Seven Mothers temple organisation

[GoldShogun]

Hello all, I have some questions relating to how the Seven Mothers cult organises its temples.

The main question being is how independent is each temple? From what I understand is that within most other cults temples have quite a bit of independence to each other, being able to have their own myths and stories and having no central hierarchy. The Seven Mothers cult however seems to be much more centralised having a supreme priest: the Red Emperor and other cult leaders.

Due to such centralisation I have questions such as how much control does a temple have over its own affairs? Does a promotion to rune lord or priest require approval from a central leader of the cult or can it be up to the temple alone. Can they have disagreements with other temples or even go against the central hierarchy. Can each temple develop its own myths similar to other cults or is it all decided by those up top.

Trying to understand how temples work for the Seven Mothers for a game I'm in so any answers will be appreciated!

[Nick Brooke]

Since Your Glorantha Will Vary, I’d go with whatever works best for your game. The Seven Mothers cult doubtless includes both inspired missionary priestesses who freely adapt their teachings to fit with local myths, and dogmatic administrative assholes who want a single standardised and imperially-sanctioned liturgy to be proclaimed throughout the empire. Whichever tendency has the upper hand will vary from time to time, affected by other events (e.g. expect a backlash against localism after the White Moon Rebellion). Remember, the Lunar Way offers terrifying freedoms to its devotees, but many would rather sink back into the comforting certainties of dogma.

[EricW]

9 hours ago, Nick Brooke said:

Since Your Glorantha Will Vary, I’d go with whatever works best for your game. The Seven Mothers cult doubtless includes both inspired missionary priestesses who freely adapt their teachings to fit with local myths, and dogmatic administrative assholes who want a single standardised and imperially-sanctioned liturgy to be proclaimed throughout the empire. Whichever tendency has the upper hand will vary from time to time, affected by other events (e.g. expect a backlash against localism after the White Moon Rebellion). Remember, the Lunar Way offers terrifying freedoms to its devotees, but many would rather sink back into the comforting certainties of dogma.

In King of Sartar it is implied the red emperor bound the empire, that with the final death of the emperor at the hands of Shang Seleris, shared worship of the goddess wasn't enough to keep the empire together.  Perhaps the fragmentation was a manifestation of those "terrifying freedoms"?

Does this mean the emperor, while he lives, has a role in deciding what is doctrine and what is heresy? 

Edited January 22 by EricW

[Nick Brooke]

15 minutes ago, EricW said:

Does this mean the emperor, while he lives, has a role in deciding what is doctrine and what is heresy? 

Since Your Glorantha Will Vary, I’d go with whatever works best for your game. If you think Moonson Argenteus takes an interest in determining the finer points of frontier missionary cult doctrine, knock yourself out.

[John Biles]

I'd suggest that the closer you get to the exact frontier or beyond, the less control the Emperor has except in the vague sense that if he gets interested in the Po-Dunk clan's Seven Mother missionaries south of Wilmskirk, he can have a big influence while his eye is focused there.  Being missionairies, some don't even operate inside the Empire.

Some past face of the Emperor set the theology but right now, he's too busy brooding and singing Suspicious Minds to care.

 

[Joerg]

If the Red Emperor Argenteus takes an interest in any matter, then most likely because a guest at one of his orgies manages to amuse him while relaying their concerns. There will likely be some other sycophant with a court office who will receive a "make it so!" order. Jaxarte Whyded may have many companions in both ambition and misery.

[Darius West]

15 hours ago, GoldShogun said:

Due to such centralisation I have questions such as how much control does a temple have over its own affairs? Does a promotion to rune lord or priest require approval from a central leader of the cult or can it be up to the temple alone.

In my opinion, much would depend on the wealth of the temple in question, as well as who were its financial/aristocratic patrons (if any).  If the temple has the wealth to support a Rune Lord, and the need for one, and a suitable candidate then the current head priest will have the right to appoint someone who fits the requirements.  If the temple lacks funds but they have an enthusiastic candidate for Rune Lord, they may look to the central administration to find a temple that needs a Rune Lord.  Remember that there are many parts of the Empire where Rune Lords aren't required, as they are civilized and peaceful places.  In the case of a temple that is beholden to an aristocratic family, then it may well be the case that Rune Lord status is reserved for members of that aristocratic family, should they qualify, and any appointed non-family Rune Lord may become the family's hired goon, but with potential perks for loyal service.  There is also the continuous demand of the Lunar Army for Rune Lords.  This is a huge advantage for any Seven Mothers member.  The Empire will pay for your iron if you fight their wars for them.

18 hours ago, GoldShogun said:

Can they have disagreements with other temples or even go against the central hierarchy. Can each temple develop its own myths similar to other cults or is it all decided by those up top.

The Seven Mothers has two types of internal conflict.  The first is the banal bureaucratic/financial/ political conflict, which is invariably the most closely and ruthlessly fought.  The second is a doctrinal conflict.  This is far less of a problem as doctrinal issues are hard to argue about when the philosophy of the religion is as proudly insane as the Lunar Philosophy, that actively uses magic to drive people crazy.  Freedom is Slavery,  Prosperity is Poverty,  War is Peace, and Mind Blast isn't an attack spell, it is a revelation of Nysalorean philosophy as parsed by the Red Goddess  This blithe acceptance of  contradiction is central to the Lunar way, and that makes heresy almost impossible, unless you disobey Big Moonson.  Most people realize that all they need to do is shut up and love Big Moonson and they will be left alone.  It is said that then the pacifistic White Moon cultists started killing for peace, that this caused a philosophical paralysis in the Empire because of the implicit contradiction.  This was not the case at all.  Documents reveal that in fact the Ministry of the Lunar Truth was having issues with spinning the White Moon Uprising as criminal when it fitted perfectly within the Lunar Philosophy of reconciling contradictions, and so could be defended as an Illumination riddle sent to enlighten the people.  Big Moonson didn't know which way to jump on the issue, as a crackdown may have undermined the illuminated moral conviction all the Lunar soldiers fighting for peace at the Empire's borders.  THAT was the paralysis, not the alleged confusion of ordinary people.  They weren't confused at all.  Ordinary people had long since determined to accept 12 impossible things before breakfast.

19 hours ago, GoldShogun said:

The Seven Mothers cult however seems to be much more centralised having a supreme priest: the Red Emperor and other cult leaders.

I have a single word for you: Bureaucracy.  Lunar Bureaucracy is arranged as a Nysalor Riddle with multiple internal contradictions you will need to reconcile. 

[Joerg]

1 hour ago, Darius West said:

Remember that there are many parts of the Empire where Rune Lords aren't required, as they are civilized and peaceful places. 

Seven Mothers rune lords will be good trainee material for dart competitions, at least as defense.