Cults of Glorantha

Hedkoranth

Hedkoranth is Orlanth’s son by a woman named Arvena. Whether or not Arvena was a goddess is uncertain. Hedkoranth is the Thunderstone: Orlanth’s Thunderbolt made physical. Hedkoranth can make the Thunderstone perform great marvels and tricks and its powers made him the victor of the three battles of Thrinbarri. At Thrinbarri of the Clouds he defeated Venebain, the Attacker From Above; at Thrinbarri of the Stone he defeated Golagolar, Fighting Man of the Armies; and, at Thrinbarri of the Roofs he overcame Sevsalsal, the Great Poison Breath.

Runes: Air, Magic.

Mythos and History

The Three Battles of Hedkoranth (Resonance 70%) – Strike Hard, Strike Fast, Strike First:

When the Gods went to war, Orlanth called upon his son, Hedkoranth, to bring devastation to the Storm Tribe’s enemies from on high. Hedkoranth was dutiful and obeyed. He charged at Venebain, one of the Emperor’s sons and a mighty warrior, and pierced him through the heart, casting him back to the heavens. Next he screamed down from the skies at Golagolar, who was general of the Dara Happan armies and cleaved him head to foot, so sharp was Hedkoranth’s strike. Finally Hedkoranth sought out the serpent-spirit Sevsalsal, which was poisoning many across the land. Thunderstone as a spear could not harm Sevsalsal; neither could Thunderstone as a sword. So Hedkoranth changed himself into an egg, which the serpent-spirit liked to eat and was swallowed. Then he burst out from the insides and scattered Sevsalsal’s remains far and wide. Where the monster’s breath touched, marshes and bogs were created and still remain today.

Orlanth was pleased with Hedkoranth and made him foremost Thunderbrother, alongside Humakt and many other Thunderbrothers. Hedkroanth built his hall from Thunderstone close to Orlanth’s hall and called to him many champions who became the Thunder Rebels, ready to fight for whatever Orlanth told them to fight for. So was the Warband created.

Nature

Hedkoranth is a discrete cult from Orlanth but shares all the same virtues. It is a warrior’s cult and one that believes in violence as a means of resolving any problem as long as violence is applied with care, courage and precision. Hedkoranth cultists form themselves into war bands led by a Rune Lord and they act as a tool of war for the clan or tribe, following orders given to them without question, as long as those orders come from either a chieftain or Wind Lord of Orlanth.

Hedkoranth cultists are precise and merciless. They are called upon in times of strife to defend against raids and make raids against hostile clans or other enemies but they are not arbitrary warriors called upon for any required action: Hedkoranth warbands are called upon for special assignments that require tactical planning and the merciless application of force to achieve the desired ends. Hedkoranthi are prepared to lay-down their own lives if it means accomplishing the objective. If the objective is failed, Hedkoranthi will willingly endure any punishment or any penance to atone for failure. They never complain in such circumstances, accepting their lot with grim determination.

Organisation

The cult is not widespread and it wields no political influence in the Orlanthi culture. Hedkoranthi warbands are instruments of war, specific weapons to be used as needs see fit. Warbands consist of up to 12 Hedkoranthi, led by a Rune Lord (Thunder Lord). The cult has no Rune Priests. Acolytes are the trusted lieutenants of the warband and a warband usually has two, with each taking responsibility for the Initiates, who make up the rest of the band.

Absolute loyalty is demanded. Any who fail in this regard are killed.

Hedkoranthi are allowed to join Orlanth’s own cult but are forbidden to join either Humakt or Storm Bull, despite sharing similar values.

Hedkoranth’s High Holy Day is Winds Day, Death Week of Storm Season, the date of the Thrinbarri battles. The cult has no temples but a shrine, made of a simple flint cairn, indicates the presence of a Hedkoranth warband within a clan and the shrine is always found close to the shrine or temples to Orlanth.

When a Hedkoranthi attains the rank of Thunder Lord he is allowed to recruit his own warband, if he is not the leader of a warband or made leader of one.

Membership Standard.

All Hedkoranthi must have a Combat Style of at least 70% before then can become Initiates.

Common Magic

Bladesharp, Coordination, Fanaticism, Parry, Pierce, Skybolt.

Higher Magic

Hedkoranthi have access to only the following spells: Alter Target, Bless Thunderstone, Call Winds, Consecrate, Crash of Thunder, Disarm, True Spear.

Bless Thunderstone

Duration Special, Rank Acolyte, Touch

This spell is cast on Thunderstone (flint) and is traditionally used on pieces of flint that are launched from slings but the Thunderstone can be thrown too.

The blessed Thunderstone has a damage dice of 1D4 plus a number of points of damage equal to the Magnitude of the spell. The blessed Thunderstone ignores a number of Armour Points equal to its Magnitude when striking a target.

Gifts and Compulsions

Every Hedkoranth cultist must take one Gift and one Compulsion, spending a point of Dedicated POW on a Gift chosen from the following list:

Gifts

Combat Acuity: Increase Combat Actions by +1.

Divine Training: Raise one cult skill to 100%.

Increased Damage Modifier: The Damage Modifier is recalculated, based on the sum of STR, SIZ and POW.

Increased Health: The Adventurer’s Hit Points are recalculated, based on the sum of CON, SIZ and POW.

Increased Reactions: The Adventurer adds his critical score in a weapon to his Strike Rank (for example, an Adventurer with a weapon skill of 60% would add +6 to his Strike Rank).

Compulsions

Acute Depression: Become increasingly morose. As the Pact skill increases, behaviour becomes more depressive until it reaches the suicidal at the 95% level or greater.

Acute Insomnia: Unable to sleep for fear of never waking. Become gaunt-eyed, cadaverously thin and intensely paranoid of even one’s closest associates.

Armour Rejection: Cannot wear armour of any kind.

Chaste: Undertake a vow of chastity.

Forgo Shield: Never use a shield.

Ritual Scarring: Sacrifice 1D3 points of CHA through ritual scarring.

Vigil: Undergo a regular vigil of 3 days and 3 nights every month.

Cult Skills

All Spear Combat Styles, Sling and Thrown Spears (such as javelin), Acrobatics, Athletics, Brawn, Evade, Lore (Hedkoranth), Resilience, Stealth.

Allied Cults

Orlanth Thunderous teaches Flight.

Orlanth the Leader provides Lightning Strike.