Possible cults by class

Bards: Ellander (elf), Tomkins (hobbit)
Clerics: Sophia (magical human)
Druids: Enkidu (human), Caerfallin (elf) Beryl (hobbit)
Fighters: Raq (human), Gradulf (dwarf), Enkidu (human), Hillesa (human)
Paladins: Raq (human),
Rangers: Beryl (hobbit) Enkidu (human), Ellander (elf),
Rogues: Hikitami (human) Tomkins (hobbit)
Sorcerors: Isthar (Janni)
Wizards: Molosh (human), Durin (dwarf) Caerfallin (elf)
Bard/ranger: Ellander (elf),
Bard/rogue: Tomkins (hobbit)
Druid/fighter: Enkidu (human),
Druid/ranger: Beryl (hobbit) Enkidu (human),
Druid/wizard: Caerfallin (elf)
Fighter/paladin: Raq (human),
Fighter/ranger: Enkidu (human),

The Hero Cults

Sophia
Isthar
Enkidu
Ellander
Caerfallin
Raq
Beryl
Tomkins
Gradulf
Durin
Hillesa
Molosh
Hikitami

Sophia

Description of founding hero: Sophia was the witch Yaga's servant. Yaga was brewing a potion that combined the essence of all things, giving the drinker the power to transform herself and others. The potion took years to brew and would only coallesce for seconds. At the exact moment of fruition, Yaga lost her temper and threw Sophia into the fire where the cauldron was being heated. Some of the potion spilled from the cauldron, scalding Sophia's hand. Sophia put her hand in her mouth, gaining the powers of transformation and knowledge. She transformed herself into a sparrow, and flew away. Yaga stopped to drink the rest of the potion before pursuing her.
The two went through a variety of forms before Sophia transformed herself into a fig to hide from Yaga. Yaga did not notice one fig in a tree of fruit. A peasant found the fig, and seeing it was exceptionally beautiful, decided to sell it to a merchant. The merchant decided to give it as a present to Queen Isthar, ruler of the Janni, to win her favor. Queen Isthar ate the fig, and nine months later gave birth to the reborn Sophia. Thus, Sophia, while human, was also Isthar's daughter and heir to the Janni throne.
In being reborn, Sophia either lost her ability or taste for transformation. However, she retained an exceptional wisdom and she magically enhanced the natural abilities of others. She also retained the enmity of Yaga, but her rebirth had thrown Yaga off the trail.
Isthar felt that the traditional nomadic life of a Janni was too likely to draw Yaga's notice to Sophia. She decided to retire to an obscure and lightly inhabited corner of the world and build a city, which could be fortified against the inevitable attack from Yaga.
Sophia was raised in this city, and many of her childhood companions became great heroes under her influence. Even when she was a child, Sophia's advice was sought and followed by her mother. Sophia realized that a settled people required divine protection, and created the temples and rituals, borrowing from the beliefs of the Janni's human and hobbit servants.
Sophia was present during most of her companions' feats. However, she was usually a passive participant, giving her companions advice and tending to their wounds.
Reputation: The cult of Sophia is highly honored. The priests are considered a pillar of the community; without them, the natural and social order would crumble. This is a heavy burden, so they deserve respect and other privileges. A priest's advice should never be ignored, since they have direct access to divine information. The duties and ethos of the priest in the Hero-Cities are different in several ways from the stereotype in fantasy games. First, the gods are uninterested in human affairs, and affect humans only in that they define all of reality. Humans have nothing to offer the gods, but woe will befall a community that is out of step with the divine order. (Picture ants at an elephant parade: The elephants don't pay attention to the ants, but the ants had better march at the same pace!) The priests perform a service to the community by acting as intermediaries with the gods, and interpreters of divine actions. They do not serve the gods; the thought that gods need service from mortals is ridiculous and blasphemous. The priests role is to ensure that the community is in harmony with the divine order, of which the natural order of seasons and lifecycles is a part. They do not care excessively about the personal morality of individuals in the community. A Hero-Cities priest does not preach sermons or attempt to convert people. Hero-Cities priests are not expected to be more innocent or unselfish than any other citizen. They are under no vows of poverty or chastity. They are expected to obey their superiors concerning temple rituals and business, but not during their free time. They are expected to maintain a certain dignity, however. A priest getting sloshed in a bar and ending up in a brothel is a scandal. A priest sharing a few bottles of wine with his mistress over dinner is his personal business. A priest does have a duty to the population, as a civil serveant. For example, a priest of Mort and Natava is expected to perform baptisms and funerals, and to attend births and deathbeds. A commoner has every right to (respectfully) approach a priest for these sevices. However, a priest is not expected to perform free divine magic or healing. Sophia cultists are varied in morality, politics, and personality. The overall tendancies, however, are to favor the aristocracy, be somewhat upper crust, and to support the government.
Membership: Sophia initiates are all clerics. There are around 4,000 members, almost all human. The cult of Sophia is an honorable second choice for superfluous members of the aristocracy who cannot afford or attain membership in the cult of Isthar. Nobles must maintain temples to all the gods, and most priests are employed by some noble to officiate at one of these temples. Thus, priest is a paying position associated with the nobility.
Responsibilities: The cult maintains the temples, thus preserving the link between the land and the divine order. The different temples also have specific responsibilites: Priests of Rai/Nocturne are the court diviners, and advise the government. (Sophia cult representatives to the council are usually priests of Rai/Nocturne.) Priests of Haran/Tempe are responsible for the weather and seasons, both prediction and control. They advise on any project involving weather, water or fire, e.g., irrigation canals. Priests of Herme/Flora supervise agriculture, and bless the crops and livestock. Priests of Mord/Natava officiate and supervise rituals for birth, marriage, and death. Priests of Bela/Male are responsible for the mystic defences of the city, in consultation with the cults of Raq and Durin. Priests of Ortho/Eris are experts on protocol and act as advisors to the queen. Priests of Petra/Aeth supervise and bless construction, travel, and trade. Priests of Belic/Serena form the chaplaincy, and serve as diplomats. Priests of all temples also officiate at the other cults' ceremonies. Sophia initiates are welcome at any cult center.
Resources: Resources are bound to the temples, rather than the cult per se. However, the cult as a whole has tremendous influence through the temples. It is almost suicidal for the government not to take the advise of the appropriate temple when making a decision.
Cult centers: Sophia cult centers are modest shrines, with a catacomb underneath. An eternal flame is lit and guarded at every center.
In Dancing Oaks: Dancing Oaks is surrounded by forces of supernatural evil. In addition to their usual social roles, priests are expected to be using their abilities to protect and defend the community from this evil, especially priests of Bena-Male, Mord-Natava and Rai-Nocturne. There are around 100 priests in the region. There are almost always avatar-level priests of Bene and Male at EastWatch and at Demonspit, guarding against incursions of undead and demons, respectively. Temples of Herne/Flora and Aeth/Petra can be found in the Hermitage. Harantempe hotsprings is, not suprisingly, the location of the temple of Haran and Tempe. Eris and Ortho, and Rai and Nocturne both have their main temples at Silistar's Tower. The main temple of Belic and Serene is at Terminus Garrison. Mord and Natava have small temples in each town.
Sponsored events: Contests of poetry, drama, and wonders
Exclusive and special feats:
Special feat: Inspiration: Any companions of lower level get a 10% experience bonus per level less than yours for adventures that you participate in. (For example, a 3rd level wizard adventuring with a 6th level Sophia initiate with this feat would get a 30% bonus. Thus, if together they earned 3000 experience, the cleric would get 1500 xp and the wizard 1500x(1.3)= 1950 xp.)
Extra Temple Affiliation: You can pick one new temple, and two new domains associated with the temple (or two domains from existing temple affiliations). You gain any granted powers from the new domains, and can pick your domain spells from any of your domain spell lists. However, you do not gain any additional domain spells per day.
Avatar prestige class
None. Cleric is the appropriate class for Sophia avatars.
Alignment: Neutral. However, Sophia clerics with an alignment domain have all alignments corresponding to such domains. Thus, some priests might register as being BOTH Lawful and Chaotic or BOTH Evil and Good rather than giving no reading. (See Religion )
Symbol: Flame.
Fictional or historical role-models:

