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Vinga the Pathfinder

 

 

 

This version of the subcult of Vinga Pathfinder is derived from a HeroWars write-up of the cult on the Questlines website. We were first introduced to the concept of a Vinga Pathfinder cult by A Sharp’s computer game King of Dragon Pass, but had not developed any ideas about the cult as none of the characters belonged to it, and the work was thus seen as unnecessary. We gratefully latched-on to the Questlines write-up; this is our RuneQuest conversion (with a few bits of our own). For more details about mythological aspects of the cult see Questlines.

The subcult of Vinga the Pathfinder is joined by those who would follow the ancient paths of the Goddess, when she was young and set out to explore the tula and beyond. She travelled widely, hunting, scouting, and exploring new places. In the Darkness she was instrumental in finding new places for the refugees to live.

Vingan hunters, guides, scouts, and explorers, are often members of this subcult. They tend to have a passion for travel and outdoor life. Some Pathfinders are clan based, serving with the warband as scouts, patrolling the tula, hunting, and acting as guides in the wild places and for clan traders. Others are independent of their clan, making their own way in life as guides, scouts, and explorers. Some belong to hero bands like the Clear Voices and the WayMakers, working as scouts, negotiators, guides, explorers, and the guardians of wild places.

This subcult is organised as per the Vingan standard, but tends to be even less hierarchical. The cult is full of independently minded women with a good excuse for being out in the wilderness, it would be hard to be either highly organised or hierarchical. It is not that the cult is disorganised, Pathfinders just tend not to have a lot of meetings or go in for that whole paperwork thing.

This situation does vary; hero bands such as the Clear Voices are well regulated and have fairly strict codes of conduct for their members. Pathfinders depend on the goodwill or neutrality at least of many different peoples, and it helps if the group to which you belong has a good reputation. In general however, the Pathfinder cult has a far looser internal organisation than other Vinga subcults.

Within a strongly tribal society the Pathfinders tend to be the Vingan cult most likely to accept outsiders as members. They accept new things readily, if with due caution (they are not Vinga the Adventurer cultists).

There are few Pathfinder sites that are more than a shrine. Pathfinders tend not to accumulate in large numbers, mostly because there are not large numbers of them and they are spread over a wide area.  There are several hero bands dedicated to Vinga Pathfinder, but none are much larger than a clan warband.

 

 

Skills

 

Standard Vingan + Animal Lore, Hide, Plant Lore, Sneak, Speak other Language, Track, World Lore.

 

Spirit Magic

 

Standard Vingan + Detect Spirit, Endurance, Farsee, Obscure, Silence, Vigour.

 

 

Divine Magic

 

Standard Vingan + Commune With the Lady, Find Path, Follow Trail, Pathwatch (Issaries), Talk With Strangers

 

Rituals

 

Way Blessing.

 

Heroquests

 

Always Know the Way, Leave no Tracks.

 

Associate Cults (Heroquests)

 

Destor's Sight (Destor), Teleport (Mastakos), Tireless Gait (Ferace the Wild Healer),

 

Associate Cults

Carry Burden (Enferalda), Dodge Hazard (Chernan), Friendly Greeting (Gultha), Gather Untainted Food (Belveren), Nighteyes (Alusar the Spy), Put Down Weapons (Orventili), Sleep Anywhere (Yinkin).

 
Hero Cults

Hero cults of the Vinga the Pathfinder subcult are noted here. The cult name is a link to an expanded description of the hero cult.

 

Anratha the Frontierswoman

Pavis-based hero cult of Red Anratha, hero who helped to found New Pavis and was famed for her endurance and fierce will. Members of her cult can sacrifice for the Keep On Going spell. This is a conversion of a HeroWars cult created by John Hughes (click here to see the original).

Hareva The WayMaker

Hero cult of Hareva The WayMaker, a Vingan of the Black Spear Clan of the Colymar. She scouted the way for Colymar when he first entered Kerofinela. Hero cult based at Clearwine Vinga shrine. Teaches the Vinga’s Eye ritual. This is a conversion of a HeroWars cult created by John Hughes (click here to see the original).

Maralda ClearVoice

Hero cult of Maralda ClearVoice, a Vingan of the Pol Joni tribe. A firm believer in resolving conflict through negotiation where possible, she travelled Prax and the Wastes in an attempt to arrange peace between the nomads and the people of Sartar. She established a hero band, The Clear Voices, based in Pavis and at Last Cast, who act as guides and negotiators for groups crossing   Prax and the Wastes. Maralda was greatly respected by the nomads for her honesty, fighting skill, willingness to help against Chaos, and ability to negotiate; members of her cult are given the status associated with healers by many nomad clans and can sacrifice for the divine magic spell Sweet Lips at either of her shrines.

