turned Assistant Shaman & sent to aid/support the cult founders. 

EDIT: Which is a neat way to turn the regular adventuring activities of the Assistant Shaman into direct cult and shamanic duties. 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Arcadiagt5

[Puckohue]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:36 PM, skulldixon said:

what I know about these items if that the First was a gift from her Grandfather - Orlanth. The second was a Gift from her Father - Vingkot, The Third gift was given to her by her Husband - Ulanin the Rider (Which is a saddle), and the fourth was given to her by the Dryad Tardisis.

The Saddle is the only one I know what it looks like so far. I haven't decided for anything else yet and still need to write up the lore and abilities of each one.

Did you ever develop this further? I'd love to see what you did. Where were these items to be found by your adventurers? I'm considering hiding one of them in Bonn Kanach (from the JC). Maybe one in the Smoking Ruins. Maybe one in The Rubble (to get them there).

Edited August 17, 2022 by Puckohue

[skulldixon]

7 hours ago, Puckohue said:

Did you ever develop this further? I'd love to see what you did. Where were these items to be found by your adventurers? I'm considering hiding one of them in Bonn Kanach (from the JC). Maybe one in the Smoking Ruins. Maybe one in The Rubble (to get them there).

I have not. 

So far they've found Orgorvale Summer's Saddle, which I had placed in the Lost Valley/Urvantan's Tower adventure. It gives +40% to the users Ride Skill. Studying the iconography and designs, a Initiate or higher can gain+10% to their Orgorvale Summer Cult Lore. 

Other than that, I haven't written anything else for the cult or artifacts yet.

[Elcid321]

On 3/14/2021 at 5:01 PM, jajagappa said:

The tales of the Vingkotlings seem to consistently overlook or ignore Vingkot's Daughters (and she's one of the daughters of the Summer Wife who would have had connections presumably with the Life Rune and agriculture/horticulture).  Instead, both the Orgorvaltes and the Berenethtelli end up as tales about the Rider Husbands (pastoral over agricultural or even hunter-gatherer).  Using the Man Rune for Orgorvale strongly suggests community and civilization, but one that suffered during the Storm Age and eventually turned to or gained the aid of one of the nomadic horse cultures.  

The main thing we know of her tribe is that at the Dawn they hold the upper Stream Vale and the gap between the Quivin Mountains and the Storm Mountains (the lands of the Colymar, Locaem, Sambari, and Kheldon), and the closest tribe to both the Old Wind Temple and the Hill of Orlanth Victorious.  It's also the primary access to Prax so a focus could have been on trade instead of agricultural.

Did she have some relationship with the Stream?  Or have connections with the rolling hills of this area (Thunder Hills, etc.)?  Were her lands cultivated gardens?  Unfortunately we don't know, so you could go any number of ways with that.

Well, one thing that could be done is add her another rune, maybe the harmony rune, to represent her civilizatory influence, pr maybe the air or movement rune, to represent the influence of her grandfather. And of course, giver her spells that represent said runic connections.

[Puckohue]

On 8/17/2022 at 4:58 PM, skulldixon said:

Other than that, I haven't written anything else for the cult or artifacts yet.

I found this thread to be useful to find inspiration for Orgorvale's lost gifts.

[skulldixon]

Kind of sad I missed that Contest.

On 8/30/2022 at 9:48 AM, Puckohue said:

I found this thread to be useful to find inspiration for Orgorvale's lost gifts.