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Cult membership

Most of this material has been culled from Jane Williams’ Vinga write-up, the basis for much of our version of the Vinga cult. Storm Tribe and other Issaries publications supplied additional material. The form in which they have been combined is, however, largely our own.

Lay membership

Any non-chaotic female may join the cult as a lay member. They are required only to attend Holy Day celebrations, and may learn the spell Droop. Most Orlanthi women in a moderately risky area (such as a city) will join on this basis.

Apprenticeship

Apprentices are lay members in training to become initiates. In Orlanthi society, New Adults who wish to become followers of Vinga often undertake an apprenticeship following their Heortling Rites ceremony. Older women who do not possess the necessary combat skills, but still wish to join the cult also take apprenticeships. Under exceptional circumstances children will be accepted as apprentices, but they must have the permission of their parents.

Would-be apprentices must pass a simple test to demonstrate their fitness to become a warrior.

The exact nature of this test varies from one temple to another, but does not expect the apprentice to already have any combat skills, as it is accepted that many women will never have had the chance to learn. [If your campaign uses Traits, a Valour roll would simulate the test in most cases].

Once accepted, the apprentice gives 90% of their time to the cult, to be split between work and training as the priestess (or senior initiate) in charge of apprentices decides.

Training will generally try to build on skills the apprentice already has, if any, and will choose combat methods to suit her abilities, within the limits of the teaching available. They are trained up to the following levels of skill during their apprenticeship: Dodge, Missile Attack, Vinga Lore and 1-handed weapon attack (spear or sword) 30%; Stormspeech, First Aid and Fast Talk 25%. They are also taught the spirit magic spells Borrow Harm and Droop, and three other points of cult spirit magic.

The apprentice may leave at any time, but re-acceptance in this case is not automatic and will depend on the reasons for leaving.

Initiates

Any woman may in theory become an initiate of Vinga, although only Orlanthi women generally do. In theory all new initiates must be the child of a Vingan, in practice this is usually not possible. They therefore practice adoption rituals extensively, go here for  more details.

All candidates for initiation into the cult of Vinga must meet the following criteria.

·        They must either have been known to the examining priestess for at least a year, or convince their examiners of their sincerity.

·        The candidate must be acceptable to the Goddess (determined via divination).

·        They must pass an initiation test. This generally involves succeeding at skill checks in at least three cult skills (out of six skills chosen by the examiners).

·        In most clans, only women who have undergone an Ernaldan initiation can join the cult. At cosmopolitan temples, like those at Notchet and Pavis, this tends not to be an issue.

Candidates who meet these criteria can initiate into the cult, with the approval of the examining priestess, by sacrificing 1 POW to the Goddess and completing the initiation ceremony.

Apprentices who have successfully completed their apprenticeship do not have to undergo the initiation test, they are considered to have already proved themselves. They sacrifice 1 POW and undergo the initiation ceremony as normal.

The Vingan initiation ceremony is similar to the Orlanth initiation ceremony described in Thunder Rebels. All new initiates crop their hair, dye it red, and take The Earth Vows at this point. Initiates into the Avenger subcult may take the Red Vows as well if they wish.

In some cases, a candidates hair turns red during the first stage of the initiation rituals, such women are considered blessed by the Goddess and are often given the titles Child of Vinga or Beloved of the Goddess. It is usually seen as a portent of great things; many of those blessed by Vinga go on to become powerful and famous heroes of the cult.

It is common to undertake a geas on initiation.

Vingan warriors dye their hair red each High Holy Day.

Initiates must spend at least the standard time working for the cult, as well as attending the Holy Day celebrations and tithing as normal. Spending further time working for the cult is encouraged, and is the normal method of payment for spells and training.

Tasks often include acting as guards for allied cults, such as Chalana Arroy. Vingans are often preferred as guards, as they generally know more healing skills than the average Orlanthi warrior, and tend to be rather less boisterous in carrying out their duties.

Initiates are expected to come to the aid of any woman who is being oppressed by a male. They are not required to seek vengeance after the fact, although they frequently do so. They are required to kill Broo whenever they find them, unless the odds are too great for this to be possible. In this case they are expected to return as soon as possible with sufficient allies to do the job.

Initiates may marry, but only where the form of marriage does not make them the subordinate partner. See the forms of marriage in Thunder Rebels (p22) for more details on this.

