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Alina the Earnest

Alina the Earnest was a Defender Storm priestess of the Jerelling clan of the Locaem. Little about her life is known other than that she was learned in ancient lore, a powerful spell caster, and was with the Jerelling when the Locaem re-entered Dragon Pass.

The most ancient foes of her clan, Valind and his minions, continually threatened them. Alina is known to have searched strenuously for a way to defeat him. She discovered that ThreePine Hill in the Charandar Hills was where Vinga had summoned the Summer Wind to drive-off Shattering Wind, Valind’s son, who attacked her as she travelled to Tarthcaer.

Alina used this knowledge to summon the power of Vinga’s Summer Wind, and led the clan warband to several victories over the hollri. She taught the priestesses of the clan how to summon the Summer Wind and drive-off Valind.

A shrine to Vinga was built at ThreePine Hill, where Vingans from many clans learnt how to summon the Summer Wind, exchanged lore, and developed relationships and alliances with other clans. The shrine was strongly supported by the Jerelling and other local clans, who took to the rites introduced by Alina with enthusiasm.

Most Jerelling steads still maintain a household shrine to the Summer Wind, generally consisting of leaves and cones from the pine trees that give ThreePine Hill its name. Many offered sacrifices to Alina after her death and a shrine to her was erected at ThreePine. The Jerelling still venerate her as the saviour of the clan, and many of their Vingans join her cult.

The Doburdun-loving King of the Locaem tried to close ThreePine down, but the sprits there drove his warriors off.

He has since contented himself with patrolling the area to prevent access to worshippers; unknown to him, the weaponthane he has assigned to keep the area secure (Garald Blackmane) is a cousin to one of the cults senior members, and has colluded with her to allow use of the shrine to continue, albeit in a very low-key way.

The hero cult has survived the recent troubles largely unscathed, mainly by keeping a low profile, and taking great care to keep their ceremonies secret. There is rarely anyone in attendance at the shrine, but ThreePine is guarded by powerful spirits and is always watched over by the locals who will summon the warband to deal with any trespassers.

Most cult members are from the Jerelling clan, but at least 30% are from allied clans. The cult also has more than a few Esrolian members, and recently has been joined by refugees from the north.

Senior cult members are reported to be forming an exclusively Vingan warband to defend the Jerellings and their neighbours, they know that conflict with the king is inevitable and want to be prepared when it comes.

Cult Membership

Vingans from the Defender Storm subcult who wish to join Alina’s cult can do so at ThreePine. If they approach the shrine itself, they will be stopped warned-off, either by Garald Blackmane and his men, or by locals (who might suggest where the would-be cultist could possibly get in touch with the cult, The Wilmskirk Inn, if the Vingan seems trustworthy).

Those who have expressed an interest in joining the cult are normally ‘ambushed’ on their way to Wilmskirk, and interrogated by a cult priestess. If they are believed to be a spy they will be executed, otherwise the priestess will question them to determine their reasons for joining the cult, and to evaluate their sincerity and trustworthiness. If they are deemed suitable candidates then they will leave with the priestess, if not they are released and told to leave the area.

Would-be candidates must be members of the Defender Storm subcult. They must be an initiate or priestess in good standing, and the examining priestess must be convinced of their sincerity. They must have at least 50% skill in Stormspeech and Wind Lore, and at least 70% Ceremony skill. Candidates sacrifice 1 POW at the shrine at ThreePine and take the following geas as part of their initiation.

· Never flee from or surrender to, Valind or his minions.

Cult members do not spend 10% of their time in service to the cult. All of Alina’s rituals are performed as part of Defender Storm rituals that they would be attending anyway, and the cult has no organised activities per se.

Members are required to devote that 10% of their time and income that they would normally devote to the cult, to their clans instead. Alina’s followers consider Loyalty-Clan to be a highly important virtue.

Spells

Summer Wind

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

Defender Storm (Alina the Earnest HQ)

Details of the heroquest, and access to the spells can be found at ThreePine Hill in Northvale, Heortland.

Summer Wind can be cast on any wind that the caster can feel. It raises the temperature of that wind by up to 5° centigrade per point of spell, at the casters choice, with no maximum temperature increase. The Summer Wind spell cannot raise the temperature of any given wind above 45° centigrade. Tathwen gained this power when she found the Summer Hill hero path to the Storm Age and defeated the TurnSpear Hollri. (J)

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