Cult Membership
Non-members can join the cult at Leaping Rock. They must convince the shrine’s
priestess of their integrity, be an initiate or priestess in good standing, and have never harmed an alynx. New members must
sacrifice a point of POW and a red deer at the shrine. Cultists can sacrifice for the Call Alynx spell there (1 use
only), learn the spirit magic spells Cat Whistle and Read Foe, and receive training in Hide and Sneak. Cult
members must take the following geas.
· Never
attack an alynx unless attacked first, or allow an alynx to suffer harm needlessly.
No time requirements are placed on cult members, except that they attend the
Wooing Day celebrations at any Yinkin shrine (Wild Day, Harmony Week, Earth Season), and Ral’s Day rituals at Leaping
Rock (Fire Day, Harmony Week, Earth Season).
They are not expected to contribute any of their funds to the cult, but most
members of the Red Alynx Sisters make sure that they donate to local Yinkin shrines. Many also donate to the shrine and priestess
at Leaping Rock; the Red Alynx Sisters are a close-knit group and tend to lookout for fellow members.
Members of the cult view Wanderlust as a virtue.
The priestess at Leaping Rock is called the Red Alynx Daughter; she can call
upon any Yinkin spell at will within the shrine, and often has other abilities as well. She is protected by The Nine Tails;
alynxes who dwell and hunt in the valley south of the shrine, and turn up to defend the priestess when she needs aid. The
Red Alynx Daughter always has an assistant, usually another priestess, who is chosen during the Ral’s Day rituals, and
succeeds the residing priestess if she retires or dies. Only Vingans who have completed The Path of Nine Tails are eligible
for these positions.
Only The Red Alynx Daughter can teach details of The Path of Nine Cats, she
must use Divination to see if the goddess approves of her doing so. Cultists who are taught the secrets of the myth
must take a geas to never reveal the myth to anyone else. Using the shrine as the starting point for The Path of Nine Cats
heroquest will provide a bonus to success in the heroquest (GMD) due to the strong mythical connections of the site.
Those who succeed at The Path of Nine Cats normally gain an awakened alynx
companion, the ability to cast Cat Whistle at will, and can sacrifice for Call Alynx as a re-usable spell (either
at Leaping Rock, or a Yinkin temple). They also undergo a minor physical and physical transformation; they become more agile
(+ 1 DEX), their eyes turn green, and their ears become slightly pointed. If the heroquestors Hedonism and Wanderlust traits
are 14 or higher then they gain +1 to those traits. If under 14 then the traits are raised to that level. Those without these
traits gain them at a rating of 14.
This hero path can also be used to benefit a clan or tribe; it has been used
in the past to cure sick alynxes, bring the blessings of Yinkin upon a tribe, and to increase the birth rate of clan alynxes.
At least six heroquestors have returned accompanied by a pack of alynx; up
to nine in number; they are Ral’s children, come to keep their father’s promise (these alynx act as devoted companions,
accompanying the heroquestor everywhere, they are awakened followers of Tol Cloud-Yinkin).
Some are known to have gained the ability to sacrifice for Yinkin’s
common divine magic as if they were initiates of the god.Two heroquestors have returned from the quest bearing the Mark of Ral, Sellki Sharptongue
and Illgara of Tarsh. They are believed to have attained complete success in the heroquest, discovering the true secret of
The Path, and it is said that they gained additional powers as a result. Both died at the Battle of Grizzly Peak, neither
had ever spoken about The Path of Nine Cats (it is not known if a true secret to The Path exists, i.e. GMD).
Spells
Call Alynx
Divine, 1 point, special range, stackable, instant.
Adventurer (Annwyth Odd Ears/ HQ or 1 use).
Leaping Rock
shrine in the Charandar Hills.
This spell calls any alynx within 100m to the caster's side. Alynxes are generally friendly to Pelessa worshippers
and will aid them if they are in trouble. For every additional point of the spell stacked the area affected is increased by
100m. Awakened alynxes can resist this spell with their magic points versus the casters if they so wish. (NE/SP)
Cat Whistle
Spirit, 1 point, ranged, instant.
Adventurer (Annwyth Odd Ears).
Leaping Rock shrine
in the Charandar Hills.
This
small charm simply calls all cats within range. They are not compelled to come, but will instantly recognise the whistle of
the caster. Cats friendly to the caster are likely to take this as a sign that they should return to the hearth. (SP)
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