THE CULT
OF ELOVARE HARPER
I. Mythos and History
A. Before Time.
Among those who studied under Harana Ilor was Elovare Harp-
er. Elovare manifested Harmony in performance arts. He followed
Dayzatar when he visited the Kingdom of Splendor and stayed there
when Dayzatar moved on. He was often seen in the company of a
Phoenix Eagle.
When Yelm rose to be Emperor, Elovare traveled to Dragon
Pass and the court of Umath. When Orlanth became King, Elovare
moved on to Ralios and then Prax where he associated with Tada
the Golden for a time.
During the Lesser Dark he comforted many. When the Great
Dark came he spent a time with Ginna Jar but moved on before that
being met with the Lightbringers.
After their quest began he followed after, recording the
passage of the gods from a distance. Finally, Elovare Harper
overcame his unwillingness to act and joined in the acts that led
to the great compromise. Since then he has taken action in
addition to recording the chronicles of others.
B. Since Time.
Since time there have been two major divisions in how Per-
formers have used the abilities taught them by the cult. The
first has chosen to harp for rulers. The second has chosen to
explore and adventure.
C. Life After Death.
Elovare Harper is, among other things, a psychopomp who
knows the ways of the dead. Cult members are assured the chance
to travel and to harp in distant venues, seeing the greatest
sights after death. Many cult heroes serve as performers in the
courts of other gods.
D. Runic Associations.
Elovare Harper is associated with the runes Harmony and
Magic. While he was also associated, at one time or another,
with those close to the runes Storm (Air), Fire, Law and Truth,
he does not have a claim on any of these runes or their associat-
ed gods.
II. Nature of the Cult
A. Reason For Continued Existence.
The cult provides performers and musicians. It provides an
alternative to the written word for remembering the deeds of
heroes, founders and the like and unifies communities through
performing arts, allowing them to forget the mundane world for a
season.
B. Social/Political Position and Power.
The cult is a wide spread minor cult. Wherever Performers
entertain others, the cult is strengthened.
C. Particular Likes and Dislikes.
Bolongo and the forces of disorder, squalor and neglect are
disliked by Elovare Performer. Chalana Arroy is respected (cult
members never cheat or steal from those tied to Chalana Arroy and
always give fair value or more in any transaction).
III. Organization
A. Inter-Cult Organization.
Wandering performers pass information to each Lyceum (tem-
ple) or School (shrine) they visit. Otherwise, each Lyceum
(temple) is on its own with no central authority.
B. Intra-Temple Organization.
Large Lyceums tend to be divided into Schools that special-
ize in a particular instrument or performance skill. Smaller
Lyceums and independent Schools tend to be less organized. There
are also wandering performers who will report to various Lyceums
and Schools, but owe loyalty to none. Each follows his or her
own vocation.
C. Center of Power, Holy Places.
The University of Enkloso has the largest Lyceum. The
Pyramid Lyceum in The Holy Country and the Agora Lyceum of Ralios
are the oldest Lyceums and the two places Elovare last visited
before ascending. The Schools at Throne and Starfall (in Sartar)
both boast traditions going back to the Great Dark.
D. Holy Days and High Holy Days.
Wild day of each Harmony Week is a Holy Day of the Cult.
From Wilday to Wilday of the Sacred Time is the High Holy "Day"
of the Cult when cultists celebrate the decision of Elovare
Harpist to participate and act rather than observe and counsel.
IV. Lay Membership
A. Requirements to Join.
Lay Membership is obtained by listening to a Performer
perform and donating a small fee.
B. Requirements to Belong.
Lay Members sacrifice a magic point on Holy Days and prac-
tice an instrument at least two hours a week. In the alterna-
tive, Lay Members may join in supporting a Performer.
C. Mundane Benefits.
Lay Members are able to train with Performers.
D. Skills.
REDUCED COST: Act, Any Instrument (Play), Chant, Dance,
Orate, Sing.
E. Spirit Magic.
Lay Members receive no special magics.
V. Initiate Membership
A. Requirements for Initiation.
Initiation requires one performance skill at 90% and a
Charisma of at least 12. To be initiated one must make a suc-
cessful performance roll followed by a successful opposed Charis-
ma (vs. Intelligence) roll on the examining Performer. If one is
studying with a Performer the opposed Charisma roll may be tried
once a training session.
To attempt Initiation one must be a lay member.
B. Requirements to Remain Initiated.
Initiates must practice at least eight hours a week and must
perform at least once a week. They must also serve under a
Performer at least one week a Month and pass on ten percent of
all income to the Lyceum or School where their initiation is
recorded. For the first year, half of this is accounted for the
Harpist who initiates them.
C. Mundane Benefits.
All Initiates are recognized as masters of their performance
skill and are entitled to wear a symbolic badge for that skill.
All Lay Benefits are available.
D. Skills.
Initiates may learn the skill of General Knowledge, as per
Lankhor Mhy, at the usual cost. They may also train under Chala-
na Arroy at the Lay Member cost.
REDUCED COST: Fast Talk, Language, Lore, Sleight.
Initiates may also train Dexterity and Charisma.