Isthar

Description of founding hero: Isthar was a Janni (minor genie) queen who became Sophia's second mother. The Janni were a nomadic race with innate magical powers that traditionally did not involve themselves with others. However, Isthar decided that Sophia would be safer in a single, well-defended location. With the help of Molosh and Durin, she constructed the magical city named after her. She was married first to Hikitami and later to Molosh. She and others of her people interbred with humans and had half-mortal children with innate magical powers; most human and hobbit sorcerors have some Janni blood.
Reputation: The aristocrats of Isthar trace their ancestry from the Janni, and sorcerous powers is a sign of legitimacy. Thus, the cult of Isthar is identified with the aristocracy. Cult members are viewed as powerful, elegant, graceful, inspired and sophisticated (at least by those who favor the aristocracy). Among those with anti-aristocratic biases, flip the above to spoiled, effete, petty, and pretentious. Cult members appreciate adventurers that combine style with power, but look down on mere slaughter.
Membership: There are around 5,000 members, almost all multi-class aristocrat/sorcerors from the local aristocracy. Some outsiders are only sorceror class. Cult membership is essential to social prominence among the aristocracy, so all aristocratic families push young adult members to reach high levels of initiation. Conversely, those who reach high levels in the cult will be courted by the aristocracy.
Responsibilities: The cult is identified with rulership. No real division is possible between government and cult activities. The Queen is the highest level cult member. The cult advises the Queen on all appointments to official positions. Cult members tend to be more frivolous and involved in political intrigues near the city and other secure areas; near the frontiers, the aristocrats are more aware of threats and their duties to defend their lands. Thus, these cult members are often in need of bold adventurers. Aristocrats with lands or positions often owe their leige services or troops; so are frequently hiring.
Resources: The cult has wealth beyond estimation. Everyone important is either a member or a frequent guest at cult-sponsored events. Training, initiation, and cult activities are the ideal place to network, to gossip about the powerful, and to matchmake.
Cult centers: Every sheikh and amir maintains a cult center in his or her manor. Cult centers are poshly furnished, with ballrooms and meeting halls above ground, and initiation chambers beneath.
Sponsored events: The cult is the center of high society and culture. The cult sponsors many events designed for matchmaking between aristocratic families, such as balls and masquerades. These events are open to non-members that are thought to be entertaining or important. It also sponsors the arts, an annual feast for the commoners, and competitions in poetry, dancing, illusions, and wonders.
Exclusive and special feats:
Exclusive feats: Extra Spell (TB)
Special feat: Janni power: You can use one Janni ability from the following list. You can take this several times, each with a different Janni ability. If you have more than one Janni ability, you can pool the uses, to trade off uses of one for uses of another.
- Fly, 30', perfect (or 20' with heavy load or in armor). For Isthar level +charisma level rounds/day, consecutive or non-consecutive. Flying is a standard action, or a full action if used to double move.
- Invisibility, as in the 2nd level sorceror spell. For Isthar level+ charisma level rounds/day, possibly non-consecutive. Turning invisible is a standard action allowing attacks of opportunity, and attacking causes you to become visible.
- Enlarge or Reduce Person,self only. You can double or halve your size, as with the 1st level spells. Isthar level+ charisma modifier times per day, up to 10 minutes per use.
- Speak with Animals, up to Isthar level+ charisma modifier rounds per day.
- Create food and water, once per day (as Isthar level priest)
Magnetic personality: You can pick your Charisma modifier in skills based on Charisma. From now on, treat these as class skills.
Avatar prestige class
The Isthar avatar prestige class is available to those who have a total of 8 Isthar levels, at least one aristocrat and at least one sorceror. It has no improvement in familiars, and even slower combat progress than sorceror class, but more skills and skill points, to be spent on Charisma based skills.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Symbol: Crown.
Fictional or historical role-models:

