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Malkionism as a “Cult”

Posted on July 20, 2022

In thinking about Malkionism for game purposes, we should probably start by thinking about what that means in terms of Malkionism as a “cult”. So what goes on in worship of the Invisible God, who leads it, etc.

Most Malkioni sects posit a “priestly” caste, often hereditary or selected from promising youth and trained in the use of sorcery. These “priests” are usually initiates of the Invisible God, and nothing else. Among their many duties, they also oversee worship of the Invisible God.

Magic points are offered to the Invisible God, and the worshipers gain satisfaction knowing that their sacrifice was accepted. Some sects have techniques by which the “priests” can use some of the magic points – by storing them in the Otherworld, using them to cast blessings (sorcery spells), and so on.

As for what magic the rest of the community gets, it doesn’t come from the Invisible God. Some sects (Rokarism and Hrestolism) allow non-priestly members to belong to priestly approved Rune or spirit cults, usually appropriate for their occupation or caste. Other sects (such as the Stygian Heresy) don’t care what non-priestly members do, as long as they regularly show up for worship (and do not worship actively Chaotic entities, such as the Lords of Terror). In general, most sects hold that such magic is inferior to the “priestly” sorcery.

We tend to imagine this through the Brithini lens, but this can be quite varied. For for example, in the city-state of Tortun, the ruler is the High Princess of Low Delight, and the “state religion” is a Stygian Heresy (mostly subscribing to the Proven Appearance of Arkat). The city-state pays for hereditary priests who perform ceremonies to the Invisible God, cast spells for the benefit of the High Princess, and otherwise do what they think is appropriate.

Meanwhile the full citizenry participates in these ceremonies, but then goes on to worship individual gods for their personal spiritual advancement. Ernalda, Lightbringers, Humakt, Argan Argar, Safelstra, Ralia, whatever.

And there are those non-citizens (who may have lived in Tortun for generations) that do not participate in the local Stygian Heresy rites, but worship according to the Rokari rites, or even worship gods without acknowledging the Invisible God. That probably comes out to over 40% of the population!

 I’m using “priestly caste” in my notes. But I think in Seshnegi the words is “zzaburi”, just as the Hebrew word for priest refers to the old kohanim priesthood. I do like using “zzaburi” better than “wizard”.

And since Rokarism is a self-conscious effort to return to the roots of pre-Hrestoli Malkionism , I am pretty sure the term used is “zzaburi”.

Now admittedly, in Arolanit and Sog City we can find powerful representatives of the Brithini way, some of which have been alive for many centuries. But they view you as a degenerate and cheap imitation of what they do.

Now many Malkioni castes call this “priestly” caste “zzaburi” after the Brithini, and I generally follow that nomenclature, but we might have plenty of other terms for them.

Note that The Invisible God provides NO Rune magic.

These ceremonies might often be analogous to the priestly Śrauta rituals and ceremonies in Vedic Hinduism. Big, expensive, and follow ancient texts from the God Time. The rulers sponsor these, and the zzaburi perform them, and cast big spells using the magic points available to them.

Afterwards the rest of the population practice whatever folk religion is of use to them.

So the way Malkioni worship the Invisible God does bring them into the God Plane? Every worship ceremony opens the path to the God Time, Spirit World, whatever. Every worship ceremony is at least an antechamber to the Hero Plane.

What do Malkioni spend their POW on? Just one point to the Invisible God to make the connection. After that it is to whatever lesser cult that is permitted by that sect.

Do they have wyters? Do you mean do some serve as big guardian spirits or spirits of places, yes of course. Don’t let words like “wyter” distract you.

Jeff Richard

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