Initiates of Vinga can sense changes coming in the weather, in the same way as Orlanth initiates.

They receive 50 hours of free training every year and 1 point of cult spirit magic every three years.

Daughter of Vinga

Daughters of Vinga are both Rune Ladies and Priestesses. They give up at least 90% of their time and income to the cult (in practice, somewhat more than this). In return the cult supports them, pays their ransoms and provides them with cult spells.

A candidate for Daughter must have been an initiate in good standing and known to the examiner(s) for at least a year. She must fulfil the standard requirements for priestess and also have 90% in a Weapon attack, Dodge, and four other cult skills. The candidate must, in the opinion of the examiners, be dedicated to the ideals of the cult (in game terms the candidate must pass tests of her Vingan virtues).

On a roll of POW x 3 or less, an allied spirit is granted to a new Daughter. This spirit will either be an awakened alynx, or be embodied in a sword or a torc

In theory a new Daughter will receive an iron weapon to mark her status. In practice such a weapon may not always be available.

Daughters of Vinga roll for divine intervention on D10 rather than D100. A Daughter who runs a temple is referred to as a Loyal Daughter.

Leave of absence may be granted for quests that will bring fame to the cult and for defence of her own family, clan, tribe, etc (provided there is someone to take over her temple duties). In either case most of the active initiates from her temple and clan will probably come and join in. It is often said that if you make an enemy of one Vingan, you make enemies of them all.

Retired membership

It is accepted by Vingans that a warrior may not wish to stay a warrior for life. Some want to retire in order to marry and have children (note that the restrictions on marriage still apply), others seek a different path or tire of violence, some simply retire when they feel they are too old for active service. Retirement is not an option for priestesses.

Vingans who wish to retire, and return to the Earth Mother, can do so without fear of divine displeasure. They must formally announce their desire to do so to a priestess, and explain the reasons for doing so to her. They may at this point regain their fertility if they so wish, though this will normally require a ceremony by a priestess of Ernalda. Typically they then continue as worshippers of Ernalda, any Vingan divine magic that they have becomes one-use ever.
Some Vingans may wish to retire from combat duty due to infirmity or injury but wish to remain within the cult. They may, after consultation with their priestess, retire from combat duty, losing the combat-related requirements as they do so, but remain within the cult. They must still devote 10% of their time to the cult, but this is spent on non-combat duties. They retain all of the privileges of initiates, and typically act as trainers at the temple.

Subcult membership

All Vingans are initiated into the cult as a whole, and then into a subcult. This is normally a subcult of Vinga, but is often an Orlanth subcult (as Gateway Vinga enables her followers to join Orlanth’s subcults as if they were men). Vingans receive access to a ‘Standard Vingan’ set of skills and spells; in addition to these they may be able to learn skills and spells from any subcult or hero cult that they belong to.

More than one subcult can be joined as long as the character can meet the requirements of that cult (financial, availability, time, is appropriate to that character etc). Ultimately the GM must decide if a character is able to join an additional subcult or hero cult, a desire to do so on the part of a character is not enough.

GM’s should ensure that the character has to make an effort to join a new subcult; it should never be a simple process (even if it is occasionally easy). Such character actions provide almost ready-made scenario material for Gamemasters; you want your players chasing things and becoming more involved in the campaign. I am not saying that a GM needs to turn every such event into a world-spanning epic, but players should at least be able to remember the name of the priest who initiated them! I would also insist that the player demonstrate that they have some knowledge of the cult they are about to join beyond a list of skills and spells that it grants.

Vingans are able to transfer between different subcults of the Goddess fairly easily (subject to GM approval). By this we do not mean that Vingans can change subcult whenever they feel like it, rather that there are no inherent cultic limitations to such changes if they are appropriate to a character (and within the context of the campaign).

For example, an Avenger initiate who had attained her goals of personal vengeance might wish to join the Spearwoman cult instead, and devote her energies to the defence of her clan (she must fulfil all the requirements of her new subcult). She could join the Spearwoman cult as well as staying in the Avenger subcult (assuming that she can ‘spare’ the time), but it would be equally acceptable (and common) for her to leave the Avenger cult and enter the Spearwoman subcult.

