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morsrattus · 17 days ago

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Chen Gar, the Snow Peak Hunter, the White Cloud's Shadow, the Silent Cat

The Cult of Chen Gar (COLD BEAST DEATH)

Chen Gar is one of the Cat Brothers, the mighty sons and daughters of Fralar Flesh-Eater. His grandfather is the Universe Dragon, his grandmother is the Brown Earth. Of all the Cat Brothers, he climbed the highest, higher even than the wind. He is the father of the Chen Ga, the Snow Leopard People, and their greatest god.

Mythos and History

When Fralar set the world before his many children to divide into territories, the Cat Brothers stuck together. They saw no need to fight each other for territory, not when they could hunt different prey and be strong together. Chen Gar made pact with his brothers, Hsa and Manurl, and they settled in the mountains and steppes of Pent and the Shan Shan.

Manurl chose the grasses and shrubs, for he was the smallest of the trio, and claimed as his prey the rabbits, the rats and the gophers. He made an enemy of Gord, but he prospered by trapping. Hsa chose the mountain lowlands, the river basins and the northern taiga, for he was the largest, and he preyed on the deer and yak, and even the mighty Damal and Lo Fa feared his strength.

Chen Gar took to the highlands and the snow peaks. He explored the lands above the clouds themselves, and in the sky he found a new creature - a fluffy creature, unlike any of the beasts of the land. It was white and gray and rumbled with thunder.

In those ancient days, Dark had not yet come to the sky. There was nowhere to hide in the blue-stained sky realm, save for on the mountaintops. Chen Gar had black fur then, for he had planned to hide in shadow, but there were no shadows in the sky. He could not hunt these new creatures.

Chen Gar needed new fur - a cloak to wear about himself as if it were darkness. And so he went to the Snow Woman, who lived on the mountain tops. "You are ever cloaked in white snow, Snow Woman. Tell me what I must do to wear such fur."

Snow Woman did not trust Chen Gar, for he was new to the mountains. "Go to my father," she said. "He is named Winter. If you can survive his tests, he will give you a white cloak."

Chen Gar honored Snow Woman with a freshly killed marmot and went to the north, where Winter lived. There, he met Freezing Wind, who also sought the might of Winter. The two traveled together for a time.

The two both spoke of their shared enemy: the Cloud Beast. Chen Gar told Freezing Wind about how it danced around the mountain tops, but could not be hunted. Freezing Wind told Chen Gar of the things that lived above this beast - the cloudcats, who could teach him their secrets if he could make them think he was a cloud, and of the Beast's true name: Uroth, the Blue Ram, whose children are called sheep. In thanks, Chen Gar taught Freezing Wind how to hunt in the cracks, how to tear flesh from bone and seek every prey, no matter how small. This is why the icy winds can chill anything.

Soon, they reached the throne of Winter, the icy peak. Winter received them both as honored guests. He met with each alone, and Chen Gar told Winter of his desire for a white cloak. Winter set many tasks before Chen Gar, to prove his strength.

Chen Gar hunted great beasts of the ice and snow. He tracked tiny rats in the ice caves. He showed again and again that his cunning was great and mighty. Winter was proud of him, and treated him as a son. Often, Freezing Wind helped Chen Gar in his tasks, a mighty warrior whose brute strength was match to Chen Gar's cunning. At last, Winter gave Chen Gar a great white cloak, which faded into the snow and ice with ease.

However, Winter told Chen Gar a terrible thing. "I have been seeking to give up my throne to a worthy khan. I do not want to be Winter's ruler, but only my true self, Himile, the Cold. I have been testing you to see if you are worthy. You have passed every test - but so has one other. I must see which of you bears the true heart of ice. You must slay Freezing Wind."

Chen Gar refused. "I have no desire for a throne. I am here for only one reason: to be able to hunt Uroth the Cloud Beast, who is my prey."

Winter became angry, and he grabbed Chen Gar and hurled him out. This tore the white cloak, leaving holes and damaged patches, which is why snow leopards have spots. Chen Gar twisted in the air, landing safely, and fled from the castle. Freezing Wind took up the throne of Winter, but that is another story.