 
 

Spells

 

Always Know the Way

 

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

Pathfinder.

Details of the Vinga Leads The Way heroquest held at most Pathfinder sites.

 

This spell lasts one day. The caster will not get lost and will intuitively take the best route to their chosen destination. The best route is based on GMD, a combination of the safest and the quickest route. If the two are mutually exclusive, then the caster gets to decide whether to take the safe or the quick route. (P/J)

 

 

Clear Voice Shout

 

Spirit, 1 point, self, temporal.

Pathfinder (Issaries)

Any Issaries site, Vinga temple at Pavis.

 

For the duration of this spell the caster has a powerful voice that can be heard over most others. It does not deafen or cause damage, but does make the casters voice very LOUD!. Very odd when a quietly spoken Vingan casts it to give orders or get attention. (J).

 

Commune With the Lady

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

Pathfinder.

Normally only found at ‘backwoods’ sites.

 

The caster can commune with the spirits and daimones of the Lady of the Wild. In effect it allows her to see nature spirits and local spirits dedicated to the Lady of the Wild, and to talk to them. If required, her effective Speak Spiritspeech is the higher out of her skill in Speak Spiritspeech or Speak Own Language. (NE)

 

Destor's Sight
 
Divine, Heroquest, 1 point, self, non-stackable, temporal.                                           Adventurer/DarkStorm/Pathfinder (AssocHQ/Destor).

Sacred Top, Orlanth Victorious, Old Wind. Details of the Vinga is Saved by Destor heroquest at Tarthcaer, Notchet, and Pavis.

This is cast in any situation where the caster is in a situation where their escape looks to be almost impossible (trapped in an impregnable room, imprisoned in Aldryami brambles etc). If there is any possible escape route, no matter how dangerous, the caster will be made aware of it. If there are multiple escape routes, only one will be made known to the caster. (NE)

 

Dodge Hazard


Divine, 2 points, self, non-stackable, 1 day duration.
Pathfinder (1 use/Chernan).

May be sacrificed for at any Chernan holy place that has the spell.

 

This is cast before heading into hazardous territory. For the day after it is cast, the caster will receive a bonus to his ability to avoid dangerous, physical hazards, such as traps, falling objects etc. When the caster tries to dodge such obstacles, he may make a re- roll afterwards if he so wishes. He must take the re-roll no matter what. This is of no use in combat. (NE)

Find Path

 

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

Pathfinder.

Available at all Vingan sites.

This spell informs the caster of the quickest route to their intended destination. (P)

Follow Trail

 

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

Pathfinder.

Available at all Pathfinder shrines, and many other Vingan temples.

 

This doubles the casters Tracking skill for the duration of the spell. (P)

 

Friendly Greeting

 

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

Pathfinder  (1 use/Gultha).

May be sacrificed for at any Gultha or Issaries holy place that has the spell.


This spell allows the caster to make known their friendly intentions. When cast it must be cast at a specific target, and the caster murmurs a general greeting with a friendly expression on his face and some nice hand gestures. They must succeed in an Orate roll (a fumble results in the caster making a horrible error) for the spell to work, but may try repeatedly if they so wish (as long as they don't fumble). Success conveys the friendly greeting to the target as long as they are sentient and are capable of recognising the existence of the caster (blind, deaf and dumb targets will remain blissfully unaware of the casters existence). It does not matter what language they speak. It does not necessitate that the target will react in any particular way to the cast; it just demonstrates the good will of the caster. People who cast this spell under pretence, and actually don't wish friendship; will invoke the requisite spirits of reprisal. (NE)

 

Gather Untainted Food

 

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

Pathfinder  (1 use/Belveren)

Known places to sacrifice for this spell include Clearwine Temple and at the Untwisted Tree (a Belveren holy place in the Bevara Ridges).

 

Whilst this spell is cast, and the caster is foraging, they will not gather Chaos tainted food in any form. This does not mean that they will find untainted food if there is none to be found, but that they will not gather tainted food. (NE)

Leave No Tracks

 

Divine, Heroquest, 2 points, non-stackable, self, temporal.                                        

Pathfinder.

