Solkan Cult__________________________

Description: Lesser God; Gods of Law pantheon; brother of Alluminas (god of heavenly illumination) and brother/consort of Arianka (goddess of law and discipline). Solkan is the angry god of vengeance and retribution. He is most often depicted as a tall, intense and on the edge of fury. Solkan is usually attired either in shiny armor or in black clothing with a wide brim black hat. In either appearance, Solkan is always armed with his flaming sword of vengeance, Flammendrung.

The cult believes that Solkan was the foremost of the Law Gods who allied themselves with the Earth Mother and the Young Gods in the first Gods War against the Chaos powers. The alliance was more one of convenience than of convergent beliefs. It was the Law Gods who advocated total war with the goal of eradication of Chaos, even at the risk of destroying all. When the war ended in stalemate, the Law Gods broke from the alliance. In conjunction with Arianka, Solkan became the most unrelenting foe of Chaos. Sometime later, the complex machinations of Tzeentch, the Changer of the Ways, resulted in the capture and imprisonment of Arianka. Deprived of his sister/consort (and receiving no help from his esoteric brother Alluminas), Solkan intensified (if such was possible) his campaign against Chaos while searching for Arianka. Solkan also became the patron of law and discipline at the time of Arianka's imprisonment.

Some scholars of divine matters believe the Law Gods to be another manifestation of Chaos and point out that worship of the Law Gods did not commence in any form until sometime after the coming of Chaos. Others say that the Gods of Law pursued the Chaos powers into the world to continue their ages old war. Whatever the truth, all scholars of divine matters agree it is safest not to discuss these matters within earshot of any Gods of Law cultists.

Where Worshipped: Solkan is worshipped throughout the Old World. In the past, Solkan was the principle deity of the now-extinct, militant Darian city-state of Solania. Solkan also enjoyed some popularity (which varied with each Emperor) within the Remean Empire. Currently, the followers of Solkan are few compared to those of the Young Gods (though more numerous than Alluminas).

Alignments: Law required. Good is unacceptable for it is too soft and unrealistic concerning the insidiousness of Chaos. Because it is uncaring of and blind to anything beyond the self, Neutral is also unacceptable. Evil and Chaos prohibited –– they are only fit for extermination.

Friends and Enemies: The cults of Sigmar and Ulric, seen as the forefront of the weak Young Gods' struggle against Chaos, are afforded minimal respect. Coolly neutral toward, though somewhat contemptible of, the Earth Mother and Young Gods cults. Barely concealed disdain held for cults of the Elder Races (they failed miserably in the first battles to eradicate Chaos). Open hostility towards the cult of Ranald for their flaunting of authority. Enemies of the Dark Children and Humanoid Daemonic cults as they are sometime allies of Chaos. Sworn enemies of and possessing unbridled hatred toward all Chaos cults (the four powers and the Horned Rat), including the renegade powers (e.g., Malal, Zuvassin).

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, Templars, and Witch Hunters identify themselves with the symbol of the flame. Priests wear black hooded robes trimmed with the colors of fire (reds, oranges, and yellows). Cult tokens are blackened iron with a fire opal embedded into its center and usually represents a cleansing flame. Templars of Solkan may wear the only the symbol of the flame on plate armor, shield, and barding. Except for the shiny plate armor, all other armor is black. In addition to black, wide-brimmed hats, Witch Hunters also wear black clothing and black armor.

Cult Careers Available: Initiate, Priest, Templars ("Knights of the Cleansing Flame"), Witch Hunters ("Jurists")

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Always oppose and, if possible, exterminate Chaos and its minions whenever and wherever they are encountered. Never allow those who are soft and blind to the Chaos threat dissuade one from the primary task. Never allow others' opinions of oneself or Solkan to deter from the primary duty. Always hold inviolate the letter of the law (unless that law is counter to the above principles). The so-called "spirit of the law" concept is employed by those too weak to discipline law-breakers. Always oppose foolish "laws" which make a mockery of the natural order. Examples include edicts which would protect servants of Chaos (mutants, cultists, etc.) and those that grant the lowly classes (thieves, beggars, peasants) the same rights as those of higher breeding (aristocracy). Never allow a wrong to go unanswered.

Afterworld: The spirit of the deceased merges with the divine body of Solkan to strengthen the deity in his unceasing strife with Chaos. At times, Solkan may separate the spirit for specific tasks. Such tasks include strengthening living cultists in the struggle against Chaos, transmitting Solkan's wishes through visions and dreams, and charging cultists to follow up any leads on the imprisoned Arianka (said to be held in a glass coffin somewhere in the world).