Enkidu

Description of founding hero: Enkidu was a wild-man, evidently raised by animals with little or no human contact. He was exceptionally strong, and had an instinctive understanding of all beasts. Some think he was not exactly human, but he was never able to account for his origins, so that remains a mystery. He was tamed by the love of the priestess Nari, and became a loyal friend to Nari's superior, Sophia. He was known for slaying the mad Bull of Nocturne with his bare hands, after wrestling it to the ground.
Reputation: Enkidu cultmembers are more at home in the wilderness than in an aristocrat's pavilion. They are extremely competent, independent, and self-reliant, accomplishing much but saying little. A member of the elite might consider them gruff, unsociable, and ill-mannered, (at least until that elite socialite gets lost in the woods and needs a guide....), but commoners trust Enkidu cultists more than those that are more pretentious. Many Enkidu cultists view government as a nuisance to be avoided; some condone (or even assist) smuggling, petty theft, and poaching.
Membership: There are about 600 cultmembers in Isthar, 100 druids, 200 fighters, and 300 rangers. The head of the cult is Minister Arfusk, a druid. He is a councilmember by virtue of being the highest rank Enkidu cult member, but is without portfolio and rarely bothers with council meetings.
Responsibilities: While most Isthari's aren't fully aware of their contribution, the cult of Enkidu is vitally important to the safety of Isthar. The Enkidu cult actively patrols and monitors the frontier regions, neutralizing threats to man and beast. They are particularly active on the border of the Great Ooze, monitoring the path to the Plains of Enkidu, and watching over (as well as just plain watching) travellers.
While most cultists do not work well in hierarchies, a few have made successful careers in the military. These usually are members of scouting units, where military discipline is notoriously lax.
Cult centers: Cult centers are in uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas, frequently in modified caves or groves. They are sparsely furnished, and univiting from the outside. Local cult centers can have as few as five members.
Resources: The cult maintains a series of wayhouses in wilderness areas, where cult members can find shelter, supplies, and substenance. Most are just unmanned storage caches, as simple as dried food stored in a small cave, but they are all magically protected against intruders.
The cult also has friendly or diplomatic relations with many strange and varied non-humanoid allies. Senior cult members are given secret signs of greeting, and are authorized to make deals with these allies on behalf of the cult.
Its druid members provide other cultists with healing and magical support. Most Enkidu druids are hermits or nomads, rather than helping in agriculture like Beryl's druids; or renting their services, like Caerfallin's druids.
Sponsored events: The cult sponsors contests of wrestling, shape-changing, and animal handling.
Exclusive and special feats: Exclusive: Wild feats(Masters of the Wild): Scent, Multi-attack, Speaking, Clever Wrestling, and Fast; (These are only appropriate for druids or avatars with the Wild Shape ability) Special: Animal Languages: You can take the speech of one class of animals, e.g., rodents or raptors, as bonus languages, or spend skill points to acquire such languages. Treat Speak Animal Language as a class skill, so it costs one skill point to learn a new animal language. This gives you the ability to communicate with the type of animal, but does not make the animals automatically friendly or more intelligent than normal.
Avatar prestige class: The Enkidu avatar prestige class is a combination of druid and ranger. It has a slower spell progression than druid, but maintains most of the druid's Wild Shape abilities, but only for natural forms (not elemental, e.g.)
Alignment: Chaotic
Symbol: Bull, or bull's horns.
Fictional or historical role-models: Enkidu (the friend of Gilgamesh), Tarzan, Mowgli

Ellander

Description of founding hero: Ellander was an elven sage and warrior. He originally joined the band of heroes on a wager, after losing a riddle contest to Tomkins. But he joined in earnest when he realized that Yaga's allies, the giants, had elven slaves. He later married Caerfallin. He founded Ellandria as a refuge for freed elven slaves. But Caerfallin preferred the woodlands, so they spent summers in Caerfallin and winters on Ellandria.
Reputation: Ellander cult members are known for their elegance, wisdom, learning, and fairness. They are fabulous musicians and fascinating story-tellers. Most tend to favor the dramatic or even tragic over the comic, but there are exceptions. Their music can be complex and demanding. No aristocrat's soiree is complete without a bard of Ellander, but it would be unusual for one to preside at a peasant barn dance. In combat, they are usually efficiently deadly, making each blow count, especially each arrow. They are at home in city, manor, or wilderness, but maintain a certain living style no matter where they go. The stereotypical Ellander cultist will emerge from a grueling desert expedition with no water smelling faintly of lavender.
Membership: In Isthar, almost all Ellander cultists are bards, about 1500 total. The few rangers and multiclass bard-rangers (about 300 total) are mostly bailiffs, assisting and protecting the Judiciars (bards acting as judges). There are more human cultists than elves, about 2 to 1, but elven cultists are highly respected.
Responsibilities:
The cult of Ellander are the historians, record-keepers and judges of Isthar. They are responsible for the education of the young, especially young aristocrats, and for keeping legends and traditions alive, through holiday presentations of classical songs and stories. Avatar-level (9+) Ellandrians can be appointed to the position of Judiciar, giving them the right to hear cases both civil and criminal at their discretion, bound only by tradition. They can make investigations at any time; the legwork is often done by the bailliffs rather than the Judiciars themselves. (Judiciars mandates can be local, if appointed by a shiekh or amir, or throughout Isthar, if appointed by the Queen's Council.) Their rulings are subject to appeal to the council, but are rarely overturned. The cult tries to avoid involvement in politics as much as possible.
Resources: The cult maintains the most complete library for historical and other records. Cult members can usually get a welcome in any aristocrat's manor, unless they offend their host in some way or have a bad individual reputation. However, they should move on eventually, or they will wear out their welcome.
Cult centers: Most aristocrats and large cities have an easily locatable cult center near the courtrooms. Cult centers are well-lit, pleasant buildings, usually of wood, with many musical instruments and books. There will also almost always be an outdoor courtyard, with a well-maintained garden, and walking paths.
Sponsored events: Public lectures and concerts; contests of poetry, music, riddles, story-telling and historical lore.
Exclusive and special feats: Exclusive: Lingering Song (Song and Silence), Extra Favored Enemy (Masters of the Wild)
Special: Arcane Secrets: Your studies reveal the whereabouts of items and events of legend. Benefit: Every time you gain a rank in Knowledge(arcana) or Knowledge(history), you learn about a lost treasure or mysterious location, including its rough whereabouts.
Potent Music: You can use your bardic music an additional time each day, and you use it as if your bard level were one higher.
Avatar prestige class: Ellander prestige class is a combination of bard and ranger, with slower bard spell progress, and a bard's combat abilities, but accumulating favored enemies, non-combat ranger class abilities and bard music and knowledge at full rate.
Alignment: Good
Symbol: Lyre.
Fictional or historical role-models: Alan aDale,

