Hauberk Jon

[kr0p0s]

The description of Jonstown in the the Starter Set is great. A very evocative description of the city and leading figures. There's just one thing missing. A writeup of the city wyter Hauberk Jon. It would have been interesting to see details of a city wyter and what abilities and magic they can use in support of the city. 

Are city gods, such as Pavis, the exception? Do most cities only have a wyter, supporting the Priesthood of the chief god of the city?

[Joerg]

All communities above a certain size may have a wyter. Sometimes the wyter of a community manifests without directed ritual activity, but more often there is an active selection of the community wyter by its founder(s).

In case of the communities founded by Sartar, these wyters were quested for by Sartar and his co-founders (in the case of Jonstown including Hauberk Jon as king of the Malani tribe, and probably the kings of the other confederate tribes Cinsina, Culbrea, Maboder and Torkani as well). After the city was founded (on the site of the village of Jon's home clan, at least the upper city), Hauberk Jon became the first City Rex or king of the confederation - a role he already had in the armed conflict with the Telmori. Later, after Hauberk Jon's death, he became the wyter of the city. How exactly that happened remains to be explored. Somehow, the founders of communities may replace or expand the original wyters of the community. The Varmandi Vengeance Oak and Colymar's Black Spear may be the same, or they may be slightly different.

From recent statements it looks like Hauberk Jon is a local hero cult of the Orlanth Rex cult, headed by the City Rex and worshipped by all citizens as part of their citizen requirements, and by many residents of Jonstown without citizen status as well.

A worshipped hero usually comes with a feat that makes it worth giving worship. In Hauberk Jon's case, that may have been uniting the tribes of the confederation for the war against the Telmori, and then to keep the confederation together and even enhanced into peace. A feat greatly aided by Sartar, sure, but then Sartar went on and created his kingdom, questing for a wyter for that with a Westfaring (following the Lightbringers' Quest to the point where the questers manifest Ginna Jar), and taking over as the wyter with his self-immolation and apotheosis.

As cities go, Jonstown is on the lower end of the scale, even though it comes third in size in Sartar after Boldhome and Alda-Chur.

Of the other cities of Sartar, we know that Wilmskirk and Swenstown have similar deals. Duck Point is problematic because it doesn't really have a city confederation, Alda-chur pre-existed Sartar's founding spree, and Alone was founded by Sartar's great-grandson Terasarin, probably imitating the model set by his ancestor. It isn't clear who led that city confederation after it was founded, but Terasarin did marry one of his sons to a Far Point chieftess, so maybe that son became the first city rex there.

Pavis founded a city with a population at least the size of Boldhome. While New Pavis is significantly smaller than that, the pact Dorasor made with the city god of the Big Rubble allowed the god to add new worshippers and new life to his cult that had survived mostly in hiding, at least outside of the Real City section of the Rubble.

There are other city gods known by name, e.g. Tondiji in Fonrit, Glamour in the Lunar Empire, Raiba(mus) for Raibanth in Dara Happa, and even major deities with divine agenda without the city like Galanin in Galin in Safelster or Shargash in Alkoth in Dara Happa. But then we know aspects of Shargash taking a role in Alkoth, making the city god bit a subcult similar to what happens with Hauberk Jon in Jonstown, only scaled up for a population ten times as high.

I don't think that there is a magical minimal number for a city god to be more than a hero cult of a ruling deity. It depends on the magical stature of the city founder (where he is the city god), and probably on the fervor of the worshippers (which also measures the cult's wealth).

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, kr0p0s said:

There's just one thing missing. A writeup of the city wyter Hauberk Jon. It would have been interesting to see details of a city wyter and what abilities and magic they can use in support of the city. 

Are city gods, such as Pavis, the exception? Do most cities only have a wyter, supporting the Priesthood of the chief god of the city?

Bear in mind this was the Starter Set - it provides enough to start play in Jonstown while not overwhelming those being introduced to the game.

I would expect city gods to be further detailed in subsequent works, though I doubt that most will be as elaborate as Pavis.

[kr0p0s]

6 hours ago, jajagappa said:

Bear in mind this was the Starter Set - it provides enough to start play in Jonstown while not overwhelming those being introduced to the game.

Given we have been given rules for wyters in the Bestiary, it's not inconceivable that Hauberk Jon could be fleshed out a bit more,  in terms of POW, CHA and abilities. Just to give the veterans some more examples of wyters.

I do get your general point though. More will be revealed. Given the relevance of heroquesting to the general direction of the game, I hope soon(-ish).