From: Torres, Capt Timothy M (TORRESTM.HQAMC@MHS.SAFB.AF.MIL)
Date: Thu 31 Aug 1995 - 21:27:00 EEST
Another teaser, e-me for the rest
...Tim
BAKHTI' DRAGONMASTER
MYTHOS AND HISTORY
The worship of Bakhti' began after time began.
The Dragonkill War wiped out all human inhabitants of Dragon Pass,
leaving it to the other humanoid races. The great secret of this time is
that a small band of humans led by the Hero Bakhti' survived the war,
befriended and sheltered by a renegade Dragon known only as She Who
Whispers in War. They learned the ways of dragonkind and awaited the
return of humans to their tribal lands. When the defeated Pure Horse
Tribe fled Prax, the "Dragonmasters" were there to welcome these
"Grazelanders" to the peaceful fields of Dragon Pass.
When the Kingdom of Tarsh attacked the tiny Grazelander nation, they
found a foe far better prepared than they expected. While the Tarshite
hordes ultimately drove the Grazelanders into the hills, the sagas relate
these two important tales:
In the Battle for Life, a mere dozen Dragonmasters and 200 warriors,
led by the Dragonmaster Hero Pol-Joni, held off the entire Tarshite army
killing or mortally wounding more than 3,000. The valiant effort gave
Pol-Joni's messengers time to mobilize the rest of the Grazelanders, who
split their forces. One force began the evacuation of the women and
children, and the herds. The second force (of 500) raced to meet the
invaders but was too late to save their embattled comrades.
In the Great Revenge, "The 500" used guerilla tactics to slow the
advancing army of 12,000. Some Tarshite survivors told of entire
companies that simply disappeared without a trace. Others reported
demonic shrieks from the surrounding hills as they followed the fleeing
tribes. Many who were there when the Tarshite forces found them-selves
overextended and finally began their withdrawal from the hills claim to
have seen dragons flying in defense of the Grazelanders.
The remnants of the Grazelanders went through a time of internal
strife. Many felt the invasion by Tarsh was punishment for forsaking the
old ways. Those Dragon-masters who led "The 500" formed the core of the
dissidents who ultimately left the Grazelands to found the Pol-Joni
tribe.
[For more Pol-Joni tribal history, see the Cult of Pure Horse/Giver]
The Dragonmasters make no promises of an afterlife. Immortality can
only be had in the sagas. A heroic death is especially important toward
this stature.
Runic Associations: Beast, Luck, and Mastery
ORGANIZATION
This cult has no formal structure other than its priests. In any
gathering of strange Dragonmasters, the most heroic, most charismatic,
most powerful presides.
There is no high priest of Bakhti' Dragonmaster. Each temple is run
by a priest known as the Dragonhead. Only priests may initiate members.
Priests may organize their initiates any way they like, not based on rank
or power, but only on the job at hand. The one exception is that each
priest must assign the most respected initiate as Dragonwing, who serves
as messenger to the other temples, associated cults, and tribal khans.
Other functional positions include Dragoneye, Dragonshield, and
Dragonheart.
The cult center of power is wherever the Dragonmasters are. Holy
places include the cave grotto of She Who Whispers in War (somewhere in
the Dragonkill Mountains), the Life Battlefield (in Tarsh), and the
founder's stones at Jaldon's Point and Queen's Post.
Holy Days are on Wildday of Truthweek in each season. The
Dragonmasters gather to share their stories and the old sagas. The
gathering lasts 36 hours beginning at dusk of the day prior to the Holy
Day. The Holy Day fast and worship ceremony lasts from dawn to dusk,
followed by an all-night feast. It is a status symbol to be able to
provide the herd animals slaughtered for the feast. A Dragonlord who
fails to provide such is thought to be weak.
MEMBERSHIP
LAY MEMBERS of this cult are known as Warriors
INITIATES of Dragonmaster are known as Dragonclaws. This cult does
not encourage reliance on others. Therefore, it will not rescue or
ransom individual cult members from their own failures. However, the
priest will use the Dragonroar to notify the cult. Retribution will be
considered, as will the potential danger to the tribe from whatever or
whoever is holding the Dragonclaw. In any case, individual cult members
are not prohibited from taking appropriate action.
RUNE LORDS of Bakhti' Dragonmaster are called Dragonlords, the
embodiment of Dragonmaster ideals. Although not tied to any one temple,
they may accept a calling to be khan.
A candidate for Dragonlord must never have shown fear. He must
defeat a dream dragon in single combat, appear before the Dragonmasters
at a Holy Day gathering, tell the battle story, and gift the teeth to the
gathering, dividing them up among the Dragonlords, Dragonheads, and
Dragonclaws (in that order).
Dragon-lords do not gain allied spirits in the usual way, but may
gain one through the Wyvern Challenge (sub-cult rune spell).
The PRIEST of Dragonmaster, known as the Dragonhead, is not
subservient to the Dragonlord. However, his role is one of supporting
and advising any Dragonlord who operates nearby. All Dragonheads become
Dragonlords as soon as they can. In fact, there is no equivalent to the
High Priest in this cult, since priests who meet the requirements become
priest-lords instead.
Like Dragonlords, Dragonheads do not receive allied spirits. Any
Dragonhead with 15 points of reusable rune magic sacrificed for may
forfeit his post to work toward Dragonlord status, provided there is an
available acolyte (at any temple) ready to assume the post.
Skills: Evaluate Beast, Speak Draconic, Climbing, Riding, Spot Hidden,
and Tracking.
Spirit Magic: Demoralize, Mobility
Divine Magic: Dragon Eye, Dragon Wing, Dragon Shield, Dragon Roar
Spirits of Reprisal
Fear, doubt, guilt, and shame are heaped on Initiates and
Rune-levels who leave the cult, causing them to act as if magically
demoralized for a number of weeks (initiates) or years (rune levels)
equal to their POW.
Wyvern Riders
Cult members may join this elite sub-cult of Dragonmaster by
sacrificing three points of permanent POW in the Wyvern Challenge ritual.
This ritual is performed once each year at the Holy Day gathering during
Storm Season (immediately prior to the Sacred Time). In succession, each
applicant steps into the challenge circle, unarmed and unarmored, and
offers up the required POW. If there is a healthy wyvern within range
(100 miles), the POW is sacri-ficed and the wyvern arrives to battle the
challenger. If the wyvern wins the battle, it is allowed to eat the body
(all requests for Divine Intervention will fail), and the spirit is
absorbed by Bakhti' Dragonmaster. Material goods owned by the challenger
now belong to the cult, though his family will be provided for. If the
challenger wins the battle, the wyvern becomes his allied spirit and the
challenger starts a Ride Wyvern skill at 5% plus natural bonuses. If
there is no healthy wyvern within range, the POW is not sacrificed.
There will be no further challenges this year.
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