Seven Mothers Individual Cults

[svensson]

Is it possible to worship just one deity of the Seven Mothers?

For example, a warrior who worships Yanafal Tarnils but not Deezola or the rest of the Mothers?

There are examples in previous editions of RQ of this being the case [the Lunar Coder Nose Ring in Strangers in Prax worshiped Danfive Xaron exclusively, for example, though he had great respect for Teelo Nori as well], but does that transition to RQG?

Edited February 19, 2022 by svensson

[Richard S.]

Yes. It's less common than worshiping them as a collective, but they all have their own cults. Yanafal and Irrippi are essentially just Humakt and Lankhor Mhy stand-ins with some moon spells I believe, and I think Deezola might be similar to Ernalda's cult in several respects. Jakaleel has her lunar spirit traditions, Danfive Xaron is a cult for rehabilitating criminals, and Teelo Nori doesn't have much of a cult of her own but is the basis for some charity organizations I think.

[svensson]

All true, but there were some non-canon fan cults in RQ3 publications for individual members of the Seven Mothers. There's a truly brutal one for Danfive and while Yanafal, Etyries, and Irripi Ontor are equivalents to Humakt, Issaries, and Lhankor Mhy, there are significant differences as well. For example, Irrippi Ontor actively encourages Illumination and acts as a gateway cult into for advanced magics in the Lunar College of Magic [in an RQG context, 'more advanced sorceries']. So scraping the numbers off an penciling in the new name isn't really workable.

[David Scott]

On 2/19/2022 at 2:44 AM, svensson said:

Is it possible to worship just one deity of the Seven Mothers?

Yes. It will be covered in Cults of Glorantha.

[g33k]

I think that outside the Lunar heartlands it's almost entirely 7M; that is intentionally the Lunar "entry point" for barbarians everywhere.

PC's are liable to be exceptional cases, of course!

 

[dumuzid]

On 2/20/2022 at 9:09 AM, David Scott said:

Yes. It will be covered in Cults of Glorantha.

Another good reason to anticipate that book, I've got a player character in my campaign who'll benefit significantly from expanded cult rules regarding She Who Waits.

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, dumuzid said:

I've got a player character in my campaign who'll benefit significantly from expanded cult rules regarding She Who Waits.

That one I think you'll be waiting for! 🙂  Expect to see: Irrippi Ontor, Deezola, Yanafal Tarnils, Jakaleel, Danfive Xaron, and Teelo Norri.

[Ludo Bagman]

6 hours ago, g33k said:

I think that outside the Lunar heartlands it's almost entirely 7M; that is intentionally the Lunar "entry point" for barbarians everywhere.

Plus Yanafal Tarnils when the heartland army marches out or is stationed in unruly provinces.

[svensson]

On 2/22/2022 at 12:32 PM, dumuzid said:

Another good reason to anticipate that book, I've got a player character in my campaign who'll benefit significantly from expanded cult rules regarding She Who Waits.

'She Who Waits' is the mystical aspect of Sedenya. I'm not even sure she HAS a cult of her own, but is just an expression of the mystical exploration that Sedenya had to undergo to apotheosize.

In many respects, you could treat her worship like the Orlanthi treat Ginna Jar, the Collective Spirit of the Clan.

[davecake]

On 2/19/2022 at 11:23 AM, Richard S. said:

Yanafal and Irrippi are essentially just Humakt and Lankhor Mhy stand-ins with some moon spells I believe, and I think Deezola might be similar to Ernalda's cult in several respects. Jakaleel has her lunar spirit traditions, Danfive Xaron is a cult for rehabilitating criminals, and Teelo Nori doesn't have much of a cult of her own but is the basis for some charity organizations I think.

Yes. They all exist individually, and are more commonly worshipped individually in the heartlands, but the collective cult is the (state supported) missionary cult in the provinces, with more of a mixture in areas in between, like the most Lunarised provinces. 
Yanafal is like Humakt but more associated with Imperial military service, and very different Geases. Irripi is like Lhankor Mhy (or really, Buserian - and again more associated with the Imperial bureaucracy), but the access to Lunar spells (and Lunar and other celestial sorcery) makes the cult, especially the higher echelons, potentially quite different. Deezola is essentially Lunarised Dendara (and Dendara is similar to Ernalda). Jakaleel is a shamanic tradition. Danfive will probably be the most surprising in the cults book - not just a cult of penitents, but with some hunter tradition magic for hunting down wrong doers. Norri is barely a cult at all, but more like a charity Lunar priests run. 
She Who Waits is essentially a mystic tradition, the path to Illumination (and beyond) for those in the various Seven Mothers cults. It doesn’t function as a cult. But is the guardian of Illumination including the Sevening Rites by which the Lunars encourage Illumination through mind melting Lunar magic (not the only path to Illumination the Empire follows, but the main one for Seven Mothers members).