With his new cloak of white, Chen Gar returned to the mountains of his home. He stalked his prey, watching as Uroth danced through the sky. This time, however, he was hidden in the light itself, cloaked in white atop the mountains. When Uroth was not ready, he leapt.

The battle is in the blood of all Chen Ga. In that moment, Chen Gar truly became the Snow Leopard, and Uroth became his prey. Uroth fought like a demon, but Chen Gar was greater. He knew when to fight and when to retreat, and forever after have the Chen Ga and their leopard kin fed on the sheep and goats that are Uroth's children.

The Chen Ga themselves emerged after the battle with Uroth. Chen Gar retreated to tend his wounds, and some of his children came to lick his wounds with him. Their wisdom was greatest of the snow leopards, for they saw that they had as much to learn from Chen Gar in his weak times as his strong, and that by tending to him, they could learn as well. Therefore, he taught them his great secret: how to remove his cloak and stand as Freezing Wind had, the trick of turning human.

Their descendants are the Chen Ga - snow leopards who can walk as humans. They know the powers of Winter, of Freezing Wind and Cold and Snow Maiden, and they know the ways of the Cat Brothers. This is the legacy of Chen Gar.

Nature of the Cult

The cult of Chen Gar is the dominant force in Chen Ga society. Almost all Chen Ga, male or female, belong to it. It is the cult of the snow leopard and the hunter, the exemplar for basic life as one of the Chen Ga. It sets forth the virtues by which the Chen Ga strive to live, and its rituals order their gatherings. When the Chen Ga gather together, it is the priests of Chen Gar who teach them how to live. Survival is the primary goal of the cult, teaching the virtues of hunting skill, stealth and endurance.

Depiction

Chen Gar is depicted as a very large snow leopard, or as a man with the head of a snow leopard. When in four-legged form, he is shown as sleek and with his black spots in swirling patterns. In two-legged form, he has dark skin and wears a large but somewhat tattered white cloak whose holes form the same patterns.

Runes

Chen Gar is associated with the runes of Cold, Beast and Death. Initiates who possess either the Air or Darkness Rune will have it converted into the Cold Rune at equivalent rating.

:COLD:

Chen Gar's Cold Rune manifests as his power over his snowy domain in the high mountains. He has relatively broad control over the Cold Rune in the context of snow and mountains, but has relatively little control over other cold weather or more esoteric applications. Initiates have been known, among other things, to use the Cold Rune to withstand cold weather, move unseen and without trace in snowy areas, cause or prevent avalanches, blend into snow, ice or taiga, call snow squalls, create crude tools or weapons from ice, preserve meat, fight during snowstorms or cold snaps, freeze things, make shelters in snow or ice, or safely traverse frozen landscapes. Those strong in the Cold Rune tend to be stoic, dedicated, and distant.

:BEAST:

Chen Gar's Beast Rune is focused on the snow leopard, and all of its powers manifest through his nature as the father of snow leopards. Initiates have been known to use the Beast Rune to transform partially or completely into a snow leopard, to fight with claws and fangs, to track prey by hearing or scent, to move unseen and silently, to see well in dim light, to climb and maintain balance across snow or unstable surfaces, to leave messages with claw marks, urine and feces, to stay warm, to strike down prey swiftly, or to safely move through their territory. Those strong in the Beast Rune tend to be cautious, cunning, and suspicious.

:DEATH:

Chen Gar is a predator, a hunter of great skill who kills calmly and efficiently. He wields death to produce food, and his command of the Death Rune is practical, that of a stalker and silent assassin of prey. Initiates have been known to use the Death Rune to kill silently, to preserve a corpse, to fight, to remove a victim's ability to make noise, to kill prey instantly, to prepare meat, or to terrify scavengers and competitors. Those strong in the Death Rune tend to be direct, honest, and ruthless.

