The Cult Of The Twin Star Sisters

I. Mythos and History

The Twin Star Sisters, Erelia and Verelia, were the daughters of the Red Moon and an enigmatic "man inside the invisible shirt", the son of Dehka, a Pelandan Spirit Lord. As children the two would playfully frolic and play in innocence among the plants and animals of the Red Moon, sometimes dancing with their father in a merry jig, or sometimes playing with Sidana the Black Goat, who taught them true freedom and release -- in this respect they are worshipped as Patrons of female homosexuality within the Empire.

They served as handmaidens to their mother, the Red Goddess, and lived in one of the Seven Moon Palaces, near the River of Flowing Light on the Moon. They served dutifully and fruitfully for many years, once they even entertained Arraz when he came to pay homage to the Red Goddess.

They remained minor deities until Jannisor Moonchaser managed to stage a well prepared attack upon Glamour in the First Wane. Atop the Sinister Shield Tower he engaged one of them, but lost the battle when her sister distracted him and severed his magic. The other sister converted the Sable People to the Lunarian Way. Ever since they have been named Eloquence With Barbarians and Deadly Distraction In Crisis. They then took their rightful place in the Sky as stars.

They were noticed by the Praxians soon after, and were well known by the time the Empire came to Prax. The Sable People readily followed their brothers from the Hungry Plateau and joined in worship to the Twin Star Sisters.

All pious women of the cult are allowed to join the Red Goddess as handmaidens upon their death. Men who follow in this cult and die piously protect their mistresses in the Sky and fight away any evil that threatens them.

The Runes they are associated with are Lunar, Spirit and Light. In their lesser worshipped form, as goddess of female lovers, they are connected to fertility.

II. Cult Ecology

The Twin Star Sisters have been worshipped by the Sable People for their aid in the conversion of their culture to the worship of the Red Moon. This is what they are both given reverence and thanked for. The priestesses of the cult act as advisors of large tribes of Sable People, and pass the words of the sisters from the sky to the general populace of Prax.

The cult is aversed to Orlanth and his actions of discord. Her cult is friendly to Yara Aranis and Waha when he is worshipped in connection with the Lunar Religion. They are also friendly to Uleria and the Seven Mothers.

The cult holy days are Fireday of each Fertility Week with a High Holy Day in Earth Season.

III. The Cult In The World

The cult is mainly worshipped by the Sable People of both the Hungry Plateau and the plains of Prax. They are also propitiated for their relationship as handmaidens of the Red Goddess in their service to the goddess.

There are few temples within the Empire, although a major temple exists on Hungry Plateau and temples spring up in the plains of Prax. Within the Sable People, two priestesses assume the mantles of the goddesses and advise the chieftains, whereas in the Empire it resembles the cult of Teelo Norri, and often share worshippers with that cult. It is subsumed under the mantle of the Teelo Norri cult and manifests itself as a sub-cult. Members in this sub-cult often act as Ladies-In-Waiting.

Shrines teach both Sever Magic and Precision Orate.

IV. Initiate

A candidate can be accepted as standard with the tests of Ceremony, Orate and Ride, and either sing, fast talk or any weapon attack. Within the Empire acceptance is automatic of the candidate shows interest in the Sisters as goddesses of love. The candidate must then sacrifice one POW.

The candidate gains normal cult benefits. They must devote 10% of their time and income to the cult priestesses. In Prax this normally takes the form of the product of raiding and hunting. The cult has a large worshipping congregation from both the Sable People of Prax and the Sable People of Peloria.

Spirit Magic: Befuddle(2), Glamour, Mindspeech.

V. Priestess

A candidate to become a Priestess (or Sister's sister, as they are commonly referred to) must be a woman. This level is normally only assumed by those worshippers in the Sable People, not garnering as much political or magical power in the Lunar Heartlands (the only exception is Sarandal the Chaste, who is a priestess in Glamour).

A candidate for priesthood must have 10 points of Divine Magic, 50% in each of the cult skills and succeed in the Test Of Holiness, abstracted as a POWx3.

They then commune with the Twin Star Sisters and are elevated to the rank of priestess. Only two priestesses can serve in each tribe. They gain all normal benefits associated with priesthood, and now must devote 90% of her time and income to the cult.

By newly instituted tradition, a chieftain must always listen to what his priestess has to say, and may not speak until she is finished. However, a priestess may never contradict or argue with the chieftain in front of the tribe.

Common Rune Magic: Divination, Heal Wound, Spellteaching, Worship Twin Star Sisters.
Special Rune Magic: Precision Orate, Sever Magic.

VI. Twin Star Sisters Rune Magic

Sever Magic
2 points
ranged, instant, non-stackable, one-use
Once cast the caster must overcome the targets MP's with her own. If successful then the target loses the ability to cast spirit magic and divine magic, but not sorcery, dragon magic or hero powers. They still retain access to Divine Intervention. This may be remedied by an appropriate Divine Intervention from a healing cult or spiritually aligned cult such as Daka Fal.

If it fails then the victim merely loses access to magic for the next 2d6 rounds.

VII. Sub-cults

Spirit of Reprisal
In the case of offenders a lesser version of Erelia appears wielding her mystic blade. She attacks the reprobate in spirit combat and has INT 20 POW 25, she attacks for 2d6 rounds. If successful then the victim is affected as per a successful Sever Magic spell. She normally appears when the character is at her weakest.

VIII. Associated Cults

Red Goddess
As per normal, a worshipper of the Twin Star Sisters may join her cult.

Seven Mothers
Provide Command Lune, Excommunication, Mindblast, Regrow Limb and Truesword.

Waha
Provides Command Spirit of Law.