The Turquoise Tree

Kallyr the Dancer

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Kallyr the Dancer

 

 

     This cult write-up may well change, we are currently revising our approach to heroquesting, the formation of hero cults etc. This hero cult may well be changed into either a rediscovered part of another Vinga subcult, or a revived, older hero cult, or simply revised. As part of our gaming we are happy to adjust the rules and adapt any character if need be, when we find new information, consider an ability or power to be unbalanced, prefer a different interpretation or have an idea that seems superior to that currently in use.

   For example, in our campaign, Drogarsi is seen as one of the Thunder Brothers, a deity in his own right (the son of Donandar, winner of the dancing competition against Vinga when she was trying to join the Thunder Brothers)), and not as a manifestation of Orlanth (as in for example, when he went to Yelm's court). In light of this, the details that follow may change; it does not seem quite appropriate that a character emulating a deity (Vinga) should end up sleeping with a deity (Drogarsi) who is actually a manifestation of Vinga’s father (Orlanth). 

 

 

The Old World is not over,

for we still dance.

 

 

    The hero cult of Kallyr the Dancer was started when Serenity Macleod (Kallyr Twoswords), a powerful and skilled Adventurer priestess from Pavis (click on the name to read more) performed an ancient myth, Vinga saves the Children. Serenity sought the Find Lost Children power granted by the heroquest, but things did not go quite according to plan, and she returned from the heroquest with more than she bargained for (go to the bottom of this page to see the story of the heroquest).

 She subsequently established a hero band (The Dancers of the Laughing Goddess) and shrine at the Hall of the Red Lady (Pavis Rubble), so that cult members could sacrifice for the powers she had gained. At the moment it is a small cult and virtually unknown beyond the Rubble. It is however wealthy, substantially subsidies its members, and has a great deal of influence within the Pavis area due to its political connections.

 

Cult Membership

 

 

Candidates for initiation into the cult must be Vingans of good standing. They may be followers of any Vingan or Orlanthi subcult, but must also join Vinga the Adventurer to be eligible for cult membership.

 Would be candidates must also convince a priestess of her sincerity, Bjork OddSong is usually the examiner, but Serenity or Burrasca the White often take her place. Most of those accepted so far have been refugees from the eastern clans of Sartar; but the cult also includes several trollkin, some Praxians, a fair number of Pavis natives, a wind child, and a talking otter. It is a reasonably cosmopolitan group (the otter is French) and the priestesses will generally not accept would-be candidates unless they are certain that they will fit in and prosper.

 

   

Those joining the cult must sacrifice 1 point of POW and take the following geas.

 

·        Never allow a child to suffer needlessly.

 

New members are called Sisters and are taught the Sword Dance skill to 30% before they are initiated fully into the cult as Sword Dancers. Priestesses are known as Sword Daughters. The cult refers to its membership as The Dancers of the Laughing Goddess.

No cult member is charged for training in Sword Dance, Dance, Sword Attack/Parry, Dodge or Martial Arts; other skills are taught at half-price. The cult teaches a fluid fighting style that emphasises movement and technique. Many learn the two-sword style preferred by Serenity. Cult members can get tuition in Fast Talk for free as well; all they have to do is listen to Serenity talking to visitors, it’s an education in itself.

All cult members can learn up to three point of cult sprit magic free each year. Any spells beyond this are at half-price.

Any member of the cult receives free accommodation and healing at the Hall of the Red Lady if they want or need it. The cult also provides armour and weapons to those members who need them, this is normally as a loan, but generous credit terms are available for cult members who wish to buy their own equipment.

Members of the cult will be ransomed (or rescued) by the cult. It operates more like a slightly eccentric family than a warband or cult (many Pavis residents refer to the cult and its members as Kallyr’s Children). Most locals know that Serenity is very protective of her congregation, and Vingans tend not to be hassled overly when in New Pavis, too many locals know the story of the tragic end of Pik BadRhino.

 Members must spend 30% of their time working for the cult. This time is generally evenly split between guard duty at the Arm of Pavis or the Hall of the Red Lady, patrol work as part of the Pavis Guard, or training. This training, about 250 hours each year, is intended to educate cult members, and consists of lessons in reading and writing, speaking other languages, and lore skills.

Members of the hero cult consider Loyalty to the Group a key virtue, they also believe Tenacity and Dedication are important.

Cult members can learn the spirit magic spell Dance, and sacrifice for Find Lost Child, Dance of Vinga, Tireless Dance and War Dance at the Hall of the Red Lady temple.

Non-cult Vingans and  Orlanthi can learn combat skills at half-price at the Hall of the Red Lady, or for free if they successfully enlist in The Company of the Turquoise Tree’s warband.

 

    

 

 

 

Sword Dance

 

Agility. Base 0%

 

The Sword Dance skill enables the user to boost their sword attack chance. It trains the character to use practised movements, speed, agility, and manoeuvres, to make the most of attack opportunities. This skill can never be higher than the character Dance skill and requires at least 14 DEX to learn.

A successful skill roll provides a 5% attack bonus, a special a 10% bonus, and a critical provides a 20% bonus. A failed check results in a 5% attack penalty for the next two rounds (as the character adjusts their dance to compensate) after which another check can be made. A fumble results in a 15% attack penalty for the next 3 rounds and a 10% Dodge penalty for the next 10 SR (the character has badly mistimed their movements).

Spells

 

Dance

 

Spirit, variable, self, temporal.                                                             Adventurer (Kallyr the Dancer).                                                                      

Hall of the Red Lady, Pavis Rubble.

