Monday, February 20, 2017

The Rite of the Diffraction of the Baletl

For my scenario "The Gate to Hmakuyal" at Con of the North this past weekend, I created "The Rite of the Diffraction of the Baletl", one of the secret rituals of the Temple of Lord Hru'u, Supreme Principle of Change. The rite teaches humility, revealing the impermanence and irrelevance of personal and clan status before Lord Hru'u, as well as demonstrating the illusory character and interchangability of the person, self, and memory (i.e., the Báletl, or Spirit-Soul).

This ritual is only carried out in certain Inner Shrines within the temple. The temple typically invites groups of acolytes to participate in the ritual as a reward for devotion to Lord Hru'u and dedication to their studies. Pilgrims and devotees, particularly high status individuals who are financial patrons of the temple, may also be invited to participate in this ritual, although never at the same time as acolytes.

Once successfully cast, the spirit-selves of those seated in mediation are diffracted and shared among the presiding priests and participants. Fragments of memories, desires, experiences, and secrets are randomly transferred among the seated participants. The presiding priests' memories and experiences are NOT shared however.

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Two priests preside over the ritual. The participants must fast for at least 12 hours prior to the ritual, and must be seated in meditation for at least three hours. Once this has occurred, the junior priest will need to make a Chusetl roll of +3, and the senior priest a Hlakme roll of +3 to fully instantiate the rite.

Each seated participant should roll 1dF.
  • On a + roll, the participant gains an extremely useful memory from another person seated in mediation. This takes the form of a persistent additional aspect. The memory's potency as an aspect lasts for one scenario. It can be invoked once per session for free. 
  • On a blank face roll, the participant gains a memory which lasts for the remainder of the session. It can be invoked once for free.
  • On a (-) roll, the participant gains a terrifying or otherwise negative memory. This counts as a Moderate Consequence. 


4 comments:

  1. It was a strange ritual to stumble into in game, and brilliantly characteristic of the Temple of Hru'u once I learned the details outside the game. Geesh, I don't know why anyone wants to be in this temple. Between inner rituals like this and what they put you through during the 7th Rite, you have got to be a glutton for punishment. But it makes for great games!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Krista! It sure is a weird temple, and very hard to get a feel for why someone would want to join, let alone make a deep investment in its ritual practice. I suppose it DOES draw people of a mystical bent (its nihilism may be more explicit than mainstream Buddhism, but in the same vein), and Avatars of Lord Hru'u, like The Other One suggest another way people engage with the god: as a way to fend off fearful or sorrowful experiences. The eye of the hurricane is the safest place and all that.

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  2. Totally agree with Krista. So strange. Thanks for a very fascinating glimpse of your Tekumel, and the Fate adaptation.

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  3. Thanks, Andreas! I'll do my best to share a little bit more!

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