Vingans who change subcults retain any spells from their previous subcult. They cannot sacrifice for more spells from that subcult, and must worship at a shrine dedicated to it to regain any re-usable spells that they have.

· Vinga the Adventurer.

· Vinga the Avenger.

· Vinga the DarkStorm.

· Vinga the Defender Storm.

· Vinga the Pathfinder.

· Vinga the Spearwoman.

· Vinga Uzfighter.

· Voudisea the Lance Goddess.

Gifts and Geases.

Associated Cults.

Vingan myths and stories.

Vingan Miscellany

· Links.

· Mothers and Daughters.

· Red Hair.

· Temples to Vinga.

· The Arming of Vinga.

· The Loom House Vows.

· The Pavis Temples.

· Vingan Glossary.

· Vingan Holy Days.

· Vingan Sexuality.

Common Skills and Magic

This section details the skills and magic common to all Vingan subcults. Members of any subcult can obtain any of the spells listed here, although not all spells will be available at any given site.

This list is referred to as ‘Standard Vingan’ on subcult lists, although this should not be taken as an indication that there is an organised church/faith that enforces standards. Regional variations are common.

The description is divided under several sub-headings. Those for Hero Cults, Rituals, Skills, Spirit Magic, and Divine Magic are self-explanatory. The Heroquest section lists spells that may be sacrificed for by cult members when they have completed the accompanying heroquest. The Associate (Heroquest) section is similar, but lists heroquests linked to other cults. Many of these are more difficult to arrange and perform than ‘standard’ cult heroquests.

The Associate Cult section lists the spells granted by allied/associate cults to followers of the Goddess. These spells are either spirit magic spells, or 1-use divine magic (ever for initiates, 1-use annually for priestesses), and can normally only be obtained at a large or notable holy site of the associated deity.

The Spells section includes a listing of spells common to all members of the cult. In the Spells section of a subcult write-up, only those spells available to members of that subcult only are listed, and it should be remembered that they also have access to the common magics of the parent cult (although in certain cases more than one subcult of the cult has access to the same spell; this is however, fairly rare)

Vingan Magic

Vingans have access to a broad range of magic through their cultic associations but this is more limited than it seems. It would take a considerable amount of effort, time, money, and travel to join more than one or two subcults or hero cults, something that puts this beyond the reach of most Vingans. Many of the spells can only be accessed through heroquests, and many of the Vingans most capable of surviving such adventures, the Daughters, are those with the least spare time for travel and new obligations.

A good example of this is Serenity Macleod, one of the main Vingan player characters in our campaign. She is wealthy, well travelled, and an expert in cult lore. As an experienced heroquestor she is capable of undertaking many of the heroquests required for spell access. She is a notably competent spell caster, with a good range of magic from Vinga and her associated cults.

Initiated into the Adventurer subcult, she joined the Avenger subcult when her tribe was destroyed. Later, when she qualified as a priestess, she also joined the Spearwoman cult, to better handle her new responsibilities (in the context of the campaign). As a devoted and powerful servant of the Goddess she would be a welcome addition to the ranks of most Vingan subcults, yet even she (a notable example of a Vingan who belongs to more than one subcult) would find it difficult to join any more.

Her cult duties already occupy most of her time; she would find it difficult to fulfil any new obligations unless they fitted in with what she already has to do. For example, even though she lives in Pavis she cannot join the subcult of Vinga Pathfinder (which has a large shrine there); she would not have enough time spare to be able to fulfil her obligations to the cult.

In short, Vingans have potential access to a very good range of spells; in practice, few have access to more than the spells of one or two subcults (or hero cults), or the opportunity to perform the heroquests needed to gain access to many of the associate and cult spells. Many spells from the cult lists are effectively unavailable in certain areas; it is not much use being allowed to sacrifice for a spell from Rigsdal as an associate cult if you have no access to a Rigsdal temple to sacrifice at.

Skills

Dodge, Fast Talk, First Aid, Missile Attack, Oratory, Ride, Run, Scan, Shield Parry, Vinga Lore, Weapon Attack, Weapon Parry,

Spirit Magic

Befuddle, Bladesharp, Borrow Harm, Detect Enemies, Disrupt, Droop, Heal, Mobility, Read Foe, Reflexes, Soul Sister.