Caerfallin
- Description of founding hero: Caerfallin the Silent was the oldest and wisest of the Elves in the forests north of Lake Azar (now, the Sea of Serpents). She was initially cold to the Janni settlers (Isthar, Sophia and their allies) but soon realized Yaga was a common threat. She brought her magical and natural wisdom to the cause, once even managing to temporarily turn Yaga into a pigeon. In retaliation, Yaga had her giant allies capture and enslave many of Caerfallin's people. She teamed up with Ellander to rescue them, and later the two were married. Caerfallin was a master of transformation, and could take any form. She cast spells without motion or invocation. She was intensely curious, but never betrayed a secret.
- Reputation: The cult of Caerfallin is viewed as trustworthy but unworldly. While they are considered benevolent, they usually value individual rights over the collective good. (So the authorities may not totally trust the cult.) They know much, but say little, and can be counted on to keep a secret. Outside Isthar's small Elven communities, most citizens only think of the cult when they are in trouble of a confidential kind.
- Membership: About 100 druids, 150 wizards, and 50 druid/wizards. Most cultists are Elves.
- Responsibilities: Some cultists join elite scouting units in the military. Most are consultants, offering magical services involving divination or investigation. The cultists hold confidences in strict security, but will refuse to work for clients that are corrupt, and may take action against them.
- Resources: The cult is rumored to have a library of ``secret history'', the stories of what occurred behind the schenes and was omitted from official records. The cult certainly has knowledge of many secrets. Initiates cannot be legally forced to testify in any court.
- Cult centers: Modest wooden building or treehouses located in groves near Elven villages.
- Sponsored events :Competitions: Wonders, shape-changing, illusions, riddles and stealth.
- Exclusive and special feats: Special: Automatic Silent Spell/ Still Spell: Prereq: Silent Spell or Still Spell, resp. Benefit: You can cast Silent (resp., Still) spells on level zero or one spells without moving up the spell one level in cost. Can take repeatedly, each time affecting two more spell levels.
  Sneaky: Move Silently, Hide, and Disguise become class skills from now on.
- Avatar prestige class
  Caerfallin prestige class combines wizard and druid abilities. Spell progression for the two classes is at 2/3 normal (pattern: +1 wizard, +1 druid, +1 both) , and avatar level adds to both caster levels. Combat is as wizard. Most Wild Shape abilities are acheived at same schedule as druid, although Wild Shape(sylvan) replaces WildShape(elemental). Metamagic feats replace wizard bonus feats.
- Alignment: Chaotic Good
- Symbol: Wildcat
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Raq

Description of founding hero: Raq was a large, dark man from the East. He was a mighty warrior and monster-slayer, and always hunted creatures of evil. He joined forces with Sophia's heroes to slay the demon Nasthula; and stayed with her group, sensing his destiny there. He brought his wife, children and kinsfolk to Raq Island, where he felt he could protect them from Yaga. He was a serious man, and lived for battle, but also loved playing with his children and grooming his mount, the pegasus, Silthin. He had an indominable will, and creatures of supernatural evil fled before him.
Reputation: Raq initiates are the defenders of the community against evil. They are dedicated, honest, loyal and self-sacrificing. Most cultists exercise moderation, even in virtue, and avoid the trap of becoming judgemental. However, there are a few fanatical initiates that give the cult a reputation for being humorless, inflexible, and self-righteous. The cult is law-abiding to a fault, and always tries to work within the system, even when the system breaks down (due to corruption or incompetence).
Membership: The cult has around 2500 fighters and 500 paladins in Isthar. Many are human initiates from other City-States.
Responsibilities:
The cult views its primary mission in Isthar as guarding the border with the Haunted Lands. The Haunted Lands are ruled over by Yaga's undead servants, who still obey her last orders to them. Many cult members work within the Isthar military, but the cult also maintains its own border patrols. The cult is looked to to defend against supernatural evil, and to maintain the city's divine defenses.
Resources: The cult maintains equipment for dealing with supernatural evil. For example, a cistern of holy water is kept in every cult center. Any cult member can take this at need, but is expected to reimburse the cult for expenses if at all possible; and to only take the minimum necessary.
The cult also maintains a large stable, where members can house any mount, no matter how unusual. The stable even has a few areas suitable as living quarters for dragons.
Cult centers: Cult centers have small but defensible fortresses above ground. The foyer has a cistern of holy water, and other holy symbols and equipment. The adjoining room is the Questing Room, where cult members go in search of missions or assistance. Cult members who repeatedly turn down quests are held suspect.
Sponsored competitions: Wrestling, jousting, religious knowledge, civil defense knowledge.
Exclusive and special feats:
Most positive energy feats that channel energy into martial abilities (Defenders of the Faith) Special: Aura of Honesty: When you wish, you can make people realize that you are telling the truth. Of course, you must be actually telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you Raq to use this ability. People may not react well to the truth, and may even refuse to admit they believe you, but they will know in their hearts that you mean what you say.
Psychic Backlash: You are scarier than the monsters. Benefits: When you make a succesful Will save vs. Necromantic spells or similar supernatural abilities, the attacker must in turn make a will Save (DC, 10+ your Will save modifier) or suffer the same effect. Does not work on creatures immune from the effect.
Avatar prestige class:
Avatar level intitiates of Raq are expected to advance as paladins. Up to that point, they can either advance as paladins or fighters.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Symbol: Pegasus

