The Cult of the Lightbringers

by Nikk Effingham, based on a concept from Steve Maurer
Copyright © Nikk Effingham 1997

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I. Mythos And History

The Lightbringers were the Seven (or sometimes Ten) Gods and Goddesses who returned the Sun to the sky. In the Darkness they banded together. Their names are not important, for they change from place to place, but Chalana Arroy and a Trickster always number among them. They joined under the black sky of the Dead World, when all was laid waste, when everything was destroyed, when the world was split asunder. Chalana stood among the people, the wasted tribes, the broken cults, the dead families and the decayed noble houses and proclaimed that the saviour of the world lay not around them, but elsewhere, in the Beyond World. The people had heard of the Beyond World, for all the Dead went there. They feared it, for they feared Death, and most shuned the Healer for her madness. Only the bravest joined her, only the maddest joined her, only those who sought answers that also lay in the Netherworld joined her, but together they numbered Seven.

The journey through Hell was long and ardious. Many perils were met, and in the end they all failed. The trickster, however, wily as he was, as mad as the Mad Man of the Jord, stood among them and proclaimed that the saviour of the world lay not around them, not elsewhere, but within them. With this knowledge, with their saviours ever present, they recovered. They taught the world, the entire world, the secrets they had learnt on their journeys and recovered the Sun, and the Dead and multitude of gods so that the world would resemble as it had before. Then they taught the people and gods of the world the new ways of this new world, and the secrets of the Compact.

In doing so Arachne Solara, God of All Gods, was allowed into the Cosmos and to Bind the Cosmos. She was the true peacekeeper of the gods, the true Saviour of the World and proclaimed that Time was the new ruler of the Cosmos, and all gods must obey her rules. The world as it is now could not have been without the Lightbringers.

The Runes of the Lightbringers are Harmony and Mastery.

II. Cult Ecology

The Lightbringers are the gods and goddesses who returned the world to normality, who revoked the old, created the new and forged a new alliance and harmony between mortal and immortal. Through these gods the alliance of gods was formed, the oath, the pledge, the Great Compact. This is why the Lightbringers are venerated. More than just the givers of life they are Cosmic Balance, and also a link to Arachne Solara, the greatest god of them all. The Lightbringers cult has a lot of influence over the Terminal Debate of Dara Happa because of this.

The Cult has a two fold role. Firstly, it allows the veneration of the Lightbringers, which in some areas is quite difficult. For instance, in areas where the worship of Orlanth is prevented worshipping him as a Lightbringer is still allowed. Secondly, it allows worship of the Lightbringers - the Lunars see this as very important, while it achieves no political roles its position within the mystical cosmology of the Lunar Empire is important. It also allows the Lunars to influence the myths and cultural position of Lightbringing gods in cultures they conqueor.

The cult is friendly to whatever gods are local Lightbringers, usually Chalana Arroy and the Trickster cult plus others. In Sartar it would be Orlanth, in Imther it would be Khelmal etc... The cult is friendly to all Lunar cults. The only cult enemies is has are chaos cults, who are seen as the unrepentant destroyers of harmony.

Cult Holy Days are held throughout Sacred Time.

III. The Cult In The World

The cult is a Lunar pantheon cult, in other words the worship of many gods via one cult (like the Seven Mothers or the worship of the Air Gods as a whole rather than an individual). It draws upon the core myths of the Lightbringer cults, which the Lunars see as a very important part of the universal mythology. The cult has a low membership rate, as it wields little political power and the mystical benefits it has are not attractive to the layman. It is not worshipped that much in areas that already have Lightbringer gods, as these are preferred over this conglomerate cult. It is certainly not worshipped by the vast number of Dara Happans for the entire cult is an antithesis to their beliefs concerning the return of Yelm. It is worshipped in small numbers in Carmania, it has a major temple in Glamour and sometimes has shrines in Seven Mothers temple erected in lands with Lightbringer gods.

The Head of the cult is the Red Emperor, the ulitmate Lightbringer who has ruled the cult since 7/1. Lightbringer cults normally report directly to the major temple in Glamour, which is maintained by the Priest Afrex Attal from Imther, who is the chief priest of the temple, with the Emperor as the High Priest.

Shrines teach the Lightbringers Quest.

IV. Initiate

Candidates for initiation must have a Ceremony of at least 50% and suceed in a POW x5. They must then acknowledge the Lightbringers as the original givers of life and recreators of the world. Initiates must then sacrifice a point of POW to the Lightbringers. Inititates must attend only the Sacred Time rituals of the cult, spending all their time over the two weeks with the cult priests but nothing more, although this may affect their rituals with other cults at this time. Initiates do have to dedicate 10% of their income to the cult.

No member of the Lightbringers is allowed access to any of the chaotic magics of the Lunar Empire, even if Illuminated (with the exception of the Red Emperor). The cult teaches no spirit magic, but does give access to both divine intervention and one-use rune magic. Most initiates learn spirit magic from other cults, or engage in the practice of sorcery.

V. Priests

To qualify for priesthood the candidate must have 90% in Ceremony, and 50% in at least four other skills. They must also have a POW of 15 and have suceeded in at least the practice run version of the Lightbringers Quest. The Test of Holiness is this HeroQuest. The cult has no allied spirits, but does grant its priests reusable rune magic.

The Priest must dedicate 50% of their time and income to the cult, and the two weeks of Sacred Time. All Lightbringer Priests who engage on a Lightbringer HeroQuest gain a continual enhancement equal to their POW on all skills and resistance rolls. Priests of the Lightbringer can, if they qualify, transfer to a Lightbringer cult without the cost of POW, losing their Priesthood position.

Common Rune Magic: Excommunication, Sanctify, Worship Lightbringers.
Special Rune Magic: Analyze Magic, Detect Wyrd, Hellwalk(2), Lightbringers Quest(10), Path Watch(2), Regrow Limb, Ressurection(3).

VI. Special Lightbringer Rune Magic

Most spells are described either in Gods of Glorantha or Questlines II, except for the Lightbringers Quest. This spell begins the HeroQuest to return the Sun to the Cosmos, the details of which vary from culture to culture and are far too complex to be detailed here. The spell Detect Wyrd spell is in my St. Orlanth cult write up.

VII. Sub-cults

Spirit of Reprisal
Anyone who offends the cult, either by joining forces with chaos or perverting the Lightbringer Quest, will be attacked by the Spirit of Reprisal. This Curse affects the cultists mystical connection to the Comos, they cease to regenerate Magic Points naturally - just as all mortals did not in Godtime.

VIII. Associated Cults

Rufelza
The Red Goddess allows all members of the Lightbringer cult to join her cult and become Examiners as normal.

Seven Mothers
Grant Command Lune.

Yelm
Grants Fight Disease.