Playable Cults / Races

[TheNemesis]

So, my apologies if there's a thread for this already. I looked for one and searched all the key terms I could think of, but didn't see anything.

 

Are there any timelines for official materials related to other cults from previous editions / character creation for non-human characters?

 

I know there's an awesome spreadsheet with lots of these options, but I'm not sure where the stat blocks come from.

 

Any answers would be welcome, and awesome.

 

Thanks!

[DreadDomain]

Hi Nemesis716,

The information mainly comes from the RuneQuest - Glorantha Bestiary - Hardcover - Chaosium Inc. that has been published a while back (last year?). It has basic character creation information for the major elder races.

For future supplement you can read plans/rumours in this thread. No timeline is given but it gives you an idea of what is planned.

Cults of Glorantha, which Chaosium is actively working on, will include a lot of information on dozens of cults including non-human cults. Other books such as Trollpack, Elfpack are also in the pipeline (but probably not soon).

Finally, you can find non-canon information about various cultures and races in the Jonstown Compendium (Duckpack, Children of Hykim, etc)   

 

[svensson]

Welcome to the board, Nemesis!

There's a lot of information in previous editions for different races and oddball cults.

In RQG [the current edition], I'd suggest getting the RQG Bestiary. It has rules for playing Aldryami [Elf], Mostali [Dwarf] and Uz [Troll] characters. In addition, there is information on the Beast-Men [centaurs and Minotaurs] and some odd human cultures, like the Agimori of Prax.

That ought to get you started.

[Nick Brooke]

Pick up Trollpak if you want to play as a troll. It's one of the RuneQuest Classics, but the lore won't change much and the rules are very similar to RQG's.

I strongly recommend the DuckPac series on the Jonstown Compendium: Book 2 - Duck Adventurers is all about playing as a duck.

The old Cult Compendium is a lovely collection of cult writeups for RuneQuest Classic, many of which are being lightly updated (with new art) for RQG.

There are some new Cults books in the works (they should be the next major RuneQuest release), and I hear there's a complete ElfPack manuscript, but given the state of the world and the enthusiasm of our supporters Chaosium doesn't like to announce release dates for future books until they're finished, printed and shipped.

[soltakss]

Holiday Dorastor: Seven Hills has rules for generating Ogre Adventurers, assuming that Ogres are playable.

Holiday Dorastor: Spider Woods has stats for Spiderlings and Arachnaurs, they surely must be playable.

 

[French Desperate WindChild]

Don’t play a gorp or a true dragon that is the only advice I have 🙂 

[Godlearner]

2 hours ago, soltakss said:

Holiday Dorastor: Seven Hills has rules for generating Ogre Adventurers, assuming that Ogres are playable.

Holiday Dorastor: Spider Woods has stats for Spiderlings and Arachnaurs, they surely must be playable.

Can't believe you forgot this one:

Holiday Dorastor: Woods of Terror has rules for generating Elf, Dryad, Runner, Pixie and Voralan adventurers.

[TheNemesis]

Thanks so much! These were all super useful answers. I was hoping to play an Aldryami and now I can!

[French Desperate WindChild]

10 hours ago, Nemesis716 said:

Thanks so much! These were all super useful answers. I was hoping to play an Aldryami and now I can!

yes you can !

keep in mind (but it depends on the gm) that an aldryami is .. an aldryami. Trolls hate them, dwarves hate them, a lot of human despise or fear or hate them.

After all a human farmer who is not an elf friend  will see you as the "people" who want to destroy his field, his herd, his house... to plant a wild forest, a forest where he will not be welcomed.

So in fun play that is not an issue, in more "realistic" one it brings you some difficulties if you want to interact with other (depends on the settings of course).

That issue (if you play it) is not only an elf issue, it is for any people and races. There are memories of war, there are beliefs (or truth) of "barbarian attitudes" (look these trolls I've heard they steal babies the nights and eat them - which may be true by the way 😛 , look these praxians, they are not able to harvest their lands, and they kill horses... look this lunar, look this orlanthi, etc...)

[Soccercalle]

I want to play a Dayzatar worshipping Dryad in a campaign with a lot of dungeon crawls...

[svensson]

17 hours ago, Nemesis716 said:

Thanks so much! These were all super useful answers. I was hoping to play an Aldryami and now I can!