Divine Magic

All Common + Deadly Spear Throw, Dodge Missiles, Fight Chaos, Fight Rapist, Fly (Orlanth), Heroic Leap, Leaping Shield, Mile Javelin Throw, Run on Snow, Run on Trees, Shield (Orlanth).

Heroquest

Darkwalk, Great Parry, Mist Cloud, Truesword

Associate Cults

Command Snakes (Ernalda), Face Chaos (Urox), Heal Body (Chalana Arroy), Invigorate (Voria), Path Watch (Issaries), Rain (Heler), Strength (Enferalda).

Rituals

Enchant Silver, Enchant Woad, The Earth Vows.

Spells

Borrow Harm

Spirit, 1 point, ranged, instant

All

Available at all Vingan shrines

Cast on an attacker attempting a melee attack of any kind, but especially useful in unarmed combat. If the spell is successful, the damage bonus from the target is transferred to the caster for that round. The opponent may appear to throw himself or herself onto the floor, or onto the Vingan's blade. Useful against larger and stronger opponents (like men!). Armour protects normally. Can only be used against humanoid opponents. (JW/P)

Carry Burden

Divine, 1 point, non-stackable, self, temporal.

All (Enferalda)

May only be sacrificed for at the Enferalda shrine at Quiet Rest Stead, not far from Halfort in the Charandar Hills (on the lands of the Thrussa clan of the Balmyr). According to clan myth this is where Enferalda helped Vinga to carry Drogarsi after the Three Hopping Things wounded him, a belief shared by many of the tribes of central and northern Sartar. Other Vingans cite the Arming of Vinga, when Enferalda gives her an amulet of strength, as the mythic source of this association (true mainly of the Balkoth, Dundealos, Kheldon, and Esrolian Vingans.

Once cast the caster becomes imbued with the ability to carry extreme weights without tiring from the strain. For the duration of the spell, the caster can carry any object that they can physically fit in their arms, and that weighs less than their STRx10 in ENC. They will suffer no discomfort or fatigue from their burden, nor will it slow them down whilst moving. This does not make them stronger than they actually are, they couldn't pick up an enormous boulder as if it was a feather, and it just doesn't overly strain the caster. (NE)

Dark Walk

Divine, Heroquest, 1 point, ranged, non-stackable, temporal.

All (HQ), DarkStorm, Uzfighter.

Well-known heroquest, Vinga and the Sandals of Darkness, available at almost all Vingan sites.

This spell allows the user to be totally invisible and soundless in darkness and shadow to anyone within range. (RQ)

Deadly Spear Throw

Divine, 2 points, instant, non-stackable.

All.

Available at all Vingan sites.

Doubles base damage done by a thrown javelin or spear. It will combine with Sureshot, Screaming Javelin, and Mile Javelin Throw, but not MultiMissile. (SP/J)

Dodge Missiles

Divine, 1 point, touch, temporal, non-stackable.

All.

Any Vinga, Orlanth, or Thunder Brothers site.

This useful spell enables its recipient to attempt a Dodge roll to avoid missile attacks. (P)

Droop

Spirit, 1 point, ranged, duration 1 day.

All.

Taught at all Vinga shrines.

If the caster overcomes the (male) victim's magic points then he becomes - well, unable to carry on with what he was about to do. And yes, it does work on Broo. Pointing at the target and laughing, though this is not essential for the spell to work, normally accompany casting the spell. Note that no actual damage is done other than to the target's ego, and no other abilities are affected. (JW)

Face Chaos

Divine, 1 point, non-stackable, ranged, temporal.

All (1 use, Urox). Bull Flood Urox shrine only.

This spell cannot be resisted and can be cast only on non-chaotic targets. When cast upon a single fighter, that person stands his ground and fights any chaotic foe he faces, even if ordinarily he would have run. In general, this spell is used on outsiders since Storm Bull cultists stand against chaos regardless of fear.
This spell does not render its target immune to the effects of such spells as Demoralize or Panic, though he still will not flee. A Demoralized fighter continues fighting, though at half attack chances; a panicked fighter cannot fight at all, but does not flee; etc. (RQ)

Fight Chaos

Divine, 1 point, temporal, touch, non-stackable.

All.

Available at all Vingan sites.