Opposed Runes

Chen Gar is opposed to the Runes of Fire and Life.

Particular Likes and Dislikes

Chen Gar's closest allies are his kin among the Cat Brothers, most notably his elder brother Hsa and his younger brother Manurl. The Cat Brothers and their children rarely fight each other, respecting and sometimes even sharing territory.

Chen Gar is also a sworn friend and brother to the Freezing Wind, who took up the mantle of Winter's Khan. The two have a long respect, and Chen Gar helped Freezing Wind fight his enemies during the Darkness. He is friendly with the Snow Woman as well, but more distant. The god Himile, also called Cold or Winter, is also a more distant ally, who still somewhat resents Chen Gar for rejecting the throne of Winter without even thinking about it.

Chen Gar's greatest enemy is Uroth, the Cloud Beast, who is the father of all rams, sheep and goats. Chen Gar eternally stalks this creature, hoping to devour him. This has also made Chen Gar an enemy of Uroth's friends and allies, such as the West King Wind.

Lastly, Chen Gar opposes most of the Pentan gods, who take issue with his hunting, and the Kralori gods, who are ancient foes of his ancestor, the Universe Dragon. Neither can be trusted, and Chen Gar teaches his followers to avoid them where possible.

Cult Organization

Chen Gar's cult is only loosely organized, built around maintaining the clan ties of the Chen Ga despite their solitary nature. Most Chen Ga are members of the cult, which provides the education and training needed to survive in the dangerous mountains where the Snow Leopard People make their homes. Each clan maintains an independent cult, and each claims descent from a specific breed of snow leopard, each the child of one of the original Chen Ga that tended to Chen Gar's wounds and learned from him.

Rank within the cult (and thus within Chen Ga clans) is largely built around demonstrated hunting skill and ability to provide meat for the people. Typically, the entire clan will only gather at specific hunting festivals in which rank and prestige are determined by successful provision of large amounts of meat.

The cult's priests are its leaders, teachers and judges. They resolve disputes between Chen Ga, judge the quality of meat in hunting competitions, and teach the young how to be proper members of the clan. They are not, however, considered to rule the clan. Instead, the cult's duty is to name the clan chieftain, whose duty is to lead the clan in times of danger. (In normal times, the chieftain is merely given more respect than other Chen Ga and the right to choose the best part of the clan territory to live in.)

Priests

Chen Ga priests are chosen by other priests. Each priest may raise an apprentice priest, though they may only train one at a time. Most end up raising several over the course of their lives. A child or adolescent chosen as an apprentice priest is given over to the priest that chose them, who is considered to be their parent now. They are trained in the rites of the priesthood, and are given full priest status only after passing a test set forth by them from their priestly parent. However, a priest may only take on an apprentice after succeeding at one of the cult's rites of challenge, which demonstrate ability and earn Chen Gar's favor.

Rank within the priesthood is based on hunting skill and completion of various challenge rites. Each clan maintains slightly different traditions around the challenges, and a priest has authority only within their own clan. The highest ranking priest of the clan is the high priest, and may overrule the judgments of the others.

Priests traditionally wear white wool cloaks as a sign of their rank. These cloaks are cut with hole patterns that denote which challenges the priest has successfully completed.

Priests are required to spend much of their time traveling between the homes of clan members. They keep track of where everyone is living, maintain communications between families, and ensure that children are provided the education and training they need to survive. Priests are not given hunting grounds or homes of their own, but instead are hosted by the members of the clan and must be permitted to hunt in the territory of whoever is hosting them.

Center of Power and Holy Places

The holiest site in all of the world is the lair in which Chen Gar lived after his first battle with Uroth. It was here that the first Chen Ga were created, when they served and tended to their father and were granted wisdom. However, the location of this site has been lost to time; if it were discovered, the various clans would likely fight over who got to control it.

Other holy sites mark various deeds of Chen Gar, including several battles against Uroth or hunts of great beasts and monsters. The Chen Ga clans sometimes come into conflict over control of these sites, which are used for sacred hunts and other rituals and also tend to have particularly good hunting throughout the year.