Beryl

Description of founding hero: Beryl was the daughter of Isthar's handmaiden, Lianna, and grew up as Sophia's playmate. Sophia's ability to enhance others' abilities first became apparent as Beryl gained a strong magical affinity for plants and nature. Any garden that Beryl habituated became lushly overgrown, and it seemed she could communicate with the plants there. Beryl was good-natured, generous, and easy to be around, but independent and quick to respond to a threat.
Reputation: The cult of Beryl, or Goodberry as she is almost always called, is the most beloved of all the cults, especially by the peasants. The commoners view Goodberry cultists as saints, who spend their lives making sure the poor are fed and healthy. While not all cultists are altruists, enough initiates live up to their reputation to keep the myth alive.
Membership: About 500 druids, 200 rangers, and 2500 experts. (Experts are experts at plant care, vetenarians, healers, etc.)
Responsibilities:
The cult of Beryl is responsible for ensuring that food is plentiful and that the land, livestock and people are healthy. Their most important task is blessing the crops, ensuring a full harvest. Secondly, they act as healers, both for people and animals.
Resources: The cult of Beryl's largest asset is universal goodwill. Peasants especially love Goodberry and will give generously to assist the cult. The aristocracy realize how much of their wealth comes from agriculture, and so also value the cult's contribution. On rare occasions, the cult has excommunicated a sheikh and his land, refusing to bless his crops. This almost always led to a peasant rebellion, and capitulation on the sheikh's part.
The cult also maintains stores of food, medical supplies, and healing magic. All initiates are entitled to healing or curse-removal for themselves at expense, and at discount rates for their companions. The cult will attempt to raise any member of avatar rank (9th level or higher).
Cult centers: Cult centers are small buildings surrounded by large, well-maintained gardens. The entryway always has two baskets of fruit, one for donations, and the other blessed fruit known as ``Goodberries''. Anyone hurt or hungry can take one goodberry; payment is expected if more than one berry is taken or the taker can afford it.
Most sheikhdoms have a cult center near the manor.
Sponsored events: Goodberry sponsors the harvest feast, with agricultaral competitions.
Exclusive and special feats: Create infusion (MotW), Plant control, etc. (MotW)
Special: Garden Affinity: You can communicate with any plant you've grown or nurtured, learning about creatures that have passed nearby.
Herbal Healing: For each rank in Know(nature), you know how to concoct one herbal remedy or drug roughly equivalent to a first-level spell. Alternatively, for each four ranks, you can know how to concoct one herbal remedy or drug equal to a second-level spell, or for each nine ranks, you can know how to concoct one herbal remedy or drug equivalent to a third level spell. Gathering materials for such a remedy takes an hour, and requires a Survival role of DC 10+ (desired spell level). (You can role and then see what effect you can make. You can retry, and can take 10 by spending all day searching. You cannot take 20.) Materials must be gathered in a garden for that purpose or in a lush, natural wilderness setting. The infusion only stays fresh for 24 hours. There is no monetary cost, or xp cost.
Avatar prestige class
Beryl's prestige class is a combination of druid and ranger, with normal druid spell progression. Ranger spell lists become available as druid spells. Combat and Wild Shape are largely as druid, but you also gain favored enemies.
Alignment: Good
Symbol: Berries

Tomkins:

Description of founding hero:
Tomkins the Rhymer was a hobbit bard, who became obsessessed with tracing the hobbit languages, poetry, legends and lore, trying to identify the original forms. The trail led him to the small community of hobbits kept by the Janni as servants. Tomkins convinced many of these hobbits to go with him to found a new city, now called Tomtown, on the other side of Lake Azar. The Janni were distraught and angry, but Queen Isthar refused to retaliate. Eventually, the two cities developed warm relations. Tomkins' most famous exploit was the riddle-game he won against the Dragonlord Thanis, where the stakes were his own life against that of the captured Molosh.
Reputation: Initiates are viewed as happy-go-lucky, fun to be around, fond of jokes and games, and somewhat lazy. The foolish underestimate them; the wise are also aware of their cunning.
Membership: In Isthar, there are about 1000 adventuring followers of Tomkins, evenly divided into rogues and bards, but with many multiclass. However, the vast majority (2500) are experts: musicians, fine artists and craftspeople, e.g., potters and woodcarvers. Tomkins followers are diverse, having many elves, humans, and hobbits, but relatively few dwarves.
Responsibilities:
The cult of Tomkins acts as a guild for artists, craftsment and performers. Adventurers are an after-thought, and the cult has few military responsibilities.
Cult centers: Cult centers are well-furbished, small but pleasant, buildings in urban areas. They function as forums for selling crafts, especially at the wholesale level, and exhibition halls for artwork. Many non-initiates visit cult centers to admire (or enjoy criticising) the artwork and performers.
Resources: Initiates have access to the world of art and culture both high and low. However, the cult has few resources of direct assistance to its adventuring members.
Sponsored competitions: The Cult of Tomkins sponsors competitions for music, poetry, art, riddles, acrobatics and darts.
Exclusive and special feats: Jack-of-all-trades (Song&Silence): You can use any skill, except Knowledge skills, untrained. Note: At 9th level, all Tomkins initiates get the Generalist ability, which allows them to use Knowledge skills untrained.