This spell increases the recipients combat skills to 150% of their current value when fighting Chaos creatures. (P)

Fight Vs Rapist

Divine, 1 point, non-stackable, touch, temporal.

All.

Available at all Vingan sites.

This spell raises the recipients combat skills when fighting a known rapist (this includes all broo). Combat skills increase to 150% of their start value. (P)

Fly

Divine, 1 point, stackable, ranged, temporal.

All (Orlanth).

Available at all Orlanth sites.

The caster may transport one object weighing up to SIZ 6 through the air for the duration of the spell. Convert Encumbrance to the equivalent SIZ. Each extra point of Fly increases the potential weight carried by 6 SIZ.

To pick up something nailed or glued down, the caster must use his current magic points to overcome the STR of the nails or glue (GMD) on the resistance table.

An object affected by this spell moves at 3 metres per strike rank. An unwilling target’s magic points must be overcome or this spell has no effect on him. (RQ)

Great Parry

Divine, Heroquest, 3 points, self, non-stackable, temporal.

All (Heroquest), Avenger (1 use/Babeester Gor).

The Shield of the Earth heroquest is widely known. One use available only at Avenger sites with a strong Babeester Gor association/link, or at temples to the Earth Avenger.

This spell must be cast upon a shield. The shield has an infinite number of armour points for the spell’s duration. Knockback still affects the holder of the shield. (RQ)

Heroic Leap

Divine, 1 point, ranged, non-stackable, instant,

All.

Available at all Vingan sites, may also be gained at any Orlanth or Thunder Brothers site.

This spell enables the user to leap over a single obstacle (hill, tree, building etc) and land safely, facing in any direction. (P)

Invigorate

Divine, 1 point, touch, non-stackable, instant.

Adventurer/ Spearwoman (Voria), All others 1 use (Voria).

Can be sacrificed for at any Vingan or Ernaldan temple, or Voria site.

This spell restores the fatigue level of the target, up to the maximum of their STR+CON minus ENC. The target’s previous fatigue points may have been positive or negative. (RQ)

Leaping Shield

Divine, 1 point, non-stackable, touch, temporal.

All.

Any Vinga, Orlanth, or Thunder Brothers site.

This spell provides a 10% Jump bonus and allows the recipient to make jumps of extraordinary length and height. A single Jump made be made each round, this requires a successful skill roll. The characters strength determines the maximum distance of a jump, for each point of STR the character may jump up to 1 metre horizontally, or a foot (c 30cm) vertically. This spell is stackable with the Jump spirit magic spell. (SP/J)

Mile Javelin Throw

Divine, 2 points, non-stackable, self, instant.

All.

Available at all Vingan sites.

This spell enables the caster to throw a javelin or spear at any target within their range of vision (one mile maximum). Any cast over what is normally short range for the weapon in question, is treated as if the throw were being made at a target within medium range. (NE/J)

Mist Cloud

Divine, Heroquest, 1 point, stackable, ranged, special.

All (HQ). Heroquest ritual only found at Tarthcaer. Can be sacrificed for at any Vingan temple. Requires the assistance of a Huraya follower.

This spell creates an area of mist 2 metres in diameter for every MP expend in the casting. Visibility within the mist is limited to 1 metre. The mist will be dispersed by wind, 1 metre in diameter disappears every round per point of wind strength over 10. Each additional point of the spell used doubles the area of mist created. The mists last for an hour before fading away (at a rate of 1m diameter every round). (RQ/P)

Mother and Daughter

Ritual Ceremony.

All.

This is the ritual of adoption used by Vingans to enable women who are not the child of a Vingan to join the cult, by adopting them into the family of a sponsoring Vingan (see the section on mothers and daughters in the main section of the Vinga write-up). The ritual has no game effects except to make the adoptee a member of the adopting Vingans family for the purposes of spells (so a Conceal Family or Shame Family spell would work on them). See the Mother and Daughter section for further details.

Path Watch

Divine, 1 point, self, non-stackable, temporal.

All (1 use/Issaries), Pathfinder (Issaries).

Can be sacrificed for at any Issaries site, Pavis and Notchet Vinga temples.

This spell is used when travelling through dangerous or questionable territory. It must be laid upon a known path or visible road that will be travelled by the caster. The spell alerts the user to the direction and number, though not type, of all enemies and traps within a 100m radius. The spell lasts as long as the road lasts and as long as the caster stays awake. (RQ)

Rain

Divine, ranged, stackable, temporal.

