The Cult Of St. Chalana

by Nicholas Effingham, based upon the description of Chalana Arroy in River of Cradles, Cults of Prax and Lords of Terror

I. Mythos and History

Chalana was the Healing Woman of the Kingdom of Logic. She watched as Umathil was cast out into the cruel, harsh world by the Lords. For seven by seven years she waited in her Healing House tending to the unfortunate few who were accidentally wounded, injured by a fall or who fell foul to the Beast. Then, after the seven by seven years, the Woe came. Woe was a Warrior like none other, as tall as ten men and as broad as six, carrying a sword made of metal smelted in the innards of a grand volcano. Woe came from outside and injured everyone he came across, and those that were injured came to Chalana for aid. Chalana, never having seen wounds caused by a blade before, went to the Lords to ask whether she could heal them. The Lords asked her if she had been taught how to heal these wounds by her master, and Chalana replied no she had not. The Lords debated amongst themselves and decided, therefore, that if her master had not taught her how to heal sword wounds then she was not meant to do so and told her to tell the people that she could do nothing for them and to return to their work. She did as she was told, and the armless farmers went bleeding back to their fields, and the legless warriors returned to their fighting and the headless children were sent back to play with their fellows again. Then, after seven by seven days of this, the Farmers returned to Chalana and told her that they could not plow with no arms and tired of using their mouths to hold their scythes, the warriors said they could no longer fight without legs anymore for they could barely reach the kneecaps of their foes, and the headless children said they could no longer play with their friends for their friends would taunt them for their injuries. Again she went to the Lords to ask what she should do. Again the Lords debated amongst themselves and again they told her to cast the people out of her Healing House and tell them to return to their duties. Some did their best, but most refused and left the Kingdom of Logic, becoming the first ghosts in the world, dead spirits that could not be healed. After seven by seven by seven days of this, one Farmer returned again. He had been the worse of Woe's victims, for he had no head, no arms, one leg and no genitals and was forced to communicate by making signs with his foot - he would write but could not for Farmers were not allowed to learn to write. He said that his fields were barren for he could not tend to them, his wife had gone and his children might be home but as he had no eyes to see with and no ears to hear with, he could not tell. Chalana thought to go to the Lords but, knowing what they would say, decided to heal the man and tell no-one. The Farmer left happy, and eventually his fields were fertile, his wife returned and he could play with his children. Soon, word spread, and the injured came to be healed and each time, Chalana healed them against the will of the Lords. Soon this came to the attention of the Lords, and so they cast the Healing Woman from their lands and she was forced to flee into the East.

With no Lords to control her, no Lords to order her, no Lords to stop her, she healed as she wished. Everything and everyone she came across she did her best to aid. She was wandering through the Kingdom and came across a young boy who had been decapitated and was running through the forest looking for his head. Amazed that a child could be capable of such a feat, she helped him search for his lost head and found that the Bad Bear of Little Cave had it and was using it as a pillow. The headless child wrestled the bear to get the head, and Chalana healed him. The child thanked her, and told her his name was Orlanth, son of Umathil. He invited her to return with him to the Kingdom his father ruled, and Chalana accepted.

Umathil remembered the Healing Woman and, upon seeing her, invited her to remain in his Kingdom as his Healing Companion, and offered her a stead in return for healing his son. Again, Chalana agreed and settled down to live in the Kingdom of Umathil.

She stayed for as long as the Kingdom stood. She was Healing Companion to Orlanth when he became King, Healing Companion to Humakt when she was his wife, Healing Companion to Eurmal at all times and a good friend to everyone. She is known as Mother of Arroin more than anything else, although her acts of healing were numerous, including Orlanth, Humakt and Ralia. She once even healed Elmal when the Sun was wounded by a foreign god. She healed all that came to her, and through her healing she learnt a lot of the innards of other gods and daemons and creatures, beings that would drive you made even to look at. She healed all that came to her as long as it was alive, with the exception of the Unhealable Kraken of the Uberwurld, which was one of many unhealable demons she met on the Lightbringer's Quest. When the Kingdom was threatened, and the Devil came, she met with her son at the centre of the World. Her son, she decreed should stay on the surface, while she would find the Creator and bring Happiness and peace back once again. She summoned the Farmer who had been Woe's Greatest Victim and discovered that he deserved that title well, for Woe had struck him time and time again, and now he was dead and mad, and worse. His name was Flesh Man, and it was him that she followed in the hopes of finding the Creator. He led the Lightbringer's on their Quest to the Underworld, and Chalana was always close behind. At the end of the world, in Hell, she was Sainted by the Creator and rose to her rightful position in Heaven. Her son did not fare so well, and was injured by the very people he sought to heal.

