Chapter VIII: Religion & Belief
T he C ulT of u lrIC The main temple of Ulric in Middenheim is a mighty place indeed. Though temples of Ulric are found throughout the northern and eastern Empire and smaller shrines are located throughout the Old World, in barracks and fortresses, it is in Middenheim that Ulric’s greatest temple lies. Common temples to Ulric are square, with a central dome and decorative battlements around the roof. They are always strongly built of stone, normally without any exterior decoration, with the exception of a wolf’s-head relief over the doorway. This is usually set in a shallow porch, supported by two plain stone pillars. The interior is lit by a series of small apertures in the dome, and by a fire that burns continually in a circular hearth. Behind the fire, against the rear wall, is a statue of Ulric, usually seated and sometimes flanked by a pair of wolves. The Priests’ quarters and other rooms are situated behind the temple itself, and are reached through a door in the back wall. The temple to Ulric in Middenheim, on the other hand, is a vast castle. The keep is the main temple, capable of holding just over two thousand worshippers at a time, and there are many smaller altars and private chapels running off from it. The Priests’ accommodation and other functional rooms are on the upper floors, while the outer bailey of the castle is given over to accommodation and training facilities for pilgrims and visiting Priests. Shrines to Ulric tend to be smaller versions of the temples, with a small statue of the God behind a lamp or small hearth, which is tended by the shrine’s attendants or by passersby. Holy Orders There are two major holy orders in the cult of Ulric, one of clergy and the other of Templars. The clergy are all members of the Order of the Howling Wolf, so called because they are the voice of the cult. Priests of Ulric are invariably accomplished warriors in their own right and are prepared to take up arms in defence of the faith against Beastmen, wicked men, or any other force that might encroach upon Middenland. Followers of Ulric must follow military careers, or at least careers that involve fighting. Characters must have completed at least one warrior career before becoming Initiates. In addition to fighting, the clergy are expected to fully embody and explain the teachings of Ulric to others, giving their order its name: “The words of our God will howl in your heart like the wolves of winter,” the Ulric Creed says, “They will move you to fear and then to strength.” Because Ulric’s ethos is so based on self-reliance, his Priests’ relations with other worshippers are peculiar. They rarely tell others how to live their lives, letting them make their own mistakes, but in battle they assume strict military hierarchies that must be obeyed by the faithful of Ulric or the consequences are dire. The other order of Ulric is considerably more famous than the clerical order of the Howling Wolf, and that is the great Templar order of the Knights of the White Wolf. The oldest order of Templars in the world, these knights observe traditions dating back to before the coming of Sigmar. The order is legendary throughout the Old World and only the greatest warriors may join them. A Knight of the White Wolf considers it an honour to die in battle; he knows no fear. The knights go into battle with double-handed hammers and no helms, wolf-pelts trailing behind them as they ride down their foes. They are called to battle whenever the cult is threatened, which includes threats to the cult’s home of Middenheim. The Sons of Ulric are a secret society in Middenheim that the cult of Ulric has condemned as heretical. The Sons believe that they are
There are no temples to Rhya, as all of her rites are performed in open fields and meadows. Shrines to her are plentiful, however, appearing on the edges of many villages. These shrines are either cairns adorned with flowers, sacred springs with one of Rhya’s symbols etched in a nearby stone, or arbors entwined with ivy, flowers, or grapevines. Holy Orders The cult’s Priests serve both Taal and Rhya, for nature is destructive and nurturing, fearsome and sublime. Within each region, the Priesthood has three circles: Priests, high Priests, and two hierarchs. The hierarchs share authority, with the hierarch of Rhya presiding in spring and autumn and the hierarch of Taal presiding in summer and winter. High Priests are appointed by the hierarchs to oversee Priests at a stone circle, temple, or group of shrines in their region. Priests assist the high Priests, performing seasonal rites and maintaining remote shrines. The hierarchs warn their Priests from becoming entangled in the politics of the Empire and other realms, for the cycles of nature will endure long after nations are dust. A few Priests are ordained by their hierarchs to live in the wilderness, following the Path of Taal. They are guardians of wild places and those who wander them. These Priests often befriend Amber Wizards and together explore the most perilous wilds. To the lost, these pairings are Godsends. To creatures of Chaos lurking in the woods and mountains, they are terrors. Some fishermen outside of Talabheim also worship Taal as the father of rivers, but under the name Karog. He is also worshipped as Karnos, Lord of Beasts, in some areas of Middenland and Talabecland, where his worship is popular among hunters and trappers. Even fewer Priests are ordained to walk the Path of Rhya. This path entails forsaking all signs of Priesthood and living in villages as farmers, midwives, and apothecaries. These Priests are tasked with being ever watchful but unobtrusive. They are quiet guardians, lions in wait, ready to call upon Rhya’s great wrath if a region is endangered. Rhya is sometimes called Haleth, Lady of the Hunt, in the northern Empire, and she is Dryath, Goddess of fertility, in the agricultural areas of the Reikland. Many sages speculate that the Elven Gods Kurrnos and Isha are none other than Taal and Rhya. Church Skills and Talents Initiates of Taal and Rhya start with the Outdoor Survival skill in addition to their normal career skills. Priests of Taal and Rhya can, at their option, learn the following skills and talents as part of their careers: Charm Animal, Navigation and Orientation. Prominent Figures Currently, the two most redoubtable hierarchs in the cult dwell in the southern reaches of the Reikwald Forest. Katrinelya, hierarch of Rhya, and Niav, hierarch of Taal, are known equally for their knowledge and fearsome power. Katrinelya is willowy and kind-faced and is the more outspoken of the two. Niav’s face is almost lost in his beard, but observers say his blind eyes glimmer with a strange light, especially when he stands in their stone circle and listens to the wind for whispers of the future. Both are old beyond reckoning. Some wonder if they are elves in disguise—a rumour abetted by the fact that the two are among the few humans welcomed in Athel Loren. Holy Days The main holy days of Taal and Rhya are the spring and autumn equinoxes and the summer solstice. The winter solstice is also celebrated, in honour of Ulric. Lesser holy days are associated with the full and new moons.
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