Cults Advice Needed, Alternate RQG Setting

[svensson]

As some of you may remember, I'm running a pseudo-Atlantis RQG game for some family members. In a recent discussion, the players decided they want to continue with the 'Atalan' setting rather than to convert to Glorantha. I'm fine with that, but it's obviously going to take some more writing on my part. I've decided to start with Cults.

The way that I've envisioned the cults is that there are the Big Three Greater Gods, and a host of Lesser Gods. All creation depends on the Greater Gods, but the Lesser Gods are important within their specific spheres of influence or portfolios. Some of the Lesser Gods are immensely powerful, some powerful enough that they creep into the Greater category.

The Greater Gods are:

- Zeus: King of the Gods, Patron of the Air, Sky, Lightning, Clouds, Birds, etc.

- Poseidon: Father of the Empire, God of the Waters [incl. rain]

- Demeter: The Earth Mother, Patroness of all that lives upon or depends upon the Earth, specifically the Domesticated Earth

The Lesser Gods are:

- Hades: Brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades is the mightiest of the Lesser Gods and resents that 'lesser' status. Patron of the Underworld, Protector of Elysium, Jailer of Tartarus.

- Apollo: The Charioteer of the Sun, Patron of Archers, Musicians, Actors, and Healers

- Ares: The God of Slaughter, of Warfare For Its Own Sake, of Soldiers [but not necessarily discipline]

- Artemis: The Maiden of the Wilds, the Virgin Huntress, Keeper of Wild Beauty

- Athena: The Mother of Civilizations, Patroness of Wisdom, Thought, Writing, Law, Crafts, and Strategy

- Baccus: God of Wine, Brewers, Passion, and Madness

- Hermes: The Messenger of the Gods, the Neutral Arbiter, the Herald and Merchant.

And most the rest, as they become necessary to the campaign. As for PC worshipers, ALL 'Atalans' are initiated into Poseidon as a rite of adulthood at 15-16. Most choose a second cult to initiate in as their interests and professions make themselves known. So, the cults I have to generate immediately are: Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, and Athena

Now, obviously, many of these deities have direct apples-to-apples correlations in Glorathan and so writing the cults is a snap. Hermes for example will have a lot of Issaries in it. Some cults I'll have to write from whole cloth, which isn't much of a problem.

My big question that I really need help with is this:

Rune Lords, yes or no?

How do you folks perceive the Greek/Roman pantheon [the common perceptions, not the actual historiography] insofar as the division between Spiritual and Temporal responsibility? It can fairly argued that relatively 'simple' deities like Artemis and Ares would have Rune Priests or Rune Lords, not both, in the manner of Hunter Gods and Humakt. But Apollo and Athena are stickier and more problematic.

[Bill the barbarian]

 

14 minutes ago, svensson said:

Rune Lords, yes or no?

 

Champions might be better, see Pavis city god in CoP for ideas.

 

Don't forget, BRP is kinda OGL and this might be just great for it if yer up to a big project that will make you no bucks and keep you awake at night. And health permitting, I evan no of an edotor er too;who nose a byt aboot BRP and profredding hoo mit by able two hep...

Edited October 20, 2022 by Bill the barbarian
two mush words spelt gud! Betta now.

[Godlearner]

14 minutes ago, svensson said:

Rune Lords, yes or no?

Yes for Ares and Athena, No for others.

[PhilHibbs]

3 hours ago, svensson said:

My big question that I really need help with is this:

Rune Lords, yes or no?

I'd say yes. RQ did away with the rank for a lot of cults because they aren't warrior cults. But why does Rune Lord (or whatever title you like for your setting) have to be a martial role?

You could have the priesthood devoted to spiritual matters, communicating with the deity, running the temples, teaching the acolytes. The Champions (as per Bill's suggestion) go out into the world and practice the skills of the deity. Warriors fight, healers heal, grain goddess Champions bless the crops and investigate locust plagues, heralds carry messages and gather news and sing ballads.

Priest might then not be so much of a player role, unless you have a sedentary campaign based around a settled community. Champions would be the natural promotion path for the roaming troubleshooter type adventurer, they go out there and do the god's great works in the world, whatever that may be, without being tied down to running a temple.

[hemulaformis]

This is not a direct answer to your question, but I thought it might be worth sharing.