After the beginning of Time, St. Chalana has done little, although she sent Angels to heal Gbaji he, too, was unhealable. The God Learner Empire was beyond her Healing. As a pacifist her role is limited, although she did return once more to the world in the form of St. Xemela, the Sacrificer. She was also the mother of Hrestol, as she was to Arroin.

Healers believe that in certain cases they do not go to Solace and can instead remain behind as Angels of St. Chalana, healing spirits here to defend the pure and innocent against harm and injury. All worshippers of St. Chalana are given the normal funeral rites of the Church.

St. Chalana's runes are Harmony, Fertility and Harmony again.

II. Cult Ecology

St. Chalana is the Saint of Healing. She is the mother of Arroin, the source of compassion and sacrifice. Her cult intends to heal the whole world of it's woes and problems, a task St. Chalana finds difficult without the aid of the Saints. She is worshipped by Wizard Caste Healers, the odd Farmer Healer and patronises certain Warriors who devote themselves to the peace seeking, yet dangerous, life of Arroin.

Healers are normally not harmed under most circumstances. Their distinctive white robes and signs make it difficult to not notice them, and to accidentally harm them. Only krjalki like trolls and chaos would ignore such a holy taboo. However, the Soul Scorchers of Azilos often ignore this, as do some Naskori but even the Duke (officially) disdains this practice. The cult of St. Humakt did, until recently, practice the Lead Cross HeroQuest against this cult, resulting in many, many deaths.

The cult holy days are Wildday of each Fertility Week. The second week of Sacred Time is dedicated to St. Chalana rites to celebrate her return with St. Orlanth and his host of Saints.

III. The Cult In The Wolrd

The cult of St. Chalana is exceedingly small, according to Church ledgers there are barely over a thousand worshippers throughout Otkorion. The cult has only 11 priests. One for each temple in Fiesive and Valantia, two in Tempest Halls, three private Healers retained on the personal payment of a rich merchant, and three others stationed throughout Otkorion. Most shrines are tended by high ranking initiates. The cult does, however, exert influence. After all, a priest of St. Chalana has powers of resurrection, and so those people who have a Priest of St. Chalana are careful to keep them in good humour.

The greatest size her temples can manage are Minor Temples, although the cult tends to congregate together, rather than spread themselves out, so there are a fair number of minor temples, one in each city, one in Tempest Halls, and four more across Otkorion. Shrines are rare. Her cult outside of Otkorion is even smaller, although the Abbot of Marost has been pushing for more funds.

The temple structure has a rigid organisation. All initiates answer directly to the High Healer, who answers in turn to the Bishop of the Bishopric their temple is located in, or Abbot if they are outside of Otkorion. There is no High Priest of the whole cult, each High Healer is officially supposed to have the same rank and status as each other, although the Royal Healers of Fiesive and Valantia are greatly revered, as is the High Healer Clarice Tahran of Tempest Halls.

Shrines in Otkorion teach Heal Body.

IV. Initiates

Any member of the Farmer Caste may join at the initiate level. Any member of he Wizard Caste may join at the initiate level. Any member of the Warrior caste who has shown devotion to healing, courage and skill, and has the backing of a Sword who is a member of the Arroin sub-cult of St. Humakt may also join St. Chalana's cult. Wizards are normally specialist Healers, but not always. They always take the Vow Shun Harm. Known Illuminates who join the cult and expect to get away with ignoring the geases and vows of the cult often find themselves in trouble with both their High Healers and the Church itself.

Those who join must be sincere, or else fail the rites of initiation. They must then sacrifice a point of POW. They must vow never to hurt or harm a living being, and never needlessly cause pain. They must become vegetarians, and may not learn any weapon skill other than dodge. They vow to give 50% of their income to the Church, but as the Church usually offers Healers a position of employment anyhow this is normally immediately deducted. Initiates of St. Chalana may become Priests of their Caste as normal, and sorcerors may continue to advance in their studies. Shamans do not belong in the cult of St. Chalana.

All non-chaotic foes that are incapacitated by a St. Chalana worshipper are under their protection unless they are chaotic. In cases where the chaotic nature of an individual is in dispute, they are under the protection of the worshipper. Many St. Chalana worshippers place chaos underneath their protection anyhow. Healers are not normally attacked in combat as long as they wear their robes. Impersonating a Healer is a grave offence and most cults would harshly punish those who dared pretend they were a Healer when they were not.

The cult heals the worshipper for free, and will even Resurrect them for free! They get free room and board at any temple to St. Chalana. All St. Chalana worshippers can get cult spirit magic for normal prices, and may learn any Healer Speciality sorcery spell if they belong to the Wizard Caste. They receive 600 hours a year in cult skills.