The Red Goddess cult is an important one in understanding how the whole thing works, too. You can only join if Illuminated, and a senior Lunar magician, such as a priest or Rune Lord of a Lunar deity, and even then it is not automatic. You get the taint of Chaos, and other extra magic (just like in RQ3). So the most senior members of the Lunar religion, and the most magically capable, of any of the many sub-cults, will be initiates of the Red Goddess, and this is tightly controlled by the Red Emperor. 
 

[Jose]

On 3/2/2022 at 5:40 AM, davecake said:

Yes. They all exist individually, and are more commonly worshipped individually in the heartlands, but the collective cult is the (state supported) missionary cult in the provinces, with more of a mixture in areas in between, like the most Lunarised provinces. 
Yanafal is like Humakt but more associated with Imperial military service, and very different Geases. Irripi is like Lhankor Mhy (or really, Buserian - and again more associated with the Imperial bureaucracy), but the access to Lunar spells (and Lunar and other celestial sorcery) makes the cult, especially the higher echelons, potentially quite different. Deezola is essentially Lunarised Dendara (and Dendara is similar to Ernalda). Jakaleel is a shamanic tradition. Danfive will probably be the most surprising in the cults book - not just a cult of penitents, but with some hunter tradition magic for hunting down wrong doers. Norri is barely a cult at all, but more like a charity Lunar priests run. 
She Who Waits is essentially a mystic tradition, the path to Illumination (and beyond) for those in the various Seven Mothers cults. It doesn’t function as a cult. But is the guardian of Illumination including the Sevening Rites by which the Lunars encourage Illumination through mind melting Lunar magic (not the only path to Illumination the Empire follows, but the main one for Seven Mothers members).

The Red Goddess cult is an important one in understanding how the whole thing works, too. You can only join if Illuminated, and a senior Lunar magician, such as a priest or Rune Lord of a Lunar deity, and even then it is not automatic. You get the taint of Chaos, and other extra magic (just like in RQ3). So the most senior members of the Lunar religion, and the most magically capable, of any of the many sub-cults, will be initiates of the Red Goddess, and this is tightly controlled by the Red Emperor. 
 

Hello, I am to allow to a exiled follower of Dezzola the spells summon earth elemental, charisma, regrow limbs, heal mind, bless crops, heal body and all common spells. And use the ernalda cult as template for skills and advancement. 

Something I should change? 

Thanks

[Nick Brooke]

Hi, @Jose: the last draft I saw gives Deezola the following.

Rune magic: all common Rune spells, plus Dismiss Earth Elemental (small or medium), Regrow Limb, Summon Earth Elemental (small or medium), and Resurrect (one-use) for Priestesses only. Plus some obvious Enchantments etc., but screw that noise. All her magic is subject to the Lunar cycle, of course.

Associate cult Rune magic: Heal Body from Dendara, Resist Pain from Gerra and Chaos Gift from the Red Goddess.

Cult skills: Cult Lore (Seven Mothers), Dance, First Aid, Manage Household, Meditate, Read/Write New Pelorian, Speak New Pelorian, Sing, and Worship (Deezola). Plus easy access to training from other Seven Mothers cults.

Spirit magic: Befuddle, Glamour, Healing, Second Sight, and Vigor.

[David Scott]

35 minutes ago, Jose said:

Hello, I am to allow to a exiled follower of Dezzola the spells summon earth elemental, charisma, regrow limbs, heal mind, bless crops, heal body and all common spells. And use the ernalda cult as template for skills and advancement. 

Something I should change? 

Thanks

Deezola is far more limited than Ernalda, she was a priestess of Dendara:

Her runes are  (Dendara's runes are the same as Ernalda, but she's also associated with ) and all rune magic is cyclic.

Based on Dendara:

Common Rune spells: all.

Absorption, Bless Crops, Bless Home, Command Domestic Fowl, Command Goat, Command Swine, Dismiss Earth Elemental (small or medium), Heal Body, Regrow Limb, Restore Health, and Summon Earth Elemental (small or medium).

She receives most of special Rune magic from associate cults:

• The Red Goddess - Chaos Gift
• Dendara - Heal Body
• Gerra - Resist Pain