Chapter VIII: Religion & Belief
the blood-descendents of Ulric whom, they claim, has sired tens of thousands of mortal children. The Sons generally keep to themselves, but they do consider themselves to be the rightful masters of the cult of Ulric (as they are his children, after all). They will seize opportunities to undermine the cult if they can do so quietly and carefully. Working with the Sons of Ulric or, worse, joining them is a heresy punishable by death in Middenland. Church Skills and Talents Initiates of Ulric start with the Strike Mighty Blow talent in addition to their normal career skills. Priests of Ulric can, at their option, learn the following skills and talents as part of their careers: Intimidate, Frenzy, and Specialist Weapon Group (Two-handed). Prominent Figures The most important figures in the cult of Ulric are the High Priest of Ulric and the inner circle of the Knights of the White Wolf. The High Priest, who bears the title Ar-Ulric, leads the cult in all things. He possesses some secular power also, with a vote on the Elector Council in times of succession within in the Empire. The current Ar-Ulric, Emil Valgeir, has had a sharp relationship with the cult of Sigmar, particularly with the Arch Lector of Talabheim. The two men are known to have considerable dislike for one another, dating back to an episode in which the Arch Lector was leaving an audience with the Emperor and the High Priest was arriving. The Arch Lector refused to have his procession yield to the side and let the High Priest pass, as is tradition, and both processions sat in the afternoon sun for hours until the Emperor himself came out and ordered the processions to pass one another as would equals. The whole sordid affair was seen in Middenheim as a grave insult to the cult of Ulric—imagine treating anyone but the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar as the High Priest’s equal!—and the grudge has not lessened in recent years. The inner circle of the Knights of the White Wolf is made up of a small number of knights, all of them older but also strong and proud in their winter years. Any of these knights is considered one of the great heroes of the Empire. The inner circle takes an interest in the affairs of state and some of them have been known to sponsor groups of young heroes whose adventures might influence events for the better. Ar-Ulric’s bodyguard is taken from amongst these, and are known as the Teutogen Guard, after the tribe that founded Ulric has three main holy days: the Autumn Equinox, the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, marking the beginning, middle and end of Winter respectively. The Spring Equinox was formerly the major festival, marking the beginning of the campaigning season, but is now on a par with the other two. It is also customary for a ruler or general to declare a holy day in Ulric’s honour at the start of a campaign or military exercise, and at the foundation of a new fort or castle. Holy days are generally spent holding military parades and displays, with huge bonfires and feasting into the night, making them very popular occasions indeed. T he V erenan o rders The cult of Verena has no central authority, but its temples are in constant contact with one another, exchanging news and information. Verena’s Priests are valued as arbitrators and go-betweens because of their reputation for trustworthiness and neutrality, and they often act as an unofficial diplomatic service in disputes between rulers and nations. The Middenheim. Holy Days
fact is seldom publicized that they have played a key role in defusing a number of potential wars. The temples normally have colonnaded facades, with a bas-relief owl over the doorway. They are large halls, lit by many small, narrow windows set high in the walls, and dominated by great stone statues of Verena, who is commonly portrayed seated on a throne, an open book on her lap, an owl perched on her shoulder, and a pen and inkwell on the arm of the throne. A number of smaller rooms lead off from the hall, including Priest quarters and the libraries for which Verena’s temples are most famous. Each temple has at least one meeting room, where meetings and negotiations take place under the auspices of the Goddess. Priests will gladly attend at such negotiations, and everything said and written in one of these meeting rooms is kept in the strictest confidence. Shrines to Verena tend to be smaller versions of the temples, consisting of a roof supported on elegant columns, covering a small statue of the Goddess. Sometimes the columns are connected by walls, the insides of which are often carved with bas-relief shelves stacked with books and scrolls. Holy Orders The Priesthood has two ranks in Verena’s cult: Priest and High Priest. Each temple has a single High Priest, who oversees rites and serves as the chief administrator for the temple library. A temple’s Priests choose their High Priest by consensus and make their selection based on who has superior wisdom and knowledge. Instead of serving at a temple, some Priests join the Order of Mysteries, which is dedicated to uncovering forgotten and suppressed lore. The order frequently allies with Light Wizards and enlists the aid of adventurers, for the lore it seeks is often in perilous territory. The order does not always publish its findings, as some knowledge, particularly of Chaos, is not always fit for public consumption. This knowledge is not suppressed but is housed in one of the cult’s libraries, where only the informed and diligent can find it.
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