[Orlanthi] Brannagh Skirlingdrone

[AlHazred]

So, Brannagh Skirlingdrone, the god of the bagpipers, is from Aggar; he received a brief writeup in The Imperial Lunar Handbook 1, but that's been rendered noncanonical, I suppose. The few references I saw online during discussions in that era imply he's spread beyond Aggar. I'd wanted to include bagpipers among my Sartarite Orlanthi in my game. How would Brannagh fit in a Heortling Orlanthi pantheon? A subcult of Orlanth Adventurous, since they're playing in battle? Its own cult, as it is in Aggar? It seems like the one musical cult that wouldn't necessarily have a strong association with Donandar.

[Agentorange]

Surely a sub cult of Ikadz

[Joerg]

Probably more like a cult hero (of which deity? Orlanth, Drogarsi, Donandar, or Eurmal?) or a spirit cult entity, I suppose. Unless there also are gods of flutists, harpists, trumpeters, or kettle drum players, having one for this instrument seems to be over the top.

Bagpipes are fairly omnipresent wherever supple leather bags or animal bladders can withstand the climate. Dual pipes without the bag attached were used by the Greek, held to the mouth by a string attached to both. Drone pipes aren't that hard to come up with, either.

The instrument in Orlanth's musical contest with Yelm varies - the official version has the horn, IIRC, with Orlanth still somehow puffing his cheeks playing them.

[AlHazred]

3 hours ago, Joerg said:

Probably more like a cult hero (of which deity? Orlanth, Drogarsi, Donandar, or Eurmal?) or a spirit cult entity, I suppose. Unless there also are gods of flutists, harpists, trumpeters, or kettle drum players, having one for this instrument seems to be over the top.

Well, a bunch of Donandar subcults aren't focused on a musical instrument (Molamin the Choreographer, Mercario the Street Performer, and Skovari/Skovara the Puppetteers come to mind,) but there's Hyraos the Harper, Hombobobom the Drummer, Dathar (a Praxian spirit who plays the ribcage harp and “low blow” pipes), and Danfathar (a syrinx-playing god of the Talastar wilds). Drogarsi the Skald seems to be one of those "Free Verse Poetry" sorts. I mean, he can use any instrument, but his voice is his favorite.

Edited July 29, 2021 by AlHazred

[David Scott]

17 hours ago, AlHazred said:

So, Brannagh Skirlingdrone, the god of the bagpipers, is from Aggar; he received a brief writeup in The Imperial Lunar Handbook 1, but that's been rendered noncanonical, I suppose.

If you want to have him in your game, use him. He's clearly a hero and hero cults are small, they don't affect the overall setup.

17 hours ago, AlHazred said:

The few references I saw online during discussions in that era imply he's spread beyond Aggar. I'd wanted to include bagpipers among my Sartarite Orlanthi in my game. How would Brannagh fit in a Heortling Orlanthi pantheon? A subcult of Orlanth Adventurous, since they're playing in battle? Its own cult, as it is in Aggar? It seems like the one musical cult that wouldn't necessarily have a strong association with Donandar.

Heroes can be worshipped within multiple cults, use Heortling Mythology, Appendix C, Orlanthi Heroes and Hero Cults as your model. I'd suggest any cult that want's a bagpipe playing hero at the front of its warriors is appropriate: Humakt, Orlanth Adventurous, Yanafal Tarnils, Yelmalio, etc. As for a musical god connection he's clearly Drogarsi the Bagpiper, Heortling Mythology page 147.

Personally I would change his his name to Drogarsi the Bagpiper, and remove any references to Scottish, Welsh, Irish and alluded bagpipe terms: Brannagh, Skirlingdrone, Skirling, Eniskuill, Crunnagh, MacNevins lament, dirk. 

[AlHazred]

On 7/30/2021 at 6:38 AM, David Scott said:

Personally I would change his his name to Drogarsi the Bagpiper, and remove any references to Scottish, Welsh, Irish and alluded bagpipe terms: Brannagh, Skirlingdrone, Skirling, Eniskuill, Crunnagh, MacNevins lament, dirk. 

I've decided I like the simplicity of this and will use your take on it. The one thing I'd miss is the idea of the Bag of Winds affinity with its interesting feats. What kind of story is in Bind Sylph, Fly on Bag of Winds, Summon Wind from Bag, and Trap Wind in Bag? The it occurred to me that would make a nice clan treasure, a Bag of Winds that can house Umbroli (or maybe even Kolati or Worli?) and allow the wielder to fly, and it can be a cult secret of Drogarsi how its used to its fullest. Since the clan is a magic-heavy clan, that works out pretty well!

[David Scott]

19 hours ago, AlHazred said:

The one thing I'd miss is the idea of the Bag of Winds affinity with its interesting feats.

Keep it then, Bag of Winds appears in the RQGM Screen Pack:

Quote

Bag of Winds

This ox-hide bag is enchanted with Bind Air Elemental. The medium air elemental can be released by loosening the knot that holds the bag shut. The one opening the bag may command the air elemental to do one, and only one, specific and finite task for it, which it will do the best of its ability, at which point it will be freed. If the bag is destroyed, the elemental is set free.