[Glorantha] Cult distribution

[Jeff Richard]

Simon writes:
>I've always assumed that Erantha Gor was one of the Scary Earth Goddesses,
>worshipped at the Kero Fin temples and alongside Maran Gor in a few places,
>but not really worshipped everywhere.

That's how I view the "Gors" (Maran, Erantha and Babeester).  I figure
Maran is most likely to have initiates, but even she isn't one of the
14 minor ways.

>Babeester Gor is my Earth Guardian of choice, although Vinga should perform
>some guardian duties. Certainly between the two, there's no need for any more
>scary worshippers.

Actually, I don't think Vinga performs many ritual guardian duties in
Sartar.  In Holay and Saird, I think she is the main guardian of the
Earth.  But most Ernalda "temples" other than those performed at
places like Greenstone, Clearwine, Nine Moss and Vorda Hill, probably
don't have any special ritual guardians - any more than most Orlanth
ceremonies don't have Humakti standing guard outside.

>> Even if we assume clan temples catering to congregations of five
>> to six hundred that's a couple of dozen assuming they are required
>> purely for ritual purposes, with more at Clearwine.
>As a rule of thumb, I normally have one tenth of any temple as being members
>of sub-cults/associated cults having particular duties. So, a temple of 5-600
>would have 50-60 strange worshippers, of which some could be Temple Guards,
>some blood-soaked priestesses or whatever.

I have a much lower number than that.....:)

>The Erantha Gor major temple would probably be where she pops up in KoS, the
>place where Grandfather Mortal died. If you had any serious cult business,
>that's where you'd go. It's probably got something to do with the Feathered
>Horse Queens and the Sovereignty of Dragon Pass as well, in my opinion.

I think that's right.  It is probably in Kerofini lands.

>> I'm surprised at one in ten becoming devotees, certainly in the
>> main subcults. I'd have put it at nearer one in a hundred, that
>> level of commitment is unusual and there are plenty of reasons,
>> even for those inclinded that way, not to do so.
>Well, in old money, 1 in 10 would have been associate priests/acolytes and 1
>in 100 would have been Rune Lords or Rune Priests. Since Devotee is
>effectively an acolyte/rune priest and Disciples seem to be Super-Rune-Lords,
>then it could be right. I'd prefer 1 in 20 for Deotees.

Probably differs from cult to cult.  1 in 10 seems to work for me
amongst the Orlanthi.  Other cultures might be 1 in 100 or even less.

Jeff