This spell can only be cast when the sky is at least 90% clouds. Rain will then fall within a 100m radius of the caster. Each extra Rain spell stacked together increases the radius of effect by 100m. The rain stops when the spell stops. (ROC/161)

Read Foe

Spirit, variable, touch, temporal.

All.

Available at all Vingan, and many Thunder Brothers, shrines/temples.

Allows the recipient to predict an opponent's attack just before it is made, thus effectively raising their Dodge skill by 5% per point of spell. (JW)

Reflexes

Spirit, 1 point, touch, temporal.

All.

Available at all Vingan shrines/temples.

Reduces the target's DEX strike rank by 1. SR cannot go below 0. (JW)

Return to Tarthcaer

Ritual Ceremony.

All.

Details of the ritual may only be learnt at Tarthcaer, and may never be taught elsewhere, a prohibition re-enforced by geas.

Strictly Daughters of Vinga only! This ritual is taught at Tarthcaer, and can be used at any Vingan temple or Sanctified area. The presence of a priestess of Huraya is a bonus (how big a bonus depends on her skill).

The group re-enact the myth of Vinga's meeting with Huraya: or possibly Vinga's return from one of her many battles to her base at Tarthcaer (if no Huraya representative is available). At the point when Vinga and her warriors return to Tarthcaer, the presiding Daughter tests her Vinga Lore, Ceremony skill, and expends a point of POW skill in order to force the ritual onto the Heroplane.

If she succeeds, she and up to six others find themselves on a path from one of the battles of the Great Darkness to Tarthcaer. The extent of her success in the two checks determines how far along the path they are: finding themselves still in the battle is a possibility. Criticals will land them inside the mists of Tarthcaer. A failure means nothing happens or the travellers end up in the battle. A fumble lands them in the Great Darkness, but in totally the wrong place and with no obvious way back. This is usually fatal. (JW).

Run on Snow

Divine, 1 point, non-stackable, touch, temporal.

All.

Any Vingan shrine or temple.

The recipient of this spell is able to move across snow without penalty to their normal movement rate, as if they were running on normal dry land. (SP)

Run on Trees

Divine, 1 point, non-stackable, touch, temporal.

All.

Any Vingan shrine or temple.

The recipient of this spell is able to move across treetops without penalty to their normal movement rate, as if they were running on normal dry land. (SP)

Soul Sister

Spirit, variable, ranged, temporal.

All.

Available at all Vingan shrines and temples.

This spell is simply the Vingan version of Mindspeech. It performs as that spell in all respects except that it can only be used to converse with women or girls. (JW)

Stay Awake

Divine, 1 point, self, non-stackable, special.

All (1 use, Voriof).

Can be sacrificed for at any shrine or temple to Voriof.

The caster of this spell can go without sleep for a period of eight hours, remaining alert and not accumulating fatigue for the lack of sleep. It works even if the caster is tired when the spell is evoked, although it has no effect on fatigue points already accumulated by the character, they simply remain alert and do not suffer further fatigue losses from their failure to sleep. The caster is not required to rest when the spell is over, but cannot receive the benefits of this spell again unless they have slept since they were last under its effects (so it cannot be used two nights in a row unless the character has rested between the castings). (SP)

Strength of Women

Ritual Ceremony.

All.

Known by most Daughters.

This ritual is used to prepare a group of women for battle. It draws upon the power of Vinga, filling its participants with strength. All participants must contribute 2 MP to the ritual.

The spell affects the subjects damage bonus only. It ‘shifts’ the Damage Modifier they receive from STR and SIZ up by one level (in most cases this will provide a 1d4 Damage Modifier). It is not cumulative with the spirit magic spell Strength. The benefits last for the course of a battle, or for a day, whichever is longer.

The Earth Vows

Ritual Ceremony.

All.

Known by all priestesses of the cult.

The Earth Vows are taken by all Vingans at initiation. It recreates the vows taken by Vinga when Ernalda showed her the secret of infertility. The Vows render the Vingan infertile, her fertility kept safe by the Earth Mother until she needs it again. The vow-taker must sacrifice 1 POW to the Goddess.

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