 

This spell adds 10% to the casters Dance skill per point of spell. Members of the hero cult also gain 10% to Sword Dance per point of spell. (J/P)

 

Dance of Vinga 

 

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

Adventurer (Kallyr the Dancer).                                                                     

Hall of the Red Lady, Pavis Rubble.                                                                                                

 

This spell increases the recipients Dance, Dodge, and Sword Dance skills to 150% of their starting value. It is compatible with other spells that increase these abilities. (P/J)

 

Find Lost Child

 

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

 Adventurer (Kallyr the Dancer), Spearwoman (HQ).

Hall of the Red Lady (Pavis Rubble). The Vinga Finds the Lost Children heroquest is widely known. The spell can be sacrificed for at any Vingan temple.

                                        

 

This spell informs the caster of the presence of any lost children within a one-mile radius. The caster learns how far they are away, and in what direction but must concentrate for a melee round to gain this information. The caster may alternately seek a single lost child known to her either through encounters, a description, or the possession of an article of their clothing. In this case the radius is seven miles and the caster need not concentrate. The DM must adjudicate as to whether or not a given child is lost, thus coming under the remit of this spell. (J/P) 

 

War Dance

 

Divine, 1 point, stackable, self, instant.                                              Adventurer (Kallyr the Dancer).                                                                      

Hall of the Red Lady, Pavis Rubble.

 

The caster of this spell must spend one full melee round dancing an intimidating War Dance in front of their enemies. Up to seven opponents per point of spell are affected by Demoralise unless they resist the spell. 

                                                                                                The spell requires the caster to make a Dance roll, the success of which modifies the power of the spell. Exceptionally skilful dancing imposes modifiers to the opponent’s resistance rolls as shown below.  

        

Fumble (Caster Demoralised)

Failure  (No effect)

Success (Normal)

Special  (-1 effective POW)

Critical  (-2 effective POW)

This spell is granted by Drogarsi to the Kallyr the Dancer hero cult, which has strong links with the god. (J/P)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Heroquest of Kallyr the Dancer

 

  

At some point in the future when I have the time I shall write this heroquest (the original, not Serenity’s version) in a more complete form, detailing the challenges somewhat more and possibly even including a Heroquest write-up for it.

  

 In the Pavis version (Vinga Adventurer) of the myth Vinga woke up with a hangover, the result of over-consumption the night before. She had spent the night arguing and fighting with the Thunder Brothers, engaging in challenges and drinking competitions, and trying to learn secrets from them so that she could better persuade her father to let her fight with the warband, not just defend the stead.

      She felt awful, if not worse, but then spotted a distraught mother approaching the stead. The woman told her that her children have wandered off and she feared for their safety. As the least hungover deity present, Vinga took it upon herself to find the children, hopefully before they are hurt, and preferably before any of the men find them.  

    Handicapped by a severe hangover Vinga left the stead seeking the children, having first woken the Thunder Brothers and alerting them to the problem.

    Along the way she tracked and followed the children’s trail, defeated the challenge of several Chaos beasts, overcame natural obstacles, persuaded her way out of a confrontation with Zorak Zoran, and outwitted lecherous Eurmal. Finally finding the children, she rescued them from a marauding Chaos monstrosity. She then returned to the stead, with them, meeting other searchers along the way.

    Back home, a grateful Voria helped Vinga to better understand how to find lost children, to aid her in the future. Another night of drinking and then she returned to Tarthcaer to continue with her adventures.

 

   The ritual and heroquest had been planned and researched for months. To start with all went well.

The ritual progressed exactly as planned; Serenity entered the heroplane and travelled to the Red Headed Lodge largely without incident. She went from there to the Thunder Brothers Barracks, and then to the Great Hall for the night’s entertainment.

Serenity got drunk, spent the night arguing and fighting with the Thunder Brothers, engaging in challenges and drinking competitions, and trying to learn secrets from them; that part of the plan worked, but she was then seduced by Drogarsi whilst trying to persuade him to teach her a secret. Not that she minded. Ever.

    In the morning only Serenity and Drogarsi were in any decent state, having drunk somewhat less than the others, they were it appears, distracted. Upon hearing the mother’s story they argued, each claiming that they knew the best way to find the children. Serenity challenged Drogarsi to find them before she did, he agreed to tell her a secret if she won, but demanded his choice of her secrets if he found the children first. A mostly inebriated Serenity agreed, rather than using her skills of persuasion to get him to help her instead. Feeling like death itself, and worried by her stupid challenge, Serenity set off.

    She cut or charmed her way through the rest of the heroquest fairly successfully, bullied Eurmal into giving her a gift, struggled to defeat the Chaos monstrosity, but in the end returned to Orlanth's stead with the children in tow, unharmed and in good cheer, meeting Drogarsi along the way.

    A feast was held to celebrate the safe return of the children; Serenity once again got pissed up and slept with Drogarsi. Cue another hangover, and grief from Ernalda in the morning. On the plus side, Drogarsi taught Serenity and Vinga how to perform their own dances, movements suited to them perfectly, which enhanced their fighting skills. Voria gave them a few helpful hints about how to find children more easily (some of the secrets of how children think; Serenity alleges that she said she didn’t need them, she’d spent six years with The Company of The Turquoise Tree).

Serenity left Orlanth’s Stead and returned safely to Tarthcaer.  Upon her return to Pavis, a small hero cult was established at the Rubble temple where initiates could learn the Sword Dance and sacrifice for spells.

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