E. Spells.
REDUCED COST: Control, Coordination, Demoralize, Fanati-
cism, Glamour, Mobility, Shimmer.
Initiates may learn the skill of Bargaining at the usual
cost.
INCREASED COST: Disruption.
VI. Performer Membership
A. General Statement.
What would be a Rune Priest or Rune Lord in another cult is
a "Performer" in the Cult of Elovare Harper.
Performers are the core of the Cult. Performing in groups
or individually they spread harmony either by playing for kings
and rulers (counseling concord) or by performing for the masses,
spreading harmonics and melody. They attempt synergy and trans-
formation where appropriate to harmony.
A Performer may chose adventure or the settled life and may
switch between them often as did Elovare.
B. Requirements for Acceptance.
To be a Performer one must have Power of at least 18, a
Charisma of at least 16, one Instrument at 90% and at least one
other performance skill at 90%. A third skill (one of the re-
duced cost skills) must also be at 90%.
The potential performer must have been in good standing with
the cult for at least one year. They must then convince the
examiners at a Lyceum. Convincing the examiners requires the
following:
? CHA*5% roll.
? A performance or skill roll with each of the three
required skills.
? One trait roll (trait*5%). May be on Brave, Enduring,
Loyal, Optimist, or Tolerant (Initiate's choice).
Donations do not increase the chance of convincing the
examiners. Instead, for every 500 lunars donated to the temple
the Initiate may make a second attempt at passing any missed test
with the examiners. It is common to donate at least 2,000 lu-
nars.
One may attempt Performer status on Wilday of Harmony Week,
but only twice a year and only twice at any one Lyceum.
C. Restrictions.
A Performer may not counsel disorder nor use (or keep)
spells of disorder (e.g. disruption). They are also obliged to
aid other Elovare Performer cultists.
A Performer must accommodate an apprentice or an Initiate at
least one season a year and must act in concert with other mem-
bers of the cult for at least one performance if called upon by
cult members in the area. The Performer may demand payment for
such a performance.
D. Benefits.
Performers are able to access song/music magic, a special
form of runic manipulation. They may also gain any one point
divine (rune) magic spells from other cults as if initiates or
priests of other cults if allowed by the relevant hierarchy
(Elovare provides no divine magic directly. Performers are
allowed to make arrangements with those cults open to such prac-
tices.).
Allied Spirits are available and generally will have a lore
skill at Int*4%.
A Performer may recharge rune magic by playing an instrument
one hour for every point recharged. This procedure uses one
magic point and one point of fatigue every hour.
E. Rune Spell Compatibility.
All except those tied to Disorder. Note, the cult provides
no direct access to Rune Spells but rather requires indirect
access through performance magic.
F. Special Rune Use: PERFORMANCE MAGIC
Performers do not sacrifice POW for specific spells. Rath-
er, they bind POW directly to the Harmony Rune and may then
manipulate the Rune for Rune Magic effects.
To cast a divine magic spell, the following is done.
First, the Performer must have learned a song (or similar
performance pattern) that releases or channels the harmony rune
in the form desired. Such songs take up Free INT.
Second, the Performer must make a successful performance
roll using a performance skill.
Third, the Performer must continue the performance (though
without further rolls) for one melee round for each point of
divine magic effect. Continuing the performance in this manner
costs one point of fatigue a round.
Fourth, the magic effect takes place at the end of the last
melee round.
This form of rune magic is slower to cast but more flexible
than usual divine magic.
For example:
Rashath, the Performer.
Skills: Harp 95%; Dance 95%; Act 95%; Orate 90%; Sword 90%.
Points of Power Sacrificed: 15
Intelligence: 12
He knows patterns for Dismiss Magic III (takes up 3 pts of
Free INT), Spirit Block (1 pt), Heal Wound (1 pt), Fear (1 pt)
and Illusory Sound (1 pt). He has 6 pts of Free Int left for
Spirit Magic or Sorcery.
He is in a place where he needs to counter a 3 pt divine
magic spell.
He starts his action by making a successful roll on the
performance skill harp in the first melee round. He then plays
for two more melee rounds (for a total of three). Three points
are marked off those sacrificed/bound to the Harmony Rune as no
longer currently available. At the end of the last melee round
the spell takes effect.
Those three of his sacrificed points of power will be unus-
able until attuned again at a temple or shrine or by performing
for an hour each point. His flexibility would allow him to cast
Dismiss Magic a total of five times (until his 15 points of
sacrificed power ran out) but would not allow him to cast the
spell without the three melee round delay.
VI. Subservient Cults
None. Various local heroes may be associated with the cult.
A spirit of reprisal or retribution is unnecessary. Any
Performer whose discordance causes him or her to leave the cult
is severed from the necessary connection with the Harmony rune
and cannot use song magic.
In addition, in the face of such discordance the initiate or
rune level loses their inner harmony and all performance skills
are halved.
VII. Associated or Allied Cults
Elovare Harper is friendly to all cults not linked to Disor-
der. Chief Performers (~Head Priests) will allow any Performer
or Initiate to join a friendly cult.
IX. Miscellaneous
High Priests of Elovare Harper are commonly Illuminated and
may know several riddles.