Words from the Creator: Storm Bull

This page quotes stuff from Greg. I have edited them for grammar, typos, and arrangement to try to make his words more comprehensible.

Storm Bull

This is proven

[The section heading is mine, not Greg's. CLL]

A great being exists who saved the world from chaos when he killed Wakboth, greatest of all the chaos entities.

His worship is different from the standards, as is common with deities that have the Disorder Rune.

He is worshipped in both Orlanthi theistic religion with sacrifice and in the Praxian Tradition with ecstatic shamanism. In ceremonies among the Orlanthi he is called Urox, while the Praxians call him Storm Bull, or "Oo Ar" in Praxian (his actual name is a bellowing sound.) In ordinary conversation and storytelling either term is commonly used, depending on the narrative rather than being restricted due to the magical requirements of worship. (In fact, in normal narrative a variety of epithets are regularly used, such as Lon One, Gritty One, Blasting Wind and so on. For simplicity Hero Wars usage is intentionally limited for clarity.)

Worshippers are often dedicated to one of these methods, either theistic or shamanic. To reach their god's holy place in worship each uses their own methods, so that the theists sacrifice cattle and burn a portion, while the shamanic practitioners drink fermented bull piss and dance to the beat of clacking bones.

Although these methods differ, they both take the worshippers to the same sacred place of their god: the Eternal Battle. It is the landmark for the berserker shamans in the Spirit Plane, and it is the inner temple for the berserkers on the God World. The Eternal Battle is at the End of the World, a moment when normal reality was broken up because chaos was so preponderant in the make up of Glorantha. Its nature was predominant then, and it still is in the Eternal Battle.

Both methods of worship take worshippers there, and it is no surprise that a method of common worship exists for when members of both religions are together. The worshippers themselves do not participate in each others' religious worship, so no Uroxi drink the Bull's Broth and no Storm Bull dancers munch raw flesh. But when their Otherworld appears around them they are together at the Eternal Battle.

The Eternal Battle

[The section heading is mine, not Greg's. CLL]

The Eternal Battle which appears is a terrible place. It is nearly always a raging sand storm, often a hurricane though sometimes eerily calm. The sand is often replaced by lead pellets, copper dust, acid rain, blood or metallic insects that easily penetrate skin when they strike. Enemies are usually close about, usually a chaotic band whose characteristics are unpredictable, but whose hostility is assured.

Entry ceremonies give the worshippers a tremendous bonus against this band and bloody combat is usually quickly settled with the foes scattering into the horrendous storm. To pursue en masse is impossible, to go alone after them is suicide, and all the training of these warriors is to stay together when chaos is around.

Once "safely" entered into the Eternal Battle the worshippers may pass on to other places, as is usual. If the site is within the Eternal Battle then a mixed group can travel to it together, each using their Feats and Spirits as if they were in their home world. Neither group gets the Alien World Modifier.

Some places within the Eternal Battle that are known are Doomstone, where the broos army fought; Drownstone, where the blood gorps assembled; and Derensdoom where Deren opened the way towards Wakboth with his self sacrifice. All of those places are the start of a great heroquest which can give the successful berserker a great power if they survive. Ghost Site is where shamans often go to collect a number of small spirits to their command. Gore Altar is where theists can go to get another X* Feat, which is normally usable only one.

The gratest heroquest place is the Last Briefing, from whence worshippers must go with their leader to fight against Wakboth and his minions. Urox is there and dispenses many spirits and feats to his loyal worshippers, and more importantly, his Secret.

The Secret is called One Bull Secret and persons who qualify for it and accomplish the subsequent Heroquest are afterwards able to get either feats or spirits, whichever was previously foreign to them. And they do not have an Alien World modifier when they do so in either the God or Spirit worlds.

Some worshippers choose to participate in both methods of worship. They are called the Fulls Bulls. They get feats and spirits both. Such people have some great advantages in their everyday life as a result, and are especially noted for their dedication against chaos. However, there is a cost. Fulls bulls are Aliens in both the Spirit and God Worlds (though not the Eternal Battle.) Also, no Full Bull can ever learn the One Bull Secret. No one who becomes a Full Bull expects to get old enough to learn the Secret, however, so that point is often just shrugged off.

As usual, worshippers can travel from their deity or great spirit's own "house" to other regions of their particular world. The Eternal Battle has exits to sacred sites in both the God and Spirit Worlds. One goes to Urox's Corral at Orlanth's Stead in the Storm Realm, where barrels of beer are regularly rolled down to the revelling worshippers there. Another goes to the Bulldry, the relaxed camp of Storm Bull, where fermented milk lulls the berserkers into torpid pleasure, from whence they can enter into the Wide Plains of the Waha Tradition.