Avatar prestige class

The Tomkins Avatar class combines bard and rogue. It has full progression for evasion, bardic knowledge and bardic magic, but slower surprise attack and spell progression.

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Symbol: Pipes

Gradulf

Description of founding hero: The dwarves of Jotan were traditionally enemies of the giants. When the giants made a pact with Yaga, the dwarves found themselves in a hopeless situation. Their strongest warrior was Gradulf, known for his ability to topple multiple ogres with a single swing of his axe. After the dwarves' inevitable defeat, Gradulf was selected king of a remnant that sought refuge within the Spine Mountains. Once there, they allied themselves with Isthar, Sophia, and the heroes to battle Yaga.
Reputation: Gradulf was known as ``the Grim'', and his followers are likewise known for their somber attitudes. That they are frequently correct in their doomsday prophesies does not make them any more popular. However, they are also known for being competent, dignified, and considerate of those under their command.
Membership: Gradulf's cult has about 1000 members in Isthar, all fighters. (In the dwarven homelands, there are also aristocratic members.)
Responsibilities: The infantry wing of the military report to Gradulf's cult.
Cult centers: Cult centers are small fortresses, with a barracks for emergency stays, supplies in case of siege, and secret tunnels providing escape routes and resupply lines.
Resources: The cult can call on the standing infantry of Isthar, about 10,000 warriors. As the controllers of the infantry, they can in principle call a full muster, summoning each amir's personal army to join with the Isthar military. However, the amirs tend to delay the muster unless the need is immediate and universally acknowedged. High-level cultists can also requisition troops from any amir for a short-term task.
Sponsored competitions: Wrestling, shield-and-spear team competitions.
Exclusive and special feats: Special: Battle frenzy: The equivalent of the barbarian's rage ability. You can take this multiple times, each time making one improvement to the rage ability, as in the barbarian class chart. Avatar feat: Aristocratic: Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Knowledge(architecture), Knowledge(history), Knowledge(geography) , Knowledge(Gradulfheim), Knowledge(heraldry) and Knowledge(politics) become class skills. You gain your Wisdom modifier in skill points each level, to be spent only on the above list.
Avatar prestige class: None.
Alignment: Lawful
Symbol: Helm

Durin

Description of founding hero: Durin was a dwarven master smith of great renown. Isthar asked him (and his many assistants) to help build her city, working with Molosh to construct the city's underground labyrinth and defenses. Durin then led a geographic expedition to locate sources of materials that could be used in further construction. On this expedition, (following a lead from Molosh, whose city was nearby), he discovered a volcano hot enough to work mithiril inside. After this, he rarely left ``Durin's forge'', but spent most of his time crafting mithiril and magical weapons, armor, and other items of great power and beauty. He is known less for his personal exploits than for the cities he built and the equipment he provided to the other heroes. He also was the negotiator that arranged the alliance between Gradulf and Isthar.
Reputation: Durin's initiates are consummate craftsmen, perfectionists, and absent-minded dreamers. But they have a practical side, and also know the value of a gem down to the last copper piece.
Membership: Experts heavily outnumber wizards in Durin's cult in Isthar, and most of the wizards are dual-class experts. About 5,000 experts (smiths, masons, and other craftsmen) and 800 wizards and wizard/experts are in the cult.
Responsibilities: Durin's cult is responsible for Isthar's permanent defenses and infrastructure, both magical and mundane. The cult supervises the army's Corps of Engineers (miners, sappers, disenchanters, artillery, bridge construction, etc.)

Most initiates are craftsmen, in business for themselves. The cult also acts as a crafts guild, setting and enforcing bounds on rates for crafts, services, and magical items.
Cult centers: Cult centers are well-constructed stone towers, organized as the equivalent of a conference center: meeting rooms, display rooms, work rooms, toolsheds, cafeterias, and lodging are all available above the sacred underground areas where cult rituals are performed. The cult provides practical benefits to their members. A member can take lodging, make trade deals, advertise her wares and services, get a loan at reasonable rates, or purchase health and curse insurance through the cult.
Resources: Cult members can use Gather Information to find deals on merchandise and common magic items, or locate rare magic items.
The cult has a special store of magical weapons and equipment, some forged by Durin himself. High level members can borrow these for special quests, but must leave something of comparable worth for surety.

