From: Peter J. Whitelaw (100102.3001@CompuServe.COM)
Date: Thu 12 May 1994 - 01:48:34 EEST
Nick says, in response to myself:
>Seems eminently sensible to me. That's how I'd treat Lunar organisations of
>almost any size (department, regiment, empire) so as to get the theocratic
>Empire's feel across. Like, I think Citizen of the Lunar Empire is the lay
>member status in the Red Emperor's cult; anyone else like that? (This Q. is
>especially aimed at the Equal of the Apostles, MOB). Or is it too much a
>mechanical/literal interpretation of RuneQuest's flawed cult rules?
In answer to 'anyone else like that?'. Yes. The small group I play with/GM for has come round to this way of thinking. One of our number (Jon Drake, who will be at Convulsion) has run a non-Gloranthan campaign for twelve years. The area he is currently developing is centred on an Emperor Worship type-society. It has dispensed with the current 'cult' mechanics in favour of a looser, more flexible system which has is the result of the socio-political dynamics of the culture rather than the other way round i.e. the tail is not wagging the dog.
Jon may very soon be getting a modem so I will leave it to him to expound at greater length. He is also eminently more qualified to do so as it is his proprietary material (he is also a classicist which I am not). I hope he will forgive me though for offering a 'tempter' from his notes...
>Tarsenian Gods
>
>With one or two exceptions the gods of the Tarsenians are formalised and
>immutable entities. Their myths are fixed in a legendary past, and retain their
>relevance because they explain the nature and purpose of each god and show >how
the various forces at work in human society interact with one another. The
>myths foster the rituals which are the centre-piece of public festivals. In
these >rituals humans take on divine roles in acting out the myths and in this
way the >truths that myths convey are reinforced in the minds of participants
and >spectators.
Also,
>Cults and Temples
>
>There are usually many small cults dedicated to each of the major divinities of
the >Tarsenian pantheon, and there may be several cults worshipping the same
>divinity in different ways even within the same community. In Zarina, for
example, >there are said to be 8 different cults of Tethis, each with their own
membership >restrictions, priests, rules, regulations and rites, only one of
which is directly >associated with the goddess' temple there. The number of
initiates in any cult >could be as few as 10 or as many as 1000. Most cults are
local foundations, and >the god they worship therefore carries an epithet of the
place of worship or the >occupation of the worshippers - such as Zarinian
Tethis, or Tethis the of the Water >Carriers. Even so, a cult might be
particularly successful, perhaps gain control of >a temple or holy site, and
thereby begin to attract initiates from far and wide. It is >quite normal for
cultists to choose to exclude from their rites devotees of the same >divinity
initiated in a different cult. To gain acceptance there is usually some >lesser
form of initiation ceremony that can be gone through which bypasses the >POW
sacrifice normally required.
Basically, Initiation is for the devoted and they may gain some tangible benefit by undergoing such. Such benefits might be in terms of Skill/stat bonuses or Covert Spirit Possession (see Vikings, Gods without Godar) rather than Divine Magic. Since officiation at a holy festival is, literally, a ceremonial role it is not necessary that the leader of such a ceremony be an initiate (devotee) although, of course, he may well be. Being an initiate of one religion does not necessarily exclude one from others. 'Priests' may well serve as officiaries at the festivals of many religions.
N.B. here, a cult and a religion are not the same. Many cults, each with their own idiosyncracies, may constitute a religion.
Like I said, this is a pretty basic intro' to the concepts. Any thoughts? I expect Jon would be keen to discuss further at Convulsion. I certainly would.
All the best,
Peter
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