home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Rat's Nest 1
/
ratsnest1.iso
/
incoming
/
rqkamaa.arj
/
ELESKAR.CUL
< prev
next >
Wrap
Internet Message Format
|
1994-09-29
|
10KB
From: steve@tfs.com (Steve Maurer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Gloranthan (Runequest) Cult: Eleskar, God of Trechery
Date: 27 Sep 91 23:26:53 GMT
Organization: Trw Financial Systems
I'm back from a company sojurn. Worked on a few things
while I was away. If you like these, good. If not, tough.
Steve Maurer
steve@tfs.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cult of Eleskar
Many pantheons have stories about the god Eleskar, none of them
any good. He first appeared in the entourage of Yelm, a groveling
syncophant who merely parroted the opinions of his lord. He gained
successively greater position in Yelm's court by using tricks and lies
to pull down those above him. Finally, his attention turned to Yelm
himself, whom he betrayed by secretly aiding Orlanth in his murder.
(Orlanth was unaware of his help).
Every ruler god on Glorantha, Yelm, Orlanth, Hykim, Pamalt, even
Argan Argar, was approached by Eleskar. Each was initially pleased
by his flattery. Yet Eleskar, seeking rulership himself, eventually
betrayed each of his lords. Yet never did Eleskar manage to attain
power himself. Finally, Eleskar found a new ruler, who promised him
the power he always lusted after. Yet when he pledged himself to the
Devil, god of evil, he found that he had betrayed himself, and was
enslaved. Finally, submitting to his fate, he became a god of Chaos.
Eleskar is the god of betrayal, duplicity, and trechery. His
worship appeals to those who wish to overthrow their government,
not out of any belief that it is bad, but simply to better their
own position. Cultists typically feel they have been denied their
rightful place, but are too cowardly to honestly fight for what
they believe in. Eleskar's runes are Illusion, Fate, and Chaos.
The cult of Eleskar is outlawed and extremely small, bordering
on the edge of being a spirit cult. It is usually comprised of
members of the petty nobility and their servants, though an
occasional major noble, or even king, may be involved. Eleskar
has no rune lords, no DI, and offers only cult-special runespells
to his followers.
However, because Eleskar previously fooled ruling dieties, all
worshippers (even priests and lords) of the area's ruling diety,
or the diety's wife-god, may worship Eleskar without the other god
being aware of it. Indeed, an Eleskar cultist cannot attain higher
rank in Eleskar than the rank he or she holds in the ruler cult, or
ruler-wife cult. Only after death, in the Halls of Judgement, will
the cultist's duplicity be learned, and the spirit banished to the
Halls of Chaos. Joining Eleskar does not make a cultist smell
chaotic to Storm Bulls.
The objectives of all Eleskar cultists are similar. Gain social
standing by discrediting one's superiors, or as a last alternitive,
assasinating them. Cultists spread rumors, plant evidence, bear
false witness, blackmail, and occasionally even uncover real trechery!
They curry as much favor as they can with whomever they believe may
help them attain greater position. If none of these actions seem
likely to succeed, they will attempt assasination, or plot palace
coups. This behavior is not only directed outward, but within the
cult's heirarchy as well.
A temple is composed of several Factions, each headed by a
Conspiritor (priest). Factions are composed of cells, each headed
by a Sympathizer (initiate). All factions and cells simultaneously
compete and cooperate in a brutal and ruthless power struggle, in
which the shifting loyalty of underlings is a given. Political
power within the cult always gravitates to those who have attained
political power outside it.
Recruitment presents the greatest opportunity and greatest danger
to Eleskar cultists. Each potential recruit can turn the approaching
cultist into the authorities, yet may add substantially to the power
of the cult. Because of this, recruitment usually becomes the chore
of the least established Eleskar cultist. Unlike most other cults,
initiates can initiate others, and there is no probationary period
(if invited to do so, a ruling cult priest can become an Eleskar priest
immediately). To be approached, a potential recruit must seem to be
discontent with his position, yet have enough social rank to appeal
to whomever might approach him. Typically, this is one or more rolls
of d100 less than Social Status.
Contact (Laymember)
Enrollent: Oath of secrecy; initiate sponsor; d100 less than Status
Tithe: 50% of all income
Spells: None
Skills: Fast Talk
Special: Flattery
Leaving: Usually assassinated or framed by other cultists
Flattery - This skill makes the target tend to like the user, though
a target who rolls under INTx5 on d100 will be aware of the flattery.