The cult also has many of the city's political patronage jobs under its control, and can contract out work on the city's behalf.
Sponsored competitions: Crafts and marvels.
Exclusive and special feats: Note: every initiate of Durin gets the following as a free bonus feat: Magesmith: You have no experience cost for creating permanent magical items such as arms, armor, wonderous items or strongholds, unless the item simulates a spell with an experience cost. Scrolls, potions, wands and other temporary items still have a normal experience cost. Special: Forge mithiril and adamantium. Benefit: The user can create non-magical items with unusual materials. In addition to mithiril, and adamantium, this allows creation of silvered weapons and cold iron items, and others as appropriate. This is now a prerequisite feat for Create Magic Arms and Armor. Thus, the PH: Create Magic Arms and Armor is also exclusive to this cult. Identify Magic: You can use your Appraise skill to simulate the 0 level spell Detect Magic or the 1st level spell Identify. The DC to Detect Magic is 15+caster level, and gives you all information available when Detect Magic is used, e.g, type, school, and strength. It must be used on a specific item in your possession; it cannot be used to scan for magic. This takes one minute to use. The DC for Identify is 20+ caster level of item. This takes 10 minutes. You can take 10, but you cannot retry. Note that synergy from Craft skills and dwarven racial bonuses will often apply. Avatar feat: Craftsmaster: You gain your Intelligence modifier in extra skill points each level, all of which must be spent on Crafts .
Avatar prestige class: Durin avatars advance as wizards, but usually have the Craftsmaster feat.
Symbol: Anvil
Alignment: Neutral

Hillesa

Description of founding hero: Hillesa was a young warrior of a sea-faring people at the then-mouth of the Izo (now Turnback) River. She was known for her unmatchable speed, grace, and athletic ability, and for her unlimited pride. By the age of sixteen, she was already a veteran of many wars. Many in her homeland believed she was part divine, and few dared oppose her. Hearing news of great deeds being performed to the north, she and a company of her followers made haste to join in and share in the glory. She was welcomed by Molosh and was brought into the inner circle of heroes surrounding Sophia. Durin gave her a magical shield, Daemon, that alerted her to suprise attacks and reflected spells back on their casters, as a reward for coming to the aid of Durin's forge when it was beseiged. Later, when Molosh confiscated part of her share of the loot as repayment towards her (considerable) living expenses, Hillesa left in a huff, and settled in the wilderness area north of Durin's Forge. She refused to assist when Yaga beseiged Molosh (a feint to hide Yaga's true purpose of damming the Izo River), until her long-time companion Patricia was slain in that battle. Then Hillesa avenged Patricia, but not in time to prevent Yaga from closing the Locked Gate.
Reputation: Hillesa's followers are mighty warriors, combining speed, tactics, and prowess. They are high-spirited, fond of contests, games, feasts and drinking matches. Some are also quick to anger and easily insulted. They tend to be aware of their high rank in society, and expect deference from the commoners. While they have no ill-intentions to the peasants, they can be somewhat insensitive to their concerns.
Membership: The cult of Hillesa has about 1500 members in Isthar, all fighters and mostly human. Most cult members are officers in the military.
Responsibilities: The cult of Hillesa directly runs the cavalry. The Minister of War, General Leona, is the cult's head, and is commander-in-chief of the entire military.
Resources: The cult runs the military, and has direct control of the cavalry. Senior cult leaders can call on the army to aid them, if necessary. The cult also can veto placements in elite troops, which they can use to negotiate with other cults.
Cult centers: The cult centers are often identical with military headquarters. In cities, the cult centers are places for military strategy and administration, with sprawling planning centers and archives, surrounding dining areas, living areas, and places to socialize. The sacred rooms are below ground, and heavily defended. In outlying areas, cult centers are fortresses, with barracks and soldiers' messes occupying the bottom levels, and the cult rooms in the top levels, together with officers' mess and living quarters.
Sponsored competitions: Riding, shieldplay, wrestling, fencing, races, other athletic competitions.
Exclusive and special feats: S&S: Dash, Fleet of Foot; S&F: Knock-down, shield expert.
Special: Fast movement: Gain the fast movement special ability, as the barbarian class ability.
Shield wall: You can use your shield to protect an ally standing next to you, on the side of your shield arm. The ally recieves a shield bonus to AC equal to your shield bonus, which stacks with their own shiled bonuses. Shield bonuses from purely magical effects, e.g., the Shield spell, cannot be used with this feat, but magical bonuses to a physical shield can. You still retain your shield bonus when using this feat. (This is particularly effective when fighting in a line formation with other cultists.)
Avatar prestige class:
None. Fighter class perfectly represents Hillesa.
Alignment: Neutral
Symbol: Shield

Molosh

Description of founding hero: Molosh was the king of an old, wealthy, and advanced city-state at the origin of the River Izo (now the Turnback River). His immense wealth was largely due to the fact that this river was the primary trade-route between the Lake Azar peoples and the outside world. He was more interested in scholarly pursuits and magic than affairs of state, but was wise enough to pick loyal and competent advisors and clever enought to keep them loyal and competent. He also used his magic and learning to the advantage of his city, building magical fortifications and public conveniences (such as a system of sanitation.) Isthar sought his advice when building her own city. Molosh became intrigued by the Janni, and their innate magic, and stayed to personally assist in construction. He noticed that his always keen intellect became sharper the longer he stayed with Isthar, and traced it to the influence of her strange, human daughter Sophia. Learning of Sophia's origins as Yaga's assistant, Molosh realized both that Sophia had immense power and that Yaga would soon be pursuing her. It was his idea to recruit heroes from around the world to form Sophia's coterie, and he persuaded Isthar to let Sophia take a personal role in battles. Molosh married Isthar, but the two usually lived apart. They had a daughter, Lesu, who later became queen of Molosh. (Rian, son of Isthar and Hikitami, was king of Isthar.) When Sophia was stricken by Yaga's curse, at the moment of banishing Yaga, Molosh devised the strategy to keep her alive, in suspended animation, by bonding her to the other heroes. However, he had not planned to take part himself, and was tricked into joining the others by his assistant, Narua.
Reputation: The initiates of Molosh are wise and learned, and take a long-term view. They are subtle, sometimes even to the point of deviousness.
Membership: Approximately 1000 initiates, almost all wizards. Cult members are either in private practice (selling mainly services) or in government and military roles.
Responsibilities:
The cult of Molosh is responsible for policing the practice of magic in the city-state. Wizards are essential for trade and industry, so they are allowed to operate freely, as long as they stay within limits (e.g., no charms used when negotiating contracts.) The cult of Molosh acts as a guild for its members, enforcing both legal restrictions on magic and controlling prices for magical services. The cult is also responsible for investigating any possible illegal use of magic, and advising the government on arcane matters.
Resources: Initiates have access to arcane spell-casters, and trainers for the arcane arts. This gives them a small discount on common spell-casting, and the ability to find casters for rare spells. Cultists are assigned masters from within the cult. The master supervises the initiate's learning and mystic talent. The master is entitled to increase the number of spells a talented initiate can cast, slightly (i.e., give bonus spells), and recommend the initiate for the next advancement. The initiate frequently learns new spells from her master, but it is permissible to learn new spells from others as well. The cult can be used to advertise one's services; it provides forums for members to connect with possible jobs.
Sponsored competitions: Marvels, shape-changing, arcane lore, poetry.
Exclusive and special feats:
Special: Learned: Any knowledge skill can be used untrained, and a +1 competence bonus is gained in all knowledge skills (trained or untrained).