There are ways to play an Aldryami in a primarily Human game.

The basic choice for you is 'Aldrya or Aldrya and Who'. That is to say, 99% of eligable Aldryami are initiated into the High King Elf subcult of Aldrya at maturity. Some also initiate into a second cult if it provides significant enough benefits. The most common second cult among adventuring Aldryami is Yelmalio. The key benefit to Yelmalio is that it provides a way for Aldryami to ritually interact with most Humans... it's almost like a 'cultural diplomatic service'. Between the familial links with Ernalda and a Yelmalio link, an Aldryami has access to most human cultures in Dragon Pass. In order to initiate into a second cult, both cults have to Friendly or Associated with each other.

The following cults are available to an Aldrya initiate: Chalana Arroy, Daka Fal, Ernalda, Eiritha, Gorakiki, Mallia, Nysalor/Gbaji, Pavis, Seven Mothers, Yelm, Yelmalio, Yelorna, Zola Fel [River Gods]. I admit a couple of these are surprises... Mallia [mother of Disease], Nysalor [the Illuminate], and Seven Mothers. The first two is because of their obvious Chaos affiliation and the Seven Mothers surprises me because the Lunar Empire burned down two healthy Elf Forests [including the Shanassee Tree] during its expansions - - I would have assumed they'd not be on friendly terms at all under those conditions.

 

Edited September 22, 2022 by svensson

[Joerg]

2 hours ago, Soccercalle said:

I want to play a Dayzatar worshipping Dryad in a campaign with a lot of dungeon crawls...

Can you cast "Create Wartree" with high Extension on the tree of a dryad? (Preferable to carrying it around in a flower pot...)

Edited September 22, 2022 by Joerg

[TheNemesis]

6 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

yes you can !

keep in mind (but it depends on the gm) that an aldryami is .. an aldryami. Trolls hate them, dwarves hate them, a lot of human despise or fear or hate them.

After all a human farmer who is not an elf friend  will see you as the "people" who want to destroy his field, his herd, his house... to plant a wild forest, a forest where he will not be welcomed.

So in fun play that is not an issue, in more "realistic" one it brings you some difficulties if you want to interact with other (depends on the settings of course).

That issue (if you play it) is not only an elf issue, it is for any people and races. There are memories of war, there are beliefs (or truth) of "barbarian attitudes" (look these trolls I've heard they steal babies the nights and eat them - which may be true by the way 😛 , look these praxians, they are not able to harvest their lands, and they kill horses... look this lunar, look this orlanthi, etc...)

Oh, I'm aware. I played an Aldryami for years back in the day and I was fine with some anti-Uz vibes, lol.

[Godlearner]

4 hours ago, svensson said:

I admit a couple of these are surprises... Mallia [mother of Disease], Nysalor [the Illuminate], and Seven Mothers.

Nysalor should not be a surprise. Elves have a long and deep connection with this Light cult. 

Mallia [mother of Disease] ... she is not always associated with Chaos. I can certainly see elves chosing this cult as a weapon which would threaten meat sacks, but has no effect on plants.

Seven Mothers ... only traitors or Moon Elves (shamless plug here as I am currently working on that supplement for JC)

[svensson]

13 minutes ago, Godlearner said:

Seven Mothers ... only traitors or Moon Elves (shamless plug here as I am currently working on that supplement for JC)

[laughs at shameless - -though wholly understandable- - plug]

[Godlearner]

36 minutes ago, Nemesis716 said:

I played an Aldryami for years back in the day and I was fine with some anti-Uz vibes, lol.

We never sank that low. Uz rule!!!!

[TheNemesis]

37 minutes ago, Godlearner said:

Nysalor should not be a surprise. Elves have a long and deep connection with this Light cult. 

Mallia [mother of Disease] ... she is not always associated with Chaos. I can certainly see elves chosing this cult as a weapon which would threaten meat sacks, but has no effect on plants.

Seven Mothers ... only traitors or Moon Elves (shamless plug here as I am currently working on that supplement for JC)

What book is he in? I know I read his cult info and now cannot find it for the life of me!

[TheNemesis]

2 minutes ago, Godlearner said:

We never sank that low. Uz rule!!!!

