Orlanth Victorious is the title of Orlanth as he heads off on the Lightbringers Quest (eg Hill of Orlanth Victorious in Sartar). It can be thought of as the “fully integrated Orlanth” – Adventurous+Thunderous+Rex. Invoking him has dangers, as you are opening the door on the Lightbringers Quest and summoning enemies and opponents (as well as allies and friends).
Given how small Argrath’s cult was in 1619-1621 (maybe no more than 75-100 people and spirits), we can assume that every time Orlanth Victorious was invoked, they had to overcome adversaries at great risk. And we can imagine what sort of things might show up in the Rubble – dark trolls, broos, God Learner spirits, you name it.
The Orlanth Victorious cult would have been a very small group circa 1619. Garrath Sharpsword, Jarang Bladesong, and a handful of others. I am not sure Krogar Wolfhelm joined until significantly later, although he and Garrath Sharpsword are the magnifriends. The High Priest of Orlanth Adventurous in New Pavis, Faltikus the Good, is not a member and kept in the dark concerning the cult and its activities. The other Orlanth priests, Frekor Firmfarer, Govoran the Magnificent, and Farangar Horseteeth, are not members, but on friendly terms with Garrath Sharpsword.
Finally, there is another exiled priest of Orlanth in the Rubble, Orvost Tintalker, who is the son of the former High Priest of Orlanth for New Pavis at the time of the Lunar Invasion. He claims to be High Priest-in-Exile and has much of the old temple regalia. He has been in the Rubble for nearly a dozen years, like some old Ben Kenobi figure.
So I imagine the initial invocation of Orlanth Victorious was a perilous thing, no doubt opposed by trolls, broos, and others within the Rubble. Garrath and his students succeeded in defending their shrine and a magical path was opened.
With this you can see how things start tying together. Add into this Argrath’s small (but growing) White Bull spirit society – which at this point includes folk like Yazkurkial Blue Llama, Narmeed Whirlvishbane, Orgwaha Eight-Horns, Kharzdazial Blackwind, Zamalanth Blue Llama, N’Krun, Varata the Seer, and Roneer the Hue. Most of its members belong to the Bison, High Llamas (especially the Blue Llamas), and Pol-Joni tribes around 1621.
Odd title given his situation at the beginning of the LBQ? The names of these things are of course given by Mortals in Time. All of us mortals in Time know that Orlanth was victorious in the Lightbringers Quest. Thus where he sets off is the Hill of Victory.
What unique or additional magic(s) does Orlanth Victorious have that other aspects of Orlanth lacks? Not every title is a subcult!
Was Kallyr involved or linked to Orlanth Victorious? She set off from the Hill of Orlanth Victorious, but took basically the complete opposite approach from Argrath and his cult towards the Lightbringers Quest. Kallyr was clearly a master at this mitigated heroquests. Summon the holy realm, enter into it, but have stand-ins for the weird and dangerous parts. Her heroquests were more like what you might see in the King of Dragon Pass game.
Argrath on the other hand gathered just enough people to enter the holy realm and then scrambled around it, creating his own path. His heroquests were more like what you read about in the Redline History, or the stories of Arkat and Harmast.
So Starbrow was not a member of Orlanth Victorious, during her brief reign in the official timeline? No, she has her own group around her, more focused on her connections and pathways to the Celestial Realm. So Kallyr’s particular focus has always been on the Celestial Realm. Kallyr has heroquested to gain powers directly from Pole Star and her star can lead her (or her soul) to the Pole Star at any time. Her approach to Lightbringers is an interesting parallel to that of Tatius the Bright and the consecration of the Lunar Temple.
The cult of Orlanth Victorious is Argrath’s little band of Orlanthi out in Prax and the Big Rubble. They don’t have a whole lot of overlap with Kallyr Starbrow (Argrath was exiled from Sartar before Kallyr’s rise and a slave of the Bison Tribe in the Wastelands during Starbrow’s Rebellion. And I am not sure if Kallyr was even present at the Battle of Pennel Ford, except maybe as a companion of King Broyan).
Starbrow’s own cult was oriented towards the the celestial realm, with a focus on Orlanth’s Ring and its predictable path through the constellation.
The Hill of Victorious is not the same thing as Cult of Orlanth Victorious
