Cults of Glorantha

Vinga

The only female amongst the Orlanthi Thunder Brothers, Vinga is the daughter of Orlanth and Ernalda. She is a warrior goddess; as potent a fighter as any male god and as wild and resolute as her father whilst retaining her mother’s feminine traits.

Vinga was, when young, good natured and homely. But with the coming of the Great Darkness she, like so many others, faced a choice: hide, flee or fight. She chose to fight and in so doing demonstrated that she was the equal of any man.

Runes Air, Motion.

Mythos and History

Vinga’s Mile Throw Javelin (Resonance 85%) – In Every Woman the Storm: Her father had departed on his quest to Hell and her mother was forced into hiding. Vinga was alone, save for the company of Mahome, the Hearth Mother of the Storm Tribe. A great cold was sweeping through the Dice Average 1D20 Hit Location AP/HP

STR 2D6+6 13 1–3 Right Leg 4/7

CON 1D6+12 16 4–6 Left Leg 4/7

SIZ 1D6+12 16 7–9 Abdomen 4/8

INT 2D6 7 10–12 Chest 4/9

POW 3D6 11 (5) 13–15 Right Arm 4/6

DEX 3D6 11 16–18 Left Arm 4/6

CHA 1D6 4 19–20 Head 4/7

Combat Actions 2 Typical Armour: Swirling ice and snow, 4 AP, no Armour Penalty

Damage Modifier +1D2

Magic Points 6 Traits: Life Sense

Movement 10m

Strike Rank +9 Skills: Athletics 30%, Evade 40%, Perception 45%, Persistence 50%, Resilience 75%, Stealth 15%, Survival 90%, Tracking 40%

Common Magic 65%: Demoralise, Dispel Magic, Extinguish, Frostbite, Mobility, Strength

Divine Magic (Pact, Valind 70%; Lore Valind 60%, 5 Dedicated POW): Call Winds, Fear

Weapons

Type SIZ Reach Damage AP/HP Range

Claws S S 1D4+1D2 As for Arm

Ice Daggers M L 1D8+1+1D2 4/5 10m

Combat Styles

Claws 50%, Ice Daggers 60%

land, driven by vengeful Valind who blamed everyone for his father’s death. He sought out Mahome, a source of warmth, and decided to bring Death to her. Mahome was unable to move, such was the cold that Valind sent south, and Vinga shrouded Mahome in her cloak and stoked fires all around the stead. This did not stop Valind coming.

Vinga ran to the top of Kero Fin, her grandmother, and watched Valind’s approach. Snow came before him and then ice demons came behind that. Riding his ice lizard, Valind was there, in the distance, a tiny speck many miles away but terrible to behold.

Vinga had her javelins with her. From Kero Fin’s peak she could see but not be seen. The Ice Demons circled the stead and brought eternal winter, freezing the ground solid. Valind approached then, dismounting his ice-beast and stalking Mahome through the huts. Vinga, a mile away, readied her first javelin and threw it, striking Valind’s foot and rooting him to the spot. Her second javelin was thrown when the Ice Demons tried to help their master: the single javelin passed through a dozen of the creatures and pinned them to the wall of the Great Hall.

Her third javelin she directed at the ice lizard and struck it through the eye. It died with a roar and Valind cried out for his loss. Vinga leapt from Kero Fin and pressed her knife to the ice god’s throat, her heart beating wildly and her hair like a mane of crimson against the jet-black sky. ‘What monster hurts me?’ Valind cried, unable to turn. ‘Who has killed my children?’

‘A child,’ Vinga replied through gritted teeth. ‘See how this child’s toy pricks your throat.’ And she cut Valind’s neck from ear-to-ear. Valind spoke through the gap.

‘This is no child! This is a warrior of cunning and skill.’ ‘See how this child’s toy punishes those who dare assail Great Orlanth’s hall!’ Vinga whispered and twisted her javelin into Valind’s foot so that the toes separated into icicles and snapped. ‘This is no child! This is a warrior of iron and hot blood!’ Valind cried. And Vinga released him and he saw that she was a child, red of hair, fair of face, blue of eye. He saw also that he had been bested by a woman and his Ice Demons killed by javelins thrown from a mile away. ‘Your father shall hear of this,’ Valind grumbled.

‘I know, for I shall tell him,’ Vinga said. ‘Leave our lands and know that Vinga, Daughter of Orlanth, protects this hearth. Return and I shall finish what my toys have started.’

Nature

Vinga’s cult is for those women who want to take-up arms and follow in the footsteps of their brothers and fathers. It is a cult for warrior-women who care little for the hearth, save to protect it, and seek instead battle, valour and adventure. The cult is found wherever Orlanth is found but its greatest numbers are in Esrolia, Kerofinela, Hendrikiland and certain parts of Ralios.

Hers is a protective cult. Vingans are expected to protect the hearth, home, weak, infirmed and the young. As a womenonly cult, the needs of women are placed first but no Vingan ever ignores her clan or tribe and, when battle looms, they take their places next to the Orlanth Thunderous and Adventurous warriors.

It is usually a sign that any red-haired girl born to an Orlanthi family is marked by Vinga and destined for her cult. Those who do not have red hair often dye it so with the roots and leaves of certain plants. Some Orlanthi men mock and make fun of the cult but its legacy is as enduring as that of any male warrior cult and the women of Vinga earn their reputations as fierce, determined warriors capable with the traditional Orlanthi weapons of spear, shield, sword and javelin.

Organisation

The male cults of Orlanth ensure that Vinga does not achieve too much direct power. A Rune Lord of Vinga might sit on the Clan Ring but the decisions are made by the men. This is accepted as Vinga was ever a dutiful daughter who understood her place but knew also her capabilities. Vingans do not express their emotions when slighted but make up for it on the battlefield when their prowess speaks for them.

The cult’s High Holy Day is Wild Day, Fire Week, Storm Season. On this day the members of the cult meet at the Vingan temple (modelled on temples to Orlanth and often painted red and green) to worship their goddess, perform her rituals and stage mock fights that the males sometimes watch and mock, though usually in good spirit.

Membership Standard.

Only women may join Vinga. Red haired women gain automatic Initiate status. The cult has no Lay Members. Rune Lords of Vinga are known as Loyal Daughters and are expected to have skill with the javelin or thrown spear at 90% minimum.

Common Magic

Bladesharp, Cover of Night, Mobility, Pierce, Shield, Speedart.

Higher Magic Standard.

Vinga also provides Elemental Summoning (Sylph), Hurl Javelin, Lightning Strike and Pathfinder.

Hurl Javelin

Duration 1 Round, Rank Initiate

This spell only affects javelins. Each point of Magnitude increases its range by a further 30 metres and the thrower gains a damage bonus equal to the spell’s Magnitude. The spell is not compatible with other magical enhancements, whether Common or Divine.

Pathfinder

Duration Special, Rank Initiate

The spell only works when the caster is in completely unfamiliar territory. When cast it ensures that the caster will never be lost and will be made immediately aware of all enemies, traps and hazards within a number of metres equal to the spell’s Magnitude x100.

Gifts and Compulsions

None.

Cult Skills

Athletics, Evade, Influence, Lore (Vinga), Perception, Stealth, Spear, Shield and Javelin Combat Styles.

Allied Cults

Babeester Gor provides Great Parry.

Chalana Arroy provides Heal Body.

Mastakos provides Teleportation.

Orlanth Adventurous provides Flight and Wind Words.

Orlanth Thunderous provides Cloud Call.