Temples and Shrines: Once there were great temples dedicated to Solkan. The two largest were located in Solania (ruins of which are buried beneath the soil in the land of Border Princes) and the Tilean city-state of Remas. These temples were solidly built structures with outer columns surrounding the exterior walls. The columns and walls were austere in design, lacking ornamentation of any sort. The interior of the temples were unfurnished except for an altar and podium upon which stood the Solkan "Book of Laws" (lost in some past disaster). What remains of the temple in Remas is largely ruins with only a small portion still in use. Here, amid uncaring masses (to whom the Chaos threat serves only to frighten wayward children), remains the center of the cult and its hierarchy.

The temples' decline can be traced to increasing intolerance, fear, and distrust of Old Worlders towards the narrow perceptions and rigidness of the Solkanites. In accord with this decline was the rise of the Solkan shrines where cultists meet in small, highly cohesive groups. These shrines are generally located adjacent to homes of a priest, near courtrooms, or housed at a location purchased by cultists. Outwardly, these shrines can not be distinguished from the surrounding buildings. The interiors, however, resemble the old temple interiors with only an altar and podium as furnishings.

Saints and Heroes: The cult of Solkan doesn't recognize any saints or heroes. Those who serve do so for the greater glory of Solkan the Avenger. Any personal vanities, such as reputation, are cast aside to better carry out Solkan's will.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Any who petition to join the cult must be free of Chaos taint and approved by a Priest. There is no automatic acceptance, even for children of cultists.

Requirements for Initiate Status: Granting of Vigilance is commonly acknowledged as a sign of the Calling. Must be sponsored by a Priest.

Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a council of Priests chaired by one of at least second level.

Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by a council of Priests (chaired by one of at least second level) from among suitable laymen.

Requirements for Witch Hunter Status: Selection and approval by a council of Priests (chaired by one of at least second level) from among suitable laymen.

Trials: Trials set by Solkan generally involve confronting and defeating Chaos encroachments. Examples include destroying Chaos shrines, clearing an area of marauding bands of Chaos creatures, and exposing (at great personal risk, naturally) Chaos infiltration at high levels of society.

Blessings: A one-time bonus or automatic success on fear, terror, poison, disease, and other tests made to counter the special attack forms of any servant or creature of Chaos. Or perhaps, a one-time or automatic success with dodge blow, follow trail, sense chaos, sense magic, or shadowing skills.

Penances: Fasting, performing menial tasks, silent vigil in some remote place.

Holy Days: There are no specific holy days dedicated to Solkan as the threat of Chaos is unrelenting and cultists must be ever vigilant.

Gifts:

Rank 1: Granting of Righteous Blow prayer once per day at no MP cost. May use sense chaos or shadowing skills with a +10 modifier.

Rank 2: Granting of Detect Chaos or Protection from Chaos Taint prayer once per day at no MP cost. May use sense chaos or dodge blow skills with a +20 modifier.

Rank 3: Granting of Smite the Abomination or Sword of Cleansing Flame prayer once per day at no MP cost. May use torture skill with a +20 modifier.

Rank 4: Granting of Intervention or Scourge the Abomination prayer once per day at no MP cost. May use immunity to disease or strike to stun skills with a +20 modifier.

Templar: Righteous Blow and Sword of Cleansing Flame prayer once per day, may use dodge blow or strike to stun skills twice per day with a +20 modifier.

Witch Hunter: Detect Chaos and Protection from Chaos Taint prayer once per day, may use follow trail, shadowing or torture skills twice per day with a +20 modifier.

Cult Prayer Lists

Initiate

Required: Bless Token, Exalted Shield, Light the Path, Shadeward, Vigilance

Honors: Blessed Sacraments, Detect Magic, Heal Cultist, Know Follower, Seek Shrine

Rank 1

Required: Bless Weapon, Follow Tracks, Learn God's Will, Righteous Blow, Sacred Warding, Ward Undead

Honors: Bless Shrine, Cure Poison, Dispel Sorcery, Leap of Faith, Sacred Circle

Rank 2

Required: Detect Chaos, Great Warding, Inspired Attack, Know Enemies, Protection from Chaos Taint, Smite Thy Enemy

Honors: Grant Greater Prayer, Make Thy Servant Whole, Nullify Prayer, Sense Hidden Danger

Rank 3

Required: Consecrate Lesser Instrument, Inspired Fervor, Shelter Against Daemons, Smite the Abomination, Sword of Cleansing Flame, Ward and Seal

Honors: Banish Ensorcelment, Heal Injury, Nullify Lesser Instrument, Shelter Against Undead

Rank 4

Required: Banish Daemons, Barrier, Bless Hero, Consecrate Greater Instrument, Godsfire, Intervention, Scourge the Abomination, Sunbeam

Honors: Banish Profane Enchantment, Banish Undead, Consecrate Altar, Divine Vision, Grant Sacrament of Prayer, Nullify Greater Instrument

Numina Forms

(NOTE: Solkan does not provide for the summoning of any numina form by his clergy. Rather, he sends them for his own purposes.)

