The Cult Of Yara Aranis

By Nicholas Effingham with lots of help and editing by Scott Knowles, and thanks to Steve Maurer, Simon Phipp and Dave Dunham

I. Mythos and History

When Emperor Takenegi was slain for the first time by Sheng Seleris, he took it upon himself to lay next to Gorgoma of the Fourth Hell, an evil and hideous goddess, when he arrived in a Pentan Hell. Gorgorma made many protests, at first, that she should have any reason to lie with a mere demigod such as the Red Emperor, but soon he convinced her by showing her what violence, death, anarchy and horror that the child could, and would, bring.

The Emperor continued on his way before Gorgorma gave birth for he had important buisness to attend to. He left specific instructions to all concerned before he left. When Yara Aranis was born, Gorgorma taught her the secret ways of fear and horror, and taught her how to use her instinct and hate as a weapon stronger than all others. As a mere child, Yara Aranis caught hold of Mahaquata, the bat goddess, and managed to wrestle the secrets of Death and Severance out of her. Ever since, Yara Aranis has been renowned as the greatest hunter in the Underworld.

When she came of age, Gorgorma rejected her. Gorgorma's crew cast her out, and Yara Aranis was left alone. Fortunately, the Emperor had left a trail for his daughter to follow, a trail of horses. Each time Yara Aranis would meet the creatures, devour them and continue onwards. Finally she arrived at the adamant doors of the Fourth Hell. Here she met Bimbaros the Monster Man, who turned away from her mere hideousness for only Gorgorma was more disgusting than she. Once past the doors she continued along the trail laid out for her.

Eventually she arrived in Naveria and crawled out of a large crack in the earth. Here she terroirzed and stalked the inhabitants, roaring at them in her gutteral tongue, and hunting down her favourite delicacy, horses! Yara Aranis crawled along the ground, and was many times named Demon Spider. However, one Dark Season, when the frost covered the ground, the Emperor decided to reclaim his daughter for himself. He went forth one night, and found her. The battle was easily won by the Emperor, for his power was greater than his daughters and he knew all of her weaknesses for he was her parent. He won the battle with intellect and guile, while Yara Aranis fought with bestial animosity. He wrestled her to the ground, and tied her with a harness, before riding back to the City of Dreams atop her.

The Emperor built a hut for her, and named it Galtara, or Good Shore. Here Yara Aranis could drink and eat from the river. When Yara Aranis tried to leave the hut, the Emperor would appear to stop her, defeat her with ease, leave her with another scar and then he would return back to his palace. The Emperor would try, every day, to enter the hut and speak with her. Each day she would fight back, and force him away. After three seasons, the Emperor finally managed to gain entrance. He spent his time from then on teaching his daughter how to speak, about her heritage and the Lunar way, about Illumination and that guile, wit, thought, planning and intelligence were just as important as instinct and pathos. When Yara Aranis combined the two, combined her emotion and her intelligence, she became an unstoppable killing machine.

Once this was done, the Emperor used the Arm of the Moon and sent her to the Red Moon, where she was ordained into the court of the Red Goddess and was granted the enchanted Moonstone Blades to fight with. Yet there were no horses (or at least, none she was allowed to eat) on the Moon, and on the day she returned to her father's palace she was hungry and devoured his entire stable and was still not sated. In the time she had spent away, the Emperor had built a large house for his daughter to live in, happy in the knowledge she would not try to eat the furniture or torture the servants.

Yara Aranis remained in the building, but in 3/42 she killed her first horse nomad when it attacked her house trying to kill her and claim great prestige. She managed to bind it's spirit into a stone to guard where she slept, and from then on she could leave the confines of the temple to hunt. As soon as she discovered that there was a land that had more horses in it than her fathers stable she went there without hesitation. In the lands of Pent she found good feeding grounds, and numerous spirit slaves. She used these slaves to mimic her own hate, horror and evil and soon the gruesome spirits managed to thoroughly guard her house. Soon the people, who had at first feared the goddess, began to praise her name. Daily people would talk of her latest conquests, and soon huge crouds gathered outside her house to worship her and give praise. Soon, Yara Aranis was a god on earth.

As time went by, her father made more houses for her to live in for Yara Aranis could only sleep in consecrated ground. She finally had a line of houses across the Empire, and could hunt the Pentan nomads as she wished. The people gladly aided her, and granted her sacrifice and magical aid when she asked for they all loved her.

After eight years of this, Sheng Seleris came to meet her alongside his own forces. He battled through Yara Aranis' own cult and met her. Fortunately Sheng Seleris' forces were terrified of the goddess when they met her, and so only their leader remained. Neither Sheng Seleris nor Yara Aranis could hurt each other, and with no option he retreated before the Emperor and reinforcements arrived to kill him.

Yara Aranis was apotheosised in 3/54 (1409 ST) and joined the Red Goddess at her right hand side on the Moon. She has ever since remained at the feet of her goddess, except when Sheng Seleris came to the surface of the Red Moon. At that point in time, Yara Aranis battled him again, only to be defeated.

The cult promises no true life after death, like all Lunar religions. Yara Aranis promises that any such ghost captured and bound will be freed by her worshippers, and this consumes much of her cults time. Dead bodies are devoured or burnt, depending upon the cultists wishes.

The Runes connected with her cult are Beast, Dark Moon and Death.