The Vinga and Tatouth heroquest is well known in Sartar and Heortland. Can be sacrificed for at any Pathfinder shrine or Vinga temple.

When this spell is cast, the caster will leave no tracks for the duration of the spell. She will leave no tracks or scent. (SP/J)

Nighteyes

 

Divine, 1 point, touch, non-stackable, 12-hour duration.                                     

DarkStorm, Uzfighter (1 use/Vingkot), Pathfinder (1 use/Alusar)

Can be sacrificed for at many Vingkot and Alusar holy places, most DarkStorm temples.

 

This spell grants its recipient the ability to see in darkness. For 12 hours the target can see by any amount of available light. If there is a complete absence of light, they cannot see. (RQ/P)

 

Obscure

 

Spirit, variable, self, temporal.                                                             Pathfinder, Uzfighter, DarkStorm.

Can be learnt at most sites to the above subcults, or any Tatouth site.

 

Obscure adds 15% per point of spell to the casters Hide skill. (P)

Path Watch

 

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

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

Can be sacrificed for at any Issaries site, Pavis, Last Cast, Tarthcaer, 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)

 

Put Down Weapons

 

Divine, 2 points, ranged, stackable, temporal.

Adventurer/Pathfinder (1 use/Orventili).

Known to be accessible at many Orventili shrines across Kethaela and Kerofinela. Includes Clearwine, Nine Moss Hill, Greenstone, and GoodFields temples.

Once cast everyone within range will find themselves compelled to put their weapons down and stop fighting, or taking offensive actions of any kind. It is effective only against Orlanthi. To work, the caster must roll d100 and compare the results on the resistance table. All targets whose magic points would have been overcome are affected. For instance, a priest with 12 magic points rolled 52; all potential targets with 11 magic points or less are affected. The spell is ineffective unless everyone in the area of effect is affected. A target may voluntarily submit to the spell if they so wish. Stacking the spell gives the caster an extra effective 5 magic points for overcoming purposes per spell stacked. The effects of the spell end if the caster takes any offensive actions. (NE)

 

Sleep Anywhere

 

Spirit, 2 points, non-stackable, touch, instant.

Adventurer/ DarkStorm/Pathfinder (Yinkin).

Can be learnt at any Yinkin shrine or temple.


 When cast on a willing target, this spell puts the person to sleep, no matter what the external conditions are. The target must not resist this spell otherwise it will fail. (SP)

 

Talk With Strangers

 

Divine, 2 points, stackable, touch, temporal.                                            

Pathfinder.

Can be sacrificed for at any Pathfinder, and most Vingan, shrines or temples.

 

This allows the recipient to speak the language of a chosen stranger at 30% for the duration of the spell. This is just enough to convey basic concepts, see the RuneQuest rulebook for clarification. Multiple castings will allow the caster to speak an additional language per casting. (J)

 

Tireless Gait

 

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

Pathfinder (1 use, Ferace the Wild Healer).

May only be sacrificed for at Ferace sites.

For one day the target will find herself capable of quick, solid long distance travel. Whilst their Move rate does not increase, they can travel twice the distance of a normal individual with no additional fatigue loss and no need to stop for rest during the course of the trip (normally eight or nine hours of travel). At best this spell can only double movement, it cannot be cast multiple times in one day to try and increase movement further, and should the character try and exert themselves too much (beyond even a forced march) this spell will no longer aid their efforts. (SP/J)

 

Way Blessing

 

Ritual ceremony.

Pathfinder.

Known at most Pathfinder holy places, and by almost all priestesses.

 

This ceremony calls upon Vinga to bless travellers. The ritual may be cast on any group travelling together to a set destination. Each member of the group must sacrifice 1 MP to the ritual, and the priestess conducting the ritual must sacrifice 1 MP per person in the group she is blessing, and 1 POW. The effects of the ritual depend upon the degree of success of the Ceremony roll made by the officiating priestess. Normal success provides a +5% bonus to non-combat skill used while travelling, specials provides a + 10% bonus, and criticals a   +20 % bonus (if the caster knows the route that is being taken, all bonuses increase by 5%). A failed roll has no effect; a fumble will decrease skills by 10%. The effects of the ritual last a week.

After that, if the destination has still not been reached, the participants can continue to receive the benefits of the ritual. If the caster conducts a brief ritual to the goddess each morning (must succeed at a Ceremony roll).  Members of the original group who wish to continue receiving benefits from the ritual, must contribute 1 MP each. (J)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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