There are a number of holy sites in the distant north, which mark the locations of great deeds carried out by Chen Gar when he was staying in the lands of Winter. These places are not controlled by the Chen Ga, but are sometimes the sites of pilgrimage, particularly for those undertaking divine challenges or preparing for heroquests. The most distant of those lie in the far west, across the White Sea, on the Glacier, but the Chen Ga are able to visit these distant lands only very rarely and so speak of them mostly in legend.

Initiates

Initiates of Chen Gar must have one of the Air, Darkness, Beast or Death runes at 1W or higher. Any initiate with the Air or Darkness Rune will have it replaced by the Cold Rune at equivalent rating.

Holy Days

On the first Freezeday of each season, the cult holds a gathering festival to bring everyone in the clan together for a feast. The priests provide the food, and it is used to check in on the clan and their needs in the coming season as well as to perform sacrifices to Chen Gar in thanks.

In addition to these seasonal holy days, the Windsday of Death Week in Fire Season is the Hunter's Kill, a celebration of Chen Gar's first victory over Uroth. That week is considered the most auspicious time for organized raiding, and the Hunter's Kill is celebrated by a competition for who can bring in the largest prey, preferably a sheep or goat. Massive sacrifices to Chen Gar are performed.

The Firedays of Death Week, Movement Week and Truth Week of the Dark and Storm Seasons are minor holy days. The priesthood gathers up the clan on these days to distribute meat and celebrate survival in the cold times. Those who provide meat to others are given special regard and are considered blessed by Chen Gar.

Finally, the Godsday of Fertility Week in Sea Season is the Birth of the People, a great holiday celebrating the granting of wisdom to the Chen Ga by their patriarch. On this day, all people are considered to get one year older, and it is the traditional day for children to be given names or to undergo initiation into adulthood. It is a day of solemn meditation on the true nature of life.

Sacrifices

All sacrifices to Chen Gar prominently feature meat, preferably the meat of lambs, sheep or goats. Offerings of wool or bone goods are also acceptable, as is anything of value taken from outsiders by theft or raiding, unless it is made from snow leopard fur or bones, which must be given sacred burial. Chen Ga are forbidden to use the bodies of their four-legged kin for any purpose, and must bury them with full mourning rites when a body is discovered. Likewise, they may never harm a snow leopard.

Subcults

There are many subcults to Chen Gar, most of which are dedicated to the ancestral heroes who founded the clans, or to great heroes in the history of those clans. These tend to be highly localized to specific clans. However, a number are more widespread.

Irbis, the High Seeker (COLD)

Irbis was the most adventurous and boldest of the first Chen Ga. He sought to climb higher than any other, and he made friendships with the cloudcats and storm tigers, not only so he could better hunt cloudsheep but so that he could learn the ways of flight. He is said to have traveled to the White Glacier in the far west, to even train under his father's old friend, Freezing Wind. His followers may use their Cold Rune to glide during snowstorms or to walk on snow as if it was solid ground. Irbis grants access to the Cloudcat's Shadow Feat.

Unciar, the Kinminder (BEAST)

Unciar was the most fecund of the first Chen Ga, the mother of many and the grandmother of even more than that. She helped establish the first territories, traveling with her children and showing the Chen Ga how to depend on each other without infringing on each other. She taught children how to hunt, young leopards how to court, and elders how to lead by example. Her followers may use the Beast Rune to heal snow leopards (including Chen Ga), sense territorial claims, or bless snow leopard kittens and Chen Ga children. Unciar grants access to the Herbal Healer Feat.

Idor La, the Princeslayer (DEATH)

Idor La was the most ferocious of the first Chen Ga, vengeful and unforgiving. She recalled to her kin the depredations of humanity, who took too much from the land, and worst of all, of the Son of Dragons, who had turned his back on the Universe Dragon in order to conquer the world, which could belong to none. She even slew the Son of Dragons' own son, the Prince of White Jade, and fashioned his skull into a gauntlet she wore over a wounded claw. Her followers may use the Death Rune to evade the sight of foes on the battlefield, to paralyze the followers of those they kill, or to make enchanted weapons from human bone. Idor La grants access to the Slayer of Princes Feat.