II. Cult Ecology

The cult is the foe of all the horse nomads of Pent, and are responsible for most campaigns against those people. They were fervently against the creation of the Redlands and even nowadays young initiates may venture forth into the Redlands, slaughter a few settlers, kill a few horses and cause general mayhem, contrary to the explicit orders of their superiors.

Her cult is also responsible for the protection of the Temples of the Reaching Moon, and her warriors are always ever present, armed and armoured and ready to kill at a moments notice. Her cult duties within the Empire involve mainly protection and guard duty.

Her cult allies are the members of Moonson, Gorgorma and the Red Goddess, as well as all of the Seven Mothers -- although She Who Waits appears to have a specific mythical position in connection with Yara Aranis' first visit to the Moon. Her cult enemies are the Pentans, and all guardians of the Underworld.

Her Cult Holy Days are Wildday of Death Week, with her high holy day in Dark Season.

III. The Cult In The World

The cult is worshipped in all Reaching Moon temples, and has many temples along the border of the Redlands and Pent. Shrines also appear in militant temples, and a high temple appears in Good Shore. The people adore her, and in Seven Mother rites there are minor sacrifices made to Yara Aranis for her part in the battle against the horse nomads.

Her cult is organized and orderly, much like most of the Lunar army.

Shrines teach Scare Horse.

IV. Initiates

To become initiated in the cult of the Horse Eater one must be eligible for joining the Lunar army, i.e. must be over 16 and must not hold any criminal record (unless they have paid their debt to society via Danfire Xaron). To join this specific branch of the Lunar Army a member must pass tests four of the follwing; any weapon attack, any weapon parry, ride, scan, and track. One point of POW must be expended. The newly initiated must take an oath to Yara Aranis and the Red Emperor. This is a modified form of the Yanafali oath.

All worshippers must dedicate 90% of their time on cult buisness, guarding temples, raiding Pent etc.. In return they receive a base pay of 850L/year, increasing by about 200L/year based upon service to a maximum of 10,000L/year for a High Priest. In addition their are bonuses for excellent service and behaviour, and unoffically payments from priests for particular acts of service. Many priests offer 20L for each Pentan head brought to them, or a bottle of gin for whoever slays a shaman.

They receive a mount and weaponary, as well as a suit of armour. They receive training in all cult skills. They receive spirit magic, divine intervention, rune magic etc... as per the normal rules.

Spirit Magic: Befuddle(2), Bladesharp, Coordination, Countermagic, Demoralize(2), Detect Enemy, Disrupt, Dullblade, Endurance, Fanaticism, Ironhand, Mobility, Protection, Strength.

V. Rune Lords

To be raised to Rune Lord-hood, the initiate must have at least 90% in one weapon attack, one weapon parry, ride, scan and two of either Speak New Pelorian, Read/Write New Pelorian, Track, Listen or another weapon attack. They must own their own personalized suit of enchanted silver armour (deducted from their own wages). They are entitled to lead squads of Yara Aranis initiates and are given the honour of carrying iron or silver weaponry, which may be bought or given as gifts from their cult. They have no allied spirits. They gain access to 1d10 Divine Intervention and receive re-usuable Rune Magic.

Common Rune Magic: All.
Special Rune Magic: Beserk, Command Horse, Enchant Silver, Fear, Glowspot, Grow Limbs, Kill Horse, Scare Horse.

VI. Yara Aranis Rune Magic

All spells are subject to Lunar cyclic magic as described in Gods of Glorantha p.67. Glowspot is described in Cults of Terror and in TotRM #8.

Grow Limbs
2 points
touch, temporal, stackable, reusable
This spell adds an extra arms to the recipient, who must be either the caster or at least an initiate of Yara Aranis. The arm may be used in combat to add either 20% to a weapon action against one opponent, or an additional action against a different foe. This spell provides only the arm, not weapons to be used with it. The combat bonuses this spell gives can't be applied to any missle weapon except throwing daggers, throwing axes etc... It does not provide an attack when one would not be normally allowable (for instance, if the recipient chooses offensive spell casting).

Thanks to Steve Maurer for that spell.

Kill Horse
2 points
ranged, instant, non-stackable, reusuable
This spell is similar to the Sever Spirit spell. It effects only horses, plus donkeys and other such beasts (note that it does NOT affect unicorns). If the caster overcomes the targets MP's then the horse dies, otherwise it takes 1d6 general hit point damage.

Thanks to Dave Dunham for that spell

Scare Horse
1 point
ranged, temporal, non-stackable, reusable
When cast this spell affects a single horse. The caster's magic points are resisted against the horse. If they fail, nothing happens. If they suceed then the horse flees, as fast as possible, taking the most direct route away from the caster. This route may lead the horse through the ranks of comrades, into mortal danger or worse. This often leads to disordered military units. The rider of the horse must make a successful ride roll to remain on the horse.

VII. Sub-cults

Spirit of Reprisal
If a worshipper offends Yara Aranis then the spirit of reprisal will cause all horses approached by the worshipper to grow wary of him/her. If an ex-worshipper tries to ride a horse then it bucks her/him off.

Usually those who are excommunicated are tried for treason and crucified.

VIII. Associated Cults

Gorgorma
Her mother gifts Command Fear Spirit.

Jakaleel
The hate and rage of this member of the Seven Mothers lends itself well to the cult and grants the spell Truemaul, and teaches Bludgeon, to those who wish to use mauls and maces.

Red Emperor
To the cults High Priests, the father of Yara Aranis gives Moonspear.

Seven Mothers
They give Command Lune and Mindblast.