The Block

The Block is the site of Storm Bull's greatest victory. It is a Power Spot that leads to the Outskirts of the Eternal Battle. The barrier between the worlds is especially thin here, usually about 10w, though proximity of the Eternal Battle itself can thin the veil even further. The Storm Bulls and Uroxi that guard the Block are not only keeping people from stealing Truestone or releasing the Devil, they are also on guard against eruptions of the undead from the Battle and keeping enemies from disrupting Strom Bull/Urox.

STORM BULL CULT

A Praxian Tradition

The Storm Bull is the primary anti-chaos defender of the Praxian wastes. He manifests as a whirlwind filled with stinging, scouring sand. He is worshipped by warriors who have a strong desire to fight chaos. He provides several types of spirits for integration. Storm Bull worshippers usually have the Spirit Combat ability.

In the Time before Darkness Stormbull and his sons loved the daughters of Genert, and he was given the hand of Eiritha the Herd Mother in marriage. Together they produced many more offspring, including the hero Waha. When the Darkness was still young, Storm Bull fought and defeated the Lord of the Low Fires, dimming the world even more.

As the Darkness grew, Fear and Death stalked the land. Storm Bull was always foremost in battle, though his indiscriminate killing injured friends as well as enemies, such as when he killed the Growing Wind.

Creatures from Outside entered Genert's Garden, and Storm Bull fought and defeated them as well, until he fought Wakboth the Devil, a vast and evil chaos thing. Storm Bull was fought to a standstill at first, but was finally thrown down in defeat. As his body touched the earth, Eiritha, who was hidden underground, gave her husband the greater part of her strength. He inhaled mightily and brought the Block, a tumbling piece of the spike, out of the sky and smashing onto the devil. Such was Wakboth that it was not completely destroyed, even in death, but it was trapped for all eternity by the Block.

Social Role: Followers of Storm Bull are necessary to survival in the Wastes. The Stormbull spirit tradition is normally followed separately from that of Waha. Follower of the Storm Bull are considered to be exceptional holy people with special powers to meet special responsibilities, and hence special privilages. Initiates and devotees are exempt from many taboos, and especially from the feud, so that anyone slain by a Storm Bull may not be pursued for revenge by the murdered person's family.

Prevalence: Storm Bull followers can be found in any Praxian tribe, generally forming their own "clan" or hero band. Storm Bull bands may accept members of different tribes, though many bands are single-tribe.

Mythic Role: Storm Bull is the raging desert windstorm that scours chaos from the land.

Living Standard: Prosperous

Equipment: Excellent tribal weapons, armor, and riding animals; gifts for his band.

Berserker Shaman

You are a shaman of the Storm Bull Tradition. You command the spirits of the tradition, and fight those of chaos.

Entry requirements: Must have a Fetch to awaken, must not be tainted with chaos.

Physical Skills: Draw with sand

Mental Skills: Shamanic Escape, Spirit Combat, Spirit Sight, Spiritworld Travel.

Personality: Hate Chaos, Crazed.

Relationship: To leader, to tradition. Shamans may only marry or take concubines from followers of other Praxian Traditions.

Magic: Storm Bull tradition.

Living Standard: Prosperous

Equipment: tribal weapons, armor and riding animals, bag of drawing sand, ritual equipment

Bullman

You are a berserk follower of the Storm Bull tradition. You owe obedience to your Storm Khan, and must fight chaos whenever you encounter it.

Entry Requirements: Entrants may not be tainted with chaos. They must be armed with magic or weapons and swear to follow the Storm Khan who accepted them.

Physical Skills:

Mental Skills: Intimidate non-Bullmen

Personality: Quick to Anger.

Relationship: To leader, to band.

Magic: Storm Bull tradition. Bullmen are taught Spirit Combat may integrate spirits. A hero may start with fetches and/or integrated spirits as noted on Hero Wars page 213

Living Standard: Common

Equipment: Tribal weapons, armor, and riding animals.

Storm Khan (Advanced Occupation)

You are the Sacred Leader of a Storm Bull band. You owe obedience only to the Storm Bull. You lead raids against major chaos infestations.

Entry Requirements: Entrants may not be tainted with chaos. They must have at least 10w in two or more of the following skills: Spirit Combat, Close Combat, Hate Chaos. They must have led raids against chaos. Physical Skills: Two combat tricks (such as Smash Shield, Great Blow or Throw Sand)

Mental Skills: Intimidate Bull-men

Personality: Hate Chaos, Single-minded, Bully

Relationship: To band. Storm Khans may only marry Eiritha ?priestesses? and may not have concubines.

Magic: Storm Bull tradition. Storm Khans often have many integrated spirits. They may hunt for and integrate the Eiritha's Love spirit. On the cult heroquest.