Aren't Uz mostly subterranean? I thought there was no limit to how low they sink. 😛

[Godlearner]

5 minutes ago, Nemesis716 said:

What book is he in? I know I read his cult info and now cannot find it for the life of me!

There is a description in the Cults of Terror, and others published afterwards

 

5 minutes ago, Nemesis716 said:

Aren't Uz mostly subterranean? I thought there was no limit to how low they sink. 😛

Subterranean? Not really. They were driven to the surface from Hell. Granted Uz may feel more at home underground away from Yelm's sight, but are strong enought o deal with it. (and will eat those who are not).

[TheNemesis]

Just now, Godlearner said:

There is a description in the Cults of Terror, and others published afterwards

 

Subterranean? Not really. They were driven to the surface from Hell. Granted Uz may feel more at home underground away from Yelm's sight, but are strong enought o deal with it. (and will eat those who are not).

Yeah, I know they're pretty xenophobic. Isn't their tagline "It's Uz or them!" 😄

[Godlearner]

1 minute ago, Nemesis716 said:

Yeah, I know they're pretty xenophobic. Isn't their tagline "It's Uz or them!" 😄

Our tie in was always the cult of Storm Bull. "People who kill together ... kill together"

[svensson]

14 minutes ago, Nemesis716 said:

What book is he in? I know I read his cult info and now cannot find it for the life of me!

We're waiting [with baited breath and mighty anticipation] for the God of Glorantha and Proserpaedia for RQG to come out. That'll be THE reference about the gods, myths, etc. and will correct /revise a fair amount of inconsistencies. Be patient on that one... it's in the works, but it's a lot of work. The big hold up right now appears to be artwork.

Until that comes out, and I'd recommend getting this anyway, check out the Cults Compendium for RQ2. That has the 'who likes who and how much' table we're all referring to in it.

RQ3 had a boxed set called Gods of Glorantha, but it is sadly out of print.

Edited September 22, 2022 by svensson

[svensson]

4 minutes ago, Nemesis716 said:

Yeah, I know they're pretty xenophobic. Isn't their tagline "It's Uz or them!" 😄

We'd like to have you for lunch. I think you'd go well with mushroom gravy and a gallon of Powzie.... 🤣

[Jeff]

6 hours ago, svensson said:

There are ways to play an Aldryami in a primarily Human game.

The basic choice for you is 'Aldrya or Aldrya and Who'. That is to say, 99% of eligable Aldryami are initiated into the High King Elf subcult of Aldrya at maturity. Some also initiate into a second cult if it provides significant enough benefits. The most common second cult among adventuring Aldryami is Yelmalio. The key benefit to Yelmalio is that it provides a way for Aldryami to ritually interact with most Humans... it's almost like a 'cultural diplomatic service'. Between the familial links with Ernalda and a Yelmalio link, an Aldryami has access to most human cultures in Dragon Pass. In order to initiate into a second cult, both cults have to Friendly or Associated with each other.

The following cults are available to an Aldrya initiate: Chalana Arroy, Daka Fal, Ernalda, Eiritha, Gorakiki, Mallia, Nysalor/Gbaji, Pavis, Seven Mothers, Yelm, Yelmalio, Yelorna, Zola Fel [River Gods]. I admit a couple of these are surprises... Mallia [mother of Disease], Nysalor [the Illuminate], and Seven Mothers. The first two is because of their obvious Chaos affiliation and the Seven Mothers surprises me because the Lunar Empire burned down two healthy Elf Forests [including the Shanassee Tree] during its expansions - - I would have assumed they'd not be on friendly terms at all under those conditions.

 

The main cults for Aldryami are:

First Tier: Aldrya exclusively. That's about two-thirds or more of brown and green elves.

Second Tier: A significant minority (20-25%) of elves worship these cults. These cults often have around 5-7% each. 
Ancestor Worship

Ernalda

Flamal

Grain Goddesses

Third Tier: A small minority of elves worship these cults (10% or so). These cults rarely have more than 1-3% each.

Yelmalio

Babeester Gor.

Chalana Arroy.

Voria

Eiritha (yes indeed!)

Everything else is a rounding error.

 

[Ironwall]

15 minutes ago, Jeff said:

Eiritha (yes indeed!)

I was not expecting this. How does this work? Is an elf worshipping Eiritha caring for the hoofed herd beasts that help with the health and growth of the forest?