Devotees

Chen Gar Devotees must have one of the Cold, Beast or Death Runes at 11W or higher, and are forbidden the use of magic from any other source, as normal for devotees. They may belong to only one subcult.

Common Chen Gar Feats

Cloudcat's Shadow (COLD): Irbis sought to climb higher than any other, to enter the sky itself and dance with the cloudcats. When the snowstorms raged at their highest, he would climb upon the snowflakes and head into the air, disguising his spots so that he looked like a cloudcat, all in white. So long as the snow raged, he could fly like they did, though not so high. He danced in their shadows, up and down the storm, stalking through the raging winds and snowbursts. As the snows ended, he would follow them down, landing in the snow drifts and forced to land once more.

Herbal Healer (BEAST): Unciar revealed to the snow leopards, both four- and two-legged, the secrets of herbs, of eating plants to gain their strength. When one of her children became sick, she went into the wilds and sought out the secret herbs. She knew all the secret herbs, and she would find the herb whose secret heart warred against the evils of disease. She would take it into herself, chewing the herb and returning home. Then, she would release her soul from her body, combining with the herb's spirit to stalk and fight the disease within the body of her kin. Armed with the herb's warrior spirit as claws and fangs, she would fight against the evil disease and slaughter it, burning it away in a hot fever that she cooled with mountain snows.

The Hunter Unseen (BEAST): When Chen Gar took to the field to find prey, he would draw his white cloak of snow around him. He would seek out the greatest prey, the most delicious enemy, and would traverse the mountains invisible. Anyone that saw him saw only snow and dirt and shadow, for his cloak made him one with the mountains. No avalanche could touch him, for he climbed above them all, and no foe could find him, for he was the snow and the brush. He would stalk his prey for days, waiting for it to weaken and tire. He did not know cold, did not know fatigue. At last, when his prey was alone, he would pounce, shattering the spine of his prey in one swift movement. He would feast, then place the body in the ice, where it would last the season. In this way, the greatest of all hunters would never starve.

Slayer of Princes (DEATH): While Idor La was out hunting, her favorite little brother was slain by the Prince of White Jade. His pelt was taken and worn as a trophy, but his bones were cast aside like dirt, and his soul cried out in torment. This filled Idor La with a terrible rage, and she swore not to rest until the Prince of White Jade was repaid for his crime. Idor La stalked through the cities of men, unseen by all. When she passed the camps of soldiers, she was as a shadow in the night, her claws tearing their throats. She did not eat them, but left them as a sign of her fury, taking a bone from each one. As she traveled, she bound the bones together with sinew, making of them a claw. It took ten camps and ten bones before she was done, but it brought her to the Prince of White Jade's palace. She snuck inside, slaying any servant she met and marking the walls with their blood, that all might know her rage. At last, she entered the Prince's chambers, and she woke him from his bed, setting him to flee like prey. She hunted him through the palace, slaughtering any who came to defend him, and when he hid, she pulled him from his hiding place and lifted him to be seen by all. She tore his throat out with her teeth and pierced his heart with the bone claw she made. Then she tore his head off and stripped it of flesh, taking his skull and making of it a cestus to fit her claw. Thus was Idor La's brother repaid, for his killer was made prey, and he was honored by the bones of the dead.

Divine Retribution

Any Chen Ga who kills a snow leopard, four-legged or two-legged, will be cursed as a kinslayer. They are spiritually marked, causing a bad smell which makes them unpleasant to be around and which alerts prey to their presence. This smell also attracts nasty and cruel spirits in the form of biting flies and nightmares, which will both assail the kinslayer frequently. This curse can only be removed by performing a great rite of atonement requiring a pilgrimage to a holy site and the sacrifice of a great prey beast, along with the blessing of a priest of Chen Gar.

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