The Cult of Hrothmir
Mythos and History
When Lord Pavis prepared for his great Quests he needed help. One of those who helped him was a soldier named Hrothmir. Hrothmir had abandoned the cult of Humakt for the draconic ways, but was not a good disciple and instead followed the ways of Pavis. Hrothmir guarded Pavis from physical attack and became his bodyguard. The followers of Hrothmir became the bodyguards of Pavis's Companions and ensured that they remained free to pursue their own studies.
When Lord Pavis retired his companions stayed behind. Hrothmir became the bodyguard for Joraz Kyrem and helped him in the defence of Pavis. During one of the nomad or troll raids, Hrothmir was killed and buried in a tomb designed by Flintnail himself. Unfortunately, the tomb's location was lost and the tomb itself was taken over by an ancient vampire who remained there, hidden away and preying on the locals. After many years, the vampire was slain by a group of adventurers and Hrothmir's tomb was discovered by a team of Lunar Sages sent to investigate the ruins.
Cult Ecology
Hrothmir is Pavis's Bodyguard. His worshippers perform the same function, acting as bodyguards for the Pavis Priests and important Pavic citizens. The Daughters of Pavis have started looking into their ancient rituals and have found places that have been taken by other cults but were probably originally dedicated to Hrothmir.
Hrothmir's runes are Death and Stasis.
Cult in the World
The Cult of Hrothmir currently has two Temples - a shrine in the Seven Mothers Temple in New Pavis and a shrine in the Pavis Temple. Hrothmir's Tomb is another small shrine but has been sealed by the Lunar authorities.
The Lunars are trying to incorporate the Hrothmir cult as a subcult of Yanafal Tarnils. Several Rams of Yanafal Tarnils are preparing HeroQuests to use Hrothmir's and Yanafal Tarnils' links to Humakt to join the two cults together.
At present, the Hrothmir cult has around 100 initiates, 90 of which are also members of Yanafal Tarnils or the Seven Mothers. The rest are initiates of Pavis.
Most Hrothmir cultists are bodyguards. The Lunars are using Hrothmir cultists exclusively when guarding their Pavis initiates. They want the Daughters of Pavis to accept Lunar Hrothmir bodyguards, but the Pavic Priests are understandably reluctant. They wish an independent Hrothmir cult to be set up in New and Old Pavis, but do not have the leverage to achieve this.
Lay Membership
Any Lay Member of Pavis, the Seven Mothers or Yanafal Tarnils may become a Lay Member of Hrothmir. Lay Membership costs 20L per week and allows the lay member to work as a bodyguard in Pavis and to live in the Hrothmir Barracks in the Lunar military area of Pavis.
Lay Members of Hrothmir are not taught and special skills or spells.
Initiate Membership
In theory, any child of a Hrothmir initiate may automatically become an initiate of Hrothmir, however there are no Hrothmir initiates with eligible children at the moment.
Initiate Membership of Hrothmir is currently limited to initiates of Pavis, the Seven Mothers or Yanafal Tarnils. Anyone wishing to join Hrothmir and dedicate his life to being a bodyguard may attempt to join Hrothmir as an initiate. They must pass the Test of Holiness (POWx3) and succeed in three cult skills. Membership costs 1 POW as normal.
Initiates must tithe 10% of their income and time to the cult, but time spent guarding initiates of Pavis or notables of Pavis counts as cult duty.
Initiates may learn cult skills and cult spirit magic at half price. They may sacrifice for reusable divine magic on a on-use basis as normal.
Cult Skills: Human Lore, Intimidate, Shield Parry, Axe Attack, Speak Pavic
Cult Spirit Magic: Bladesharp, Protection, Strength of Hrothmir
Strength of Hrothmir (Spirit Magic, Variable, Temporal, Ranged)
Each point of Strength of Hrothmir adds +1 STR and +1 CON, up to the RQ3 Species Maximum (Max Rollable + Min Rollable, 21 for humans). This is incompatible with both Strength and Vigour.
Priesthood Membership (Heavies)
Priests of Hrothmir are called Heavies. They are professional bodyguards and spend their time guarding the notables of Pavis.
They must have 10 points of Hrothmir Divine Magic, have 90% in three cult skills and pass, Test of Holiness (POWx3 or succeed in 5 cult virtues) and succeed in 5 cult skills.
Hrothmir is a very weak cult and does not supply its Heavies with equipment, allied spirits or magical items.
Common Divine Magic: All 1 point spells
Special Divine Magic: Might of Hrothmir, Find Assassin
Might of Hrothmir (2 Points, Reusable, Temporal, Ranged)
For the duration of the spell, Might of Hrothmir doubles STR and CON, allowing these characteristics to exceed normal Species Maximum. Might of Hrothmir supersedes Spirit Magic that increase STR or CON and is incompatible with them and also with other STR and CON increasing Divine Magic.
Subcults
Hrothmir has not subcults at the moment.
Spirit of Retribution
Those that betray or disgrace Hrothmir's cult are cursed so that their bodyguards don't trust them. This means that they are liable to be left alone at a critical point as the bodyguards go outside for a patrol or a quick fag, and "there had better not be anyone left here when we get back".
Associate Cults
Pavis grants City Harmony to the Hrothmir cult.
Yanafal Tarnils teaches the Sense Assassin skill to Hrothmir initiates, in return for taking a geas, and True Scimitar to Heavies.
Notes
The cult of Hrothmir is a small, weak cult that has only just started gaining worshippers again. As such, it is in an unusual position. On the one hand it is politically, socially and magically weak. On the other hand it can be moulded by its membes and shaped to become more than just a small cult.
umaktThe Lunars are working to prevent any non-Hrothmir cultist from working as a bodyguard in Pavis, but they need to complete a HeroQuest first.
The Pavis Priests want to incorporate Hrothmir into their own temple as a subcult of Pavis. They are looking through the archives for clues to Hrothmir's relationship to Pavis and are rumoured to be preparing HeroQuests to bind Hrothmir to the Pavis cult.