A special reduces this roll to INTx1 on d100, and a critical makes the
target completely unaware of the flattery. A miss sounds obsequious
and insincere, and may cause the target to dislike the user. With a
fumble, the user has inadvertently insulted the target. Use against
vain targets adds +20% to the flaterer's ability with this skill.
Communication Skill (20%)
Sympathizer (Initiate)
Enrollent: Initiate in ruler cult; Sponsor: d100<Status 4 times (+1 POW)
Tithe: 20% of all income
Spells: None
Skills: Court Etiquite
Special: Seek Favor, Bribery, Threaten
Retribution: As other cult
Bribery - As Krarsht
Threaten - As Black Fang, Misarde
Seek Favor - This skill is a personal "Oratory", which may cause
the target to do a favor for the user. Success does not merely
depend on the user's ability with this skill, but more heavily on
the target's feelings about the user, and the magnitude of the
request. GMs should always add situational modifiers to any
attempt to use this skill. Positive modifiers should not exceed
+20%, but negative modifiers have no limit. A roll of 01-05
does not mean automatic success with this skill. A fumble means
that the target has taken offense at the request.
Communication Skill (05%)
Conspiritor (Rune Priest)
Enrollent: Priest in ruler cult; Sponsor: d100 < Status 8 times (+1 POW)
Tithe: 10% of all income
Runespells: Believe Lie, Loosen Tongue, Initiate Cultist,
Divination Blank
Allied: Eleskar offers no allied spirits
Retribution: As other cult
Believe Lie Cost -- 1 POW Point
Range - Personal Duration - 15 minutes
Nonstackable Reusable
For the duration of this spell, the caster believes his
own lies. This causes Detect Truth, Read Mind, and Loosen
Tongue to be based on the cultists new beliefs. It may also
fool special skills like Sense Assassin. A drawback is that
the caster truly believes what he says, and for the duration
of the spell, will act in accordance with these beliefs. No
spell or skill can detect either the casting or operation of
Believe Lie.
Initiate/Ordain Cultist Cost -- 1 POW Point
Range - Touch Duration - Permenent
Nonstackable (Non-)Reusable
This spell initiates a new cultist, the new cultist must
sacrifice one POW. The casting is reusable for priests who
are bringing in a new initiate. Any other usage (a priest
ordaining a new priest, initiate bringing a new initiate) is
non-reusable. In typical Eleskar fashion, an Initiate may
even ordain himself (if he meets the requirements of being a
ruling diety priest or lord), but spends 3 POW to do so.
Loosen Tongue Cost -- 2 POW Points
Range - 180 meters Duration - 15 minutes
Nonstackable Reusable
If the target's MP are overcome, the target will happily
give honest answers to any question (except plans to betray
anyone the target knows is present) no matter how sensitive
or secret this knowledge is. Nor, even after the end of the
spell's duration, will the sharing of this information with
the questioners seem to be in any way inappropriate. Loosen
Tongue does not change a target's attitudes; in particular,
it won't prevent a target from attacking, if the target had
already decided to do so.
Divination Blank Cost -- 3 POW Points
Range - 180 meters Duration - 15 minutes
Nonstackable Reusable
The target's actions for the spell duration can never be
determined via Divination or Reconstruction. In effect, the
target has become "invisible" to the gods. The casting of
this also cannot be divined, nor can any "gap" in the record
be divined. During the spell, the location and state of any
object held by the recipient cannot be divined. If moved to
an area shielded from Divination (e.g. a temple), the object
cannot be subsequently located via Divination.
Spirit of Retribution
It is hard to betray the god of betrayal, since what would be
considered heinous sacrilege in other cults, Eleskar considers good
worship. The god even seems to favor those who, to gain advantage,
turn in other cult members to the authorities, arrange their deaths,
or even destroy rival Eleskar temples. If a cultist feels he is
under suspicion, he can suspend worship until he feels safe; the
only drawback is that Eleskar spells cannot be regained until the
cultist once again starts active worship.
However, if an initiate or priest really tries to leave the cult,
Eleskar merely removes his cloak of duplicity from the eyes of the
ruling god the cultist also worships. This results a visit by the
Spirit of Retribution from the other god, and Eleskar makes sure that
this Spirit is the most powerful it can be (e.g. a 3d6+6 POW spirit
will have a 24 POW).