Spontaneous spell: Prereq: Spell Mastery. Any spell that you have Spell Mastery of can be cast spontaneously, by forfeiting a prepared spell of strictly higher level. Metamagic versions of these spells can be cast by forfeiting a prepared spell slot of an adjusted level which is higher.

Concourse with demons: Prereq: Leadership. Outsiders of a given challenge rating can be substituted for followers of that level.
Avatar prestige class: None. Wizard class is a perfect match for Molosh.
Alignment: Lawful
Symbol: Book

Hikitami

Description of founding hero: Like Beryl, Hikitami was the son of Ishtar's servants (Callia the cook and Valan the butler) and grew up as Sophia's playmate. Sophia passed on all her lessons to Hikitami, who was supernaturally proficient at learning new skills. If Sophia learned to read, Hikitami learned to read any language. If Sophia learned to sew, Hikitami learned to sew thread as strong as steel and as fine as spiderweb. Hikitami was always mischievous, and was eventually forbidden access to Sophia. He went to live in Tomkins's new community for a while, and trained with Tomkins. He returned in disguise and became one of Ishtar's advisors under an alias. When Durin was given a golden crown for recruiting Gradulf as an ally, Hikitami offered to recruit an ally a hundred times as strong. Ishtar offered him his choice of treasures if he did so. Hikitami went to where the bronze dragon Ingyl was nurturing her egg. He brought her presents and amused her with stories. When she trusted him enough to sleep in his presence, he carefully wrapped her in a special net he had made, with a neck harness that kept her head pinned down and away from her body. Then he stole her egg, and ran. The net kept the enraged dragon in place while he made his getaway. When she at last emerged from her cave, Hikitami was nowhere in sight. He brought the egg to Sophia, where it hatched Angwyn. Angwyn grew quickly and became one of the most stalwart of Sophia's champions. When Ishtar asked Hikitami to claim his reward, he asked for Ishtar herself as his wife. Hikitami was never made king, but their son Rian inherited the throne from Ishtar. However, Hikitami was never comfortable among the Janni, and abandoned his royal family, returning to his lover Sedjani the brewer on the island that now bears his name. He eventually was made ruler of the island. Ishtar was furious, and it was only out of dire need that she allied herself with Hikitami and his people for the final confrontation with Yaga.
Reputation: The cult of Hikitami has a dual role. First, it is a guild for professionals and craftsmen. Secondly, it is organized crime. ``Going to the weaver's shop'' is slang for visiting a brothel or other vice den. As long as the cult's activities fall within established limits (prostitution, gambling, mild narcotics, illegal alchemy, pawn stores, smuggling, black market magic, etc.) and don't threaten authority, they are tolerated. However, these activities are illegal, and the law can be used to crack down on the cult if it oversteps its bounds.
Membership: About 12,000 Hikitami initiates live in Ishtar, making it the most populous cult. About 1500 are involved in adventuring or illegal activities, e.g., are rogue class or rogue/expert multiclass. Most of these are also trained in some legitimate craft as cover. The cult is mostly human, with some hobbits and dwarves.
Responsibilities:

The cult is also responsible for espionage and sabotage during warfare.

Resources: Initiates have access to both sides of the cult. They can use the cult's business connections to get deals on goods, information on potential business partners, loans, or insurance. On the other hand, they can get access to black-market goods and services, and information about criminal activities.
Cult centers: Cult centers look like thriving business centers, with rooms for deal making, display counters, and places for social activities.
Sponsored competitions: Archery, crafts, riddles, story-telling, wonders.
Exclusive and special feats: Shadow, Quicker than Eye (S&S); Special: Improvise Traps: You can make traps on the fly, using Craft(trapmaking) skill. A one-use trap takes a minute to create and has a DC equal to your roll minus 5 to detect and your roll to disarm. The maximum damage is your Sneak Attack damage, but you can design traps that imprison (DC to Escape same as to Disarm) or make the damage subdual damage. You can take 10 with this roll if circumstances are not pressured, but cannot take 20. You must have suitable materials and a suitable location; the DM will give circumstance bonuses as appropriate. The DM may also allow other uses, such as a trap that causes an opponent to trip or fall down a stairway, etc. The general rule is to use your trapmaking skill roll as the appropriate attack roll.
Mobbed up: With a Gather Information, Know(Hikitami cult) or Know(area) role of DC 15, you know what illegal activities are going on in an area, and have access to supplies of whatever illegal goods are available. With a role of DC 15 + (level of contact) with such a skill, you can arrange to contract the services of or arrange a meeting with other cult members with influence or specialized skills.
Masterwork Crafts : A gain a +5 when using craft skills to make masterwork items, and use half the standard time and cost.
Avatar prestige class: None. Rogue class is expected for Hikitami avatars (although most non-avatars are Experts.)
Alignment: Chaotic
Symbol: Net or Web