Cults of Glorantha

Maran Gor

Maran Gor is the Primal Earthquake. In the Green Age she raised mountains in her lustful abandon and split them just as readily. Her favourite children, the Quakebeasts, were slain during the Gods’ War and she became bitter, spiteful and vengeful. At this time, she took the title of Gor and became an object of fear and awe. She was then a destroyer and was powerful and famous during that black time. As the world has changed, she too has changed and is now blood-thirsty and cruel. She is the dark-side of Nature; the brooding, vengeful force of the Earth Rune in all its fury.

Runes

Death, Disorder, Earth.

Mythos and History

The Changing of Maran Gor (Resonance 65%) – How the World Changed a Goddess: When Maran Gor was born her cry moved the world and shuddered into life the mountains of the north. When she reached childhood her tantrums created the mountains of the south. When she reached the brink of womanhood, the volcanoes burst forth their lava and when she became a woman, even Lodril bowed-down to her power. But she was ever merciful and cared little for the ways of the Celestial Court.

She gave birth to the Quakebeasts and they made the ground shake whenever she let them loose to play beneath the surface of the world. Dame Darkness tried to tame them and failed. Urox tried to capture them but they escaped. Finally, when war came, Death struck them and Maran Gor wept. Her tears became the jagged spines of all the mountains and even dragons feared her wrath.

When the Great Darkness engulfed the world Maran Gor was forced to hide and watch as the land was reformed in ways she did not understand. She responded by swallowing the monsters that roamed the darkness and this made her bitter and welcoming of carnage. When Orlanth returned the Sun to the world, she could not bear the light and hid her eyes. She tried to resist the Great Compromise and was beaten for her rebellion. Maran Gor resolved to fight on regardless of what other gods did.

Maran Gor’s delight is now to remind the world of her presence and the loss of her children, her innocence and the loss of the world’s tumultuous spirit. She became Earthshaker and her wrathful rage makes all things splinter, crack, shift and break. She engulfs any who are in the way of her temper and crushes them into dust, denying them sanctity in the Otherworld. Fear Maran Gor!

Nature

Maran Gor is worshipped in Kerofinela, Esrolia and Pamaltela. Her nature attracts those who reveal in destruction and carnage, ever seeking to bring down what stands tall and firm. Even the Orlanthi fear Maran Gor worshippers for their violent nature threatens every stability, even those of the Storm Tribes.

Her worshippers pray constantly for demonstrations of Maran Gor’s power and, when earthquakes strike the land, great, violent rituals accompany the shakes of the earth. All worshippers of Maran Gor are prone to vengeance, violent fits of rage and irrational loathing of all that stands with permanence. Chasms created by her quakes are considered shrines and the only standing structure Maran Gor cultists can abide is the Shaker Temple of Dragon Pass where Sorana Tor, the Cloven Princess, is her avatar. Sorana Tor can predict earthquakes and send disciples of the cult to where they will take place so that the propitiation ceremonies can be held. Enemies of the cult are ritually flung into the great rents of the earth, accompanied by unholy cries from the faithful as they are swallowed and then crushed by the vast movements of the earth.

Dinosaurs – earth shakers – are sacred beasts of Maran Gor, which places the cult at odds with the EWF. All Dragonspeakers and Dragonewts are considered cult enemies.

Organisation

The cult has a very small following owing to its violent nature. Shrines are founded around earthquake sites and are characterised as ornate piles of rubble marking the epicentre of the quake. The Shaker Temple in Dragon Pass is a massive slab of obsidian, risen from the ground and then angled so that it forms the shape of the Disorder Rune. Sorana Tor lives within its shadow, ear pressed to the ground, listening for earthquake signs. When she senses a quake approaches she shrieks into the ground and all cultists of Acolyte rank and above hear her call and are directed to where the earthquake will strike. At this time they are expected to find and capture enemies of the goddess who will be cast into the movements of the earth and dedicated to Maran Gor as vengeance for all who injured her in times past.

Maran Gor’s Holy Day is Clay Day, Disorder Week, Sea Season.

Membership Standard.

The sole Rune Priestess of the cult is Sorana Tor but she creates many Rune Lords (Shakers) to rally the rest of the cultists to propitiate the goddess.

The bulk of the cult consists of women but men may initiate if they become eunuchs.

Common Magic

Befuddle, Bladesharp, Bludgeon, Demoralise, Heal, Strength, Vigour.

Higher Magic Standard.

Maran Gor also offers Blast Earth, Create Fissure, Command Dinosaur, Dismiss Elemental (Gnome), Earthblood, Elemental Summoning (Gnome), Shake Earth.

Blast Earth

Instant, Rank Acolyte, Ranged

This spell affects an area of radius equal to the spell’s Magnitude. No plants or flowers can grow within the blasted area for a number of years equal to the caster’s Dedicated POW.

Create Fissure

Instant, Rank Acolyte, Ranged

The spell creates a chasm a number of metres wide and deep equal to the spell’s Magnitude. If the spell is used to undermine a building then the structure suffers 1D4 damage per point of Magnitude. If cast to engulf a target an Evade roll is permitted to roll clear of the earth’s opening.

Earthblood

Instant, Rank Rune Lord/Priest, Ranged

This spell takes a day to cast and affects 100 square metres, per point of Magnitude, ploughed by a team of oxen. Until the next harvest every death on this land that results in spilled blood produces enough crops to feed an additional family. Deaths may come from sacrificed animals but must be of at least a pig in size.

Shake Earth

Duration 15, Rank Rune Lord/Priest, Ranged

The spell affects an area of land in square metres equal to the spell’s Magnitude. All within the affected land suffer a –5% penalty to DEX related skills for every point of Magnitude in the spell. Additionally, anyone standing must make a successful Acrobatics or Athletics test to remain upright. Fallen Adventurers must succeed in a similar roll to regain their footing. Once successfully made, Adventurers remain upright but DEX-based skills remain affected for the spell’s Duration.

Gifts and Compulsions

All Maran Gor cultists are subject to violent rages and delights when destruction occurs. The intensity of the rage increases with the strength of the Pact skill.

All male Initiates must be castrated at the Shaker Temple – an act Sorana Tor commits with her bare hands.

Cult Skills

All Axe and Hammer Combat Styles, Athletics, Dance, Influence, Lore (Maran Gor), Survival.

Allied Cults

Babeester Gor provides Great Parry.

Ty Kora Tek provides Bless Grave.