Storm Bull Tradition

Entry Requirements: desire to fight chaos

Physical Skills: Ignore Hurt, Craft Fetish

Mental Skills: Storm Bull mythos, Spirit combat

Traditional Spirits: Anti-chaos spirits (typical spirits are Hate Chaos Passion spirits, Sense Chaos, Resist Horror) Desert Wind Spirits (typical spirits include Sandstorm, Hot Wind, Pushing Wind) Spirits of Prax (see the spirits of Prax from Nomad gods until we get these written up)

Special Spirits: Block pain, Bull's strength, Chaos Sniffers, Rage Spirit

Allies: Parts of the Bull, Eiritha's Love

Fetch: Small whirlwind

Fetishes: Bullsmen make their fetishes out of bags and bladders filled with air and sand.

Secret: A Storm Khan may learn Affinities and Feats of Urox (See thunder rebels) as if he were a Devotee of Urox. To do this, he must travel to Storm Bull's war-camp in the Eternal Battle and attend the Final Meeting, where Storm Bull gives out magic to his followers.

Worshippers: Fanatic anti-chaos berserkers

Other side: The Storm Bull maintains a war camp in the Eternal Battle.

Other Connections: Bullsmen sometimes cooperate with other chaos fighters like Uroxi and trollish Zorak Zorani. Storm Bull is the father of most of the Praxian tribes, and can call on Eiritha, his wife, and Waha, his son, to aid him. He may interact with Spirits from these two traditions with a -5 penalty.

Disadvantages: Bullsmen are usually considered psychopathic killers by normal Praxians.

Special Spirits

Block Pain
Might 10-15w
Block pain spirits are never integrated, only cast into fetishes. They allow the hero to fight below 0 APs, until Injured, with no penalty. Once the hero is Injured, the spirit flees back to the Spirit Plane. The hero collapses and is out of the fight at that point.

Bull's Strength
Might: 16-15w
Bull's strength spirits are never integrated, only captured in fetishes. They increase the bullsman's strength by the might of the spirit. This allows the bullsman to perform incredible feats of strength, but only for a short time. Once used the spirit returns to the spirit world and must be recaptured

Chaos Sniffer
Might: 15 to 10w
Sniffers are integrated to gain the Sense Chaos ability. The particular way the ability manifests depends on the interaction of the sniffer and the host - some bullsmen smell chaos as a fetid odor, some have the hairs on the back of the neck raise, some hear a keening sound, etc.

Rage
Might 10-20w
Rage spirits are integrated to gain the Berserker combat ability. This ability allows the hero to use the Berserker combat options as noted on Hero Wars page 43, and can be used to augment Strength, any combat ability, or to resist pain.

Parts of the Bull

The parts of the Bull are special spirits available only to Storm Shamans. Each one is a special case of integration, as the spirit will depart after one season. Only one Part of the Bull may be owned at any time. Gaining a Part of the Bull requires that the Storm Shaman attend the Last Meeting in Storm Bull's war camp. The Parts of the Bull do not require a roll for Integration, as they are direct gifts from the Storm Bull himself.

The Bull's Head
Might 10w2
Spirit Combat 15w2
This spirit looks like a bipedal bull. It can attack any spirit that attacks its owner, acting like a Follower in Spirit Combat.

The Bull's Heart
Might 10w
Strength 5w
This spirit grants the user the bravery of the Bull. It grants the Strength ability, or adds to it if the user already has a similar ability.

The Bull's Hide
Might 10w
Armor ^7
This spirit can be invoked to provide the protection of the Storm Bull's magical hide.

The Bull's Feet
Might 10w
Travel Swiftly 5w
This spirit can be invoked once per day to speed the user on his way.

The Bull's Hooves
Might 10w
Smashing Blow ^7
This spirit can be called into the user's weapons, where it delivers the kick of Storm Bull.

Spirit Allies

These are powers that may be gained through heroquests.

Eiritha's Love
Might 10
These spirits are available only to Storm Shamans and Storm Khans. Gaining Eiritha's Love requires special rituals and preparation. The requester must be married to an Eiritha ?priestess? and she must accompany him to the Other Side. They must both approach the Earth Mother in the guise of their respective great Spirits and be given her blessing for their exchange of vows. The Storm Bull must pledge his life to protecting Eiritha, and in return she gifts him with the spirit, which is automatically integrated by Storm Bull. Once integrated, Eiritha's Love is activated immediately upon the owner being defeated in combat, even if he would not normally be eligible for a Final Action. The Spirit immediately brings the user back on his feet with 10 AP. Once used, the spirit must be refreshed with appropriate rituals (this may take place between episodes, like filling a fetish).

One Ear
Might 15w2
This spirit will attack any follower of Storm Bull who leaves the cult or threatens it in any way. It will attack any integrated spirits from the Storm Bull tradition, driving them away from the malefactor if he wins. Even if he is defeated, the spirits will become one-use and then depart.

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