From: PMichaels@aol.com
Date: Thu 04 Jul 1996 - 18:00:34 EEST
Hi all!
What with the recent talk about alcohol, I thought I'd
post my cult write up for Minlister (in Sartar). My
apologies to those of you who are bored, having seen it
before. Comments are welcome.
Peace,
Peter
______________
Minlister
God of Ale, Brewer
Maker of good-drinks, son of Ernalda,
Joined Orlanth's Stead, bringing wonderous beer!
Though Eurmal went swimming in his Barleyale keg,
Let all bless the Brewer with toasts and good cheer!
Minlister is the Orlanthi god of brewers (beer, ale, and
mead). He is a son of Ernalda, brother to the Grain
Goddesses, from whose gifts he is able to create
alcoholic beverages. Some Eurmali say that Minlister is
the beloved bastard son of the barley goddess and a rare
King bee (who was really Eurmal in disguise). Minlisteri
claim this story is either a joke or a lie.
I. MYTHOS AND HISTORY
Before Time
Minlister was born during the Golden Age, to bring the
gifts of the Earth to the gods in liquid form. Even though
his drinks had no bad effects and always gave merriment
and fellowship, the Sun Emperor and his court rejected
Minlister's drinks on the basis that they were 'common'
and relegated them to being served among the 'lesser
peoples.'
When Ernalda became Orlanth's wife during the Storm
Age, Minlister also moved into Orlanth's Stead. There he
found gods who hailed and appreciated his drinks, and
welcomed him as kin.
Kinstrife divided Orlanth's kin during the Darkness, as
Vadrus and his sons often raided Orlanth's Stead. During
one such raid Eurmal (whom Vadrus especially despised)
escaped only by hiding under the brew in Minlister's Keg.
This act forever altered the powers of Minlister's drinks,
as the beverage was tainted by the Trickster and cursed
with causing drinkers to suffer the effects known as a
hangover. (Note that this change did not stop Eurmal from
continuing to imbibe the altered drink to excess. In fact,
he seemed to enjoy it all the more thereafter!)
When Minlister discovered what Eurmal did to his brew,
he was angry and brought claim against Eurmal before
the Lawspeaker, Lhankor Mhy. For reasons of his own
Eurmal appeared before the Lawspeaker when he was
summoned. The Lawbringer ordered Eurmal to undo his
curse, but Eurmal said he could not. Instead he offered a
blessing that would bring more humor and comeradery to
those enjoying Minlister's drinks. Minlister accepted
this, and since then his brews have caused drinkers to
burp and fart, much to everyone's amusement.
After Time
The Dawn - (the worship of Minlister spread with the
rest of Theyalan culture; possibly a single Brewer
traveled about spreading the art of brewing ala Johnny
Ap- er... Barleycorn!)
Second Age - (not sure yet; God Learner's probably tried
to convince the Orlanthi that Minlister was Eurmal in
disguise, or that he was Eurmal's son.)
Third Age - (rejection of God Learner view, regional
diversity re-emerging)
Life After Death
Minlister worshipers retain their cultural beliefs about
life after death, and follow the proper cultural funerary
rituals.
Runic Associations
Minlister is primarily associated with the runes of Plant
and Harmony.
II. CULT ECOLOGY
Minlister and Eurmal often seem to have a love/hate
relationship in the tales told of them. Brewers are
sometimes friends of the local Eurmali, occasionally up
to the point of asking a local Thane to provide protection
for a Eurmali friend.
Although there is no mythic link between them, as a
practical matter many Brewers who own inns are also
members of the Harst subcult of Issaries.
III. THE CULT IN THE WORLD
A minor sub-cult found only in Thayalan regions. In
Sartar the worship of Minlister is as a sub-cult of
Orlanth, and is strongest along the Goodale Path (which
runs along the edge of the Starfire Ridges from Runegate
Fort to Quackford.) In Esrolia the worship of Minlister is
as a sub-cult of Ernalda, and it's members are almost all
women. There the brewing cycles are tied to the
woman's menstrual cycle, so that she can avoid contact
with the brew during her "holy time."
IV. WORSHIPERS
Requirements: Be a member of Orlanth (in Esrolia,
Ernalda), be a brewer, and be willing to make a sacrifice
to Minlister. The traditional sacrifice is a small keg of
good ale. If the ale fails to satisfy the local Brewmaster
(in Esrolia, Brewmistress), the applicant is rejected.
Successful applicants take an oath never to harm a bee.
Benefits: Access to cult knowledge about brewing;
brotherhood (in Esrolia, sisterhood) which exchanges
yeast cultures along with their own.
Brew <beverage> (Common Skill)
Knowledge skill, base 05%
This skill allows the user to brew beverages
including beer, ale, and mead. It includes the knowledge
of making wort.
Brew <beverage> is a common skill and is available
from other cults and organizations.
V. PRIESTS (BREWERS)
Requirements: Have 90% Brew <any alcoholic beverage>,
be a full-time brewer, and sacrifice 1 point of POW to
Minlister.
Bless Wort/1 point/ Ranged, Temporal, Passive
This spirit magic spell increases the rate of
fermentation in any fermentable liquid, and is used to
make beer, ale, and mead quickly.
VI. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Minlister has a mythic connection with Eurmal, and a
Brewer can take the place of Trickster in an Orlanthi
Minor Council. (While in this role a Brewer can
sometimes have the opportunity to gain reuseable access
to such Trickster spells as Group Laughter, Laugh, Water
Into Beer, Burp Malodorous, Burp Melodious, Fart
Malodorous, Fart Melodious, or Intoxicate.)
There are also Minlister Heroquests to gain the
knowledge of brewing special magic beers. It is believed
that this is how the Longbrewer house learned the secret
of making Auld Mutz Ale. Other types of magic ales
include:
* beer which does not subtract from combat skills
(attack, defend, dodge, etc...) when drunk
* beer which increases singing ability when drunk
* beer which, if you drink yourself into
unconsciousness, you have a POWx5 chance of having a
prophetic vision (as per Divination)
* beer which, if you drink yourself into
unconsciousness, acts as per the spell Healing Trance
* beer which provides a day's worth of nutrition, so
that you don't need to eat for the rest of the day. (Of
course, you also stay mildly intoxicated for the rest of
the day!)
* beer which makes it appear as if members of the
opposite sex have the spell Charisma cast upon them (but
only to the imbiber!)
Most beer brewed in Manaria is made with barley. When
barley is scarce in the mountains they make do with
malted oats. Hops are unknown in Manaria, with
rosemary, yarrow, or rose hips being used instead to
flavor and preserve the beer.
Some Orlanthi sayings about beer:
"You can't judge ale by looking at the keg."
"Praise not an ale 'til it has been drunk, a woman 'til
she has been bedded, nor a warrior 'til he has
fought."
"Brave men and good ale last but a short time."
------------------------------
End of Glorantha Digest V3 #9
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