The list of banned spells are given in River of Cradles p. 170 and Gods of Glorantha p.31. All initiates may sacrifice for one use divine magic. They may learn the cult skill of Refine Medicine, Treat Poison or Treat Disease.

Spirit Magic: Befuddle(2), Dullblade, Endurance, Heal, Light, Shimmer, Sleep.

V. High Healers

There are few positions of priest open. An awful lot of Healers qualify for Priest, but there are plainly no positions open. When there is a position open the choice of a new healer is often based around politics more than the skill of the Healer...

All candidates must have 90% in one of Treat Poison, Treat Disease, First Aid and Refine Medicine, and must have 50% in two of the remainder. They must have at least 10 points or Rune Magic or to have taken St. Xemela as a patron Saint. They must either know Heal 6 or Treat Wounds at 90%+. They must pass a Test of Holiness, but most Healers are pious enough to do this easily. A Farmer Caste Healer cannot be a candidate and while an Arroini Warrior could feasibly become a Priest, it has never happened in the last two centuries. Normally those with the support of the Red Circle of Fiesive are more likely to suceed.

All High Healers have important responsibilities to attend to, varying upon where they are stationed. This normally takes up 90% of their time and income. They gain access to reusable rune magic and numerous HeroQuests.

Common Rune Magic: All but Warding, and Bind for Intellect, Healing and Power spirits only.
Special Rune Magic: Comfort Song, Command Healing Spirit, Cure Chaos Wound, Heal Body, Restore Health (all types), Regrow Limb, Ressurect.

VI. Special St. Chalana Skills

See River of Cradles p.170-1 or Gods of Glorantha p.31.

VII. Special St. Chalana Spirit Magic

See River of Cradles p.171 or Gods of Glorantha p.31.

VIII. Special St. Chalana Rune Magic

See River of Cradles p.171 or Gods of Glorantha p.31.

IX. Sub-cults

Spirit of Reprisal
Healers who know someone to ignore the prohibition on harming Healers will refuse to heal that person. Healers who break cult vows on harming and causing pain will be excommunicated. Those that actively seek to harm the cult are cursed by St. Chalana. They will always catch at least the chronic form of any disease they contract.

Arroin
Arroin sought to heal everyone he came across in the shattered world of the Darkness. Eventually the Chaos he healed would kill him, and break his power forever. Vivamort is especially hated for he struck one of the final blows that destroyed Arroins magics. Arroin is patron of Warrior Caste members of St. Chalana. He allows them to learn the weapon skill parry while in his cult. He grants no magic, although especially pious worshippers sometimes sacrifice POW to the broken god, in return for no material gain. Of course, some people say that one day the sacrifice will make a difference and heal Arroin.

Keli Deokirk
This Heroine was an aid to a great fighter of her day, Abhar Rawson. She was able to use special magic to allow him to fight for seven days straight at the Battle of Dagmar. She grants the spell Invigorate (see Lords of Terror p.82).

Zotulla
An ancient nymph who became Arroin's lover and healer. She now cradles his broken body in her arms for eternity. She teaches Absorption.

X. Associated Cults

St. Eurmal
In the Godtime, in one of his more pleasant moods, Eurmal taught Chalana one of his tricks in case she ever encountered chaos for chaos would harm her whether she was a healer or not. He teaches her Conceal.

St. Goldentongue
Teaches Create Neutral Ground.

St. Lhankor Mhy
Her teacher and master in the Kingdom of Umathil teaches her Analyze Magic.

St. Orlanth
Teaches her Shield for when times are hard an she can neither run nor make peace.

St. Urox
St. Chalana has the power to calm Beserkers not only of this cult, but also of Bemurok and Storm Bull. This chance is POWx5 for a priest, and POWx4 for an initiate.

XI. Notes

Payment
In a civilised area like Otkorion, the Church has imposed strict costs on healing. While many Farmer Caste worshippers give their healing to all who ask for it whenever they can, going to the temples of St. Chalana is an expensive game. Payment for services rendered is according to the guidelines given in Deluxe RuneQuest p.170-1. Many people worship St. Chalana nowadays as a money making venture more than anything else...

Resurrection deserves special attention. Since Priests are scarce, spells like Resurrect are exceedingly expensive, 4500 to 5000 Orbs, about a years wages for even a well-to-do merchant or trader. Since these prices are extraordinarily high, resurrection is rare, especially as it is not always going to work and the cult only refunds half the money in the case of failed resurrects. Only powerful people in Otkorion can afford to take Death lightly.