The PC game 'Age of Mythology' has the Atlanteans worshiping the Titans (including their parents and descendants) rather than the Olympians.  Some Gloranthan cults may map better onto Titans than Olympians, and for cults that you want/need to create out of whole cloth, you may feel more freedom to do so using a Titan as the basis, as the players might have fewer preconceived notions about some Titan vs an Olympian. If your PCs interact with any Greeks (or their equivalent in your setting), some pf the differences in the cults worshiped might be interesting to explore as well.

[Martin Dick]

What happened to Hera?

[Baron Wulfraed]

On 10/20/2022 at 1:07 PM, svensson said:

- Baccus: God of Wine, Brewers, Passion, and Madness

FYI: Bacchus is a Roman name -- Dionysus is likely the Greek match, since the rest of the names you listed appear fully Greek pantheon.

[svensson]

16 hours ago, Martin Dick said:

What happened to Hera?

Since none of my players are worshiping her, she's not an issue yet.

[svensson]

25 minutes ago, Baron Wulfraed said:

FYI: Bacchus is a Roman name -- Dionysus is likely the Greek match, since the rest of the names you listed appear fully Greek pantheon.

I knew that, BW, but one of my players is a 12 year old girl. 'Baccus' is easier for her to remember.

[svensson]

On 10/20/2022 at 5:46 PM, hemulaformis said:

This is not a direct answer to your question, but I thought it might be worth sharing.

The PC game 'Age of Mythology' has the Atlanteans worshiping the Titans (including their parents and descendants) rather than the Olympians.  Some Gloranthan cults may map better onto Titans than Olympians, and for cults that you want/need to create out of whole cloth, you may feel more freedom to do so using a Titan as the basis, as the players might have fewer preconceived notions about some Titan vs an Olympian. If your PCs interact with any Greeks (or their equivalent in your setting), some pf the differences in the cults worshiped might be interesting to explore as well.

As I have structured the game, 'Chaos' is the rule of Titans... They're mercurial, tyrannical, and care little for the lives or structures of mankind. While the Olympians are certainly fickle, they value mortals because they provide the POW necessary to defend against the Titans.

[soltakss]

On 10/20/2022 at 6:07 PM, svensson said:

Rune Lords, yes or no?

Yes for Ares, Athena, maybe Apollo, if you think of Rune Lords as being martial.

Yes for all, if you think of Rune Lords as being masters of their crafts.

On 10/20/2022 at 6:07 PM, svensson said:

How do you folks perceive the Greek/Roman pantheon [the common perceptions, not the actual historiography] insofar as the division between Spiritual and Temporal responsibility? It can fairly argued that relatively 'simple' deities like Artemis and Ares would have Rune Priests or Rune Lords, not both, in the manner of Hunter Gods and Humakt. But Apollo and Athena are stickier and more problematic.

Priests are more the guardians of secret knowledge, and Rune Lords are those who go out and do things.

I'd give all cults Priests, as they are the ones that keep the temples going. Rune Lords go out and do things.

I'd also have Acolytes, or God-Talkers, as assistant Priests. All Temples and Shrines will have these.

 

[jajagappa]

7 hours ago, soltakss said:

maybe Apollo

Btw, Different Worlds #5, if you can find it, had a Cult of Apollo and #22 had the Cult of Dionysus.

 

[soltakss]

20 minutes ago, jajagappa said:

Btw, Different Worlds #5, if you can find it, had a Cult of Apollo and #22 had the Cult of Dionysus.

Yes, I have both of those, they are reasonable adaptations.

[Baron Wulfraed]

17 hours ago, svensson said:

I knew that, BW, but one of my players is a 12 year old girl. 'Baccus' is easier for her to remember.

I'm tempted to suggest just calling him "Dion" (a god often parodied as borderline drunk can probably live with a shortened nick-name), but we're over 50 years from when that name was widely known 🥴

[hemulaformis]

19 hours ago, svensson said:

As I have structured the game, 'Chaos' is the rule of Titans... They're mercurial, tyrannical, and care little for the lives or structures of mankind. While the Olympians are certainly fickle, they value mortals because they provide the POW necessary to defend against the Titans.

In that case, I might offer a different 'Age of Mythology' inspired suggestion, which may seem to contradict my prior post if you haven't played the game.

The game's main campaign revolves around an Atlantean hero named Arkantos who, after many adventures (including a stop at Troy), defeats the forces of Kronos that had been attempting to free him from the underworld. Arkantos is granted divinity as a result. Arkantos' son, Kastor, later fights the forces of Kronos as well. Those two characters might be suitable as inspiration for the equivalent of subcults or spirit cults in your setting. Scenarios from the campaigns might fit well into yours.