Counselor: Spirit of departed priest, templar, or witch hunter.

Guardian: Solkan only provides spirit guardians. These usually take the form of ghostly deceased priest, templars, and witch hunters.

Servant: Spirit of a departed high ranked priest.

Avatar: Lesser aspect of Solkan in the form of either a warrior in a shiny breastplate and blackened mail armor or a darkly-clad witch hunter with a wide-brimmed black hat. In any form, the lesser aspect will be armed with a flaming sword.

Special Careers

Templar: Knights of the Cleansing Flame

Founded in the latter stages of the Remean Empire and gaining notoriety during the Crusading Wars against Araby, the Knights of the Cleansing Flame are dedicated to confronting and destroying Chaos in whatever form it can be found. Their primary enemies (if any) are the Khornate Disciples of the Red Redemption for the slaughters and other atrocities they committed against both sides during the Arabian wars. Other enemies of choice include followers of Tzeentch and the Horned Rat for their patron's part in the kidnapping of the Law Goddess Arianka.

For career advance scheme, career exits, and trappings see the Templar advance career, WFRP, page 106.

Witch Hunter: Jurists

Jurists are the cult's clandestine agents devoted to the task of hunting down and destroying Chaos, its minions, and allies (including Daemonologists and, at times, Necromancers) throughout the Old World.

For career advance scheme, career exits, and trappings see the Witch Hunter Advance Career, WFRP, page 106. Additional skills are listed below.

Favored Cult Skills

Layman: Bind Wounds, Law, Silent Move Urban

Initiate: Orientation, Sense Chaos*, Shadowing, Spot Traps

Rank 1: Dodge Blow, Set Traps, Sixth Sense

Rank 2: Follow Trail, Strike Mighty Blow, Torture*

Rank 3: Immunity to Disease, Strike to Injury, Strike to Stun

Rank 4:

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: None

Cult Prayers

Sword of Cleansing Flame

Prayer Rank: Third

Magic Points: 15

Range: Touch

Duration: 1d6+3 rounds

Area of Effect: One sword

Resistance: None

The priest is granted the ability to cause one touched sword to become a magical flaming weapon for the duration of the prayer. In addition this prayer grants the wielder of the sword of cleansing flame a temporary increase of +10 to WS and +1 to Strength.

Non-flammable creatures receive 1d6+2 wounds at the strength of the wielder. Flammable creatures receive 2d6+4 wounds at the strength of the wielder. Flammable objects struck by the sword of cleansing flame burst into flame.

The sword of cleansing flame is especially ruinous to Daemons and Chaotic beings, causing 3d6+6 wounds at the strength of the wielder. Also, such creatures must make an Instability test immediately.

Intervention

Prayer Rank: Fourth

Magic Points: 25

Range: BMP yards

Duration: 1d3 hours

Area of Effect: One cultist (may include invoking Priest)

Resistance: None

The prayer grants the cleric an appeal to his patron for a Divine Servant or Avatar to possess a cultist (or invoking Priest) during an extremely dire situation (e.g., being surrounded by a Chaos warband led by a Greater Daemon). The possessed cultist assumes the profile and abilities of which divine being (numina) has entered to take charge of the situation. In the case of Avatar possession, the effected cultists also grows in height to that of a Greater Daemon and may cause fear in creatures of less than 10 feet in height. Note: the possessing spirit will always follow the dictates of their patron deity.

There is a high degree of risk to the possessed cultist, however, in that the driving force of Solkan's burning passions may consume the cultist. The effected cultist must test vs. Toughness x 10, adding a +20 modifier if possessed by a Divine Servant or a +10 modifier if an Avatar possession. Success means that the cultist will be exhausted and unable to perform strenuous activities for the following 1d3 hours. If failed by 20 or less points, the cultist suffers 1d6 wounds at strength 5 from burns inflicted by the possession. If failed by over 20 points, the cultist suffers 2d6 wounds at strength 10.