{"id":773,"date":"2019-05-09T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T13:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.torchbearerrpg.com\/?p=773"},"modified":"2019-05-15T09:50:06","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T13:50:06","slug":"lords-of-the-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.torchbearerrpg.com\/?p=773","title":{"rendered":"Lords of the Land"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"The<\/a>
The Wild Hunt of Odin<\/a>, by Peter Nicolai Arbo (1872)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hello friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know that settlements in Torchbearer often have temples and shrines to various Immortals\u2014they\u2019re among the locations you can visit  during the town phase. But the temples and shrines are generic. It\u2019s left to the GM to fill in the details. By default, people in Torchbearer give devotion to many Immortals. Most are simply worshipped collectively as the \u201cLords.\u201d But it is not uncommon for settlements to pay special attention to a Young Lord: say Yngve the Lord of Sowing, an incarnation of the Lords of Plenty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

These rules are intended to give individual settlements a bit more character by giving you tools to determine which Young Lord a settlement especially reveres. You can also determine which Chaos Immortal (Jotunn) the settlement especially fears and propitiates. These rules are intended to replace the Temples and Shrines<\/strong> section of the Town<\/strong> chapter in Torchbearer<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use these details to color your settlements and give them character. If you\u2019re making use of the cult rules from Middarmark<\/em>1<\/a><\/sup>See Sworn to the Young Lords<\/strong>, p. 75<\/span>, these results can help you determine if a particular cult operates in a settlement. And obviously you don\u2019t need to roll on the Immortal Patrons table if you already know a particular Young Lord holds sway in a settlement: Freydis, Lady of Reaping, is the patron of Sunn\u00e5s in Middarmark<\/em>, so there\u2019s no need to roll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018Age\u2019 category is meant to give a rough idea of how widespread a particular Immortal\u2019s worship is: People throughout Middarmark and beyond (e.g., Gottland, Holmsea and Svanland) often recognize ancient immortals, though it is unusual for them to have truly devoted cults; they are frequently worshipped collectively with the Lords rather than as individuals. The worship of old Immortals is widespread and often more organized\u2014though different peoples often have different names for them. Young Immortals are recently ascended\u2014within the past several hundred years. Their adherents tend to be devoted and vigorous in the pursuit of their patron\u2019s goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temples and Shrines<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Temples and shrines in towns gladly offer prayers for weary travelers\u2014for a small donation, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immortal Patrons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most settlements have small shrines to various immortals, but most also have one particular patron whom they favor with spells and sacrifice. The GM may choose a settlement\u2019s Immortal Patron or roll 3d6 on the following table:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roll<\/strong>
(3d6)<\/strong><\/td>		Immortal <\/strong>
Patron<\/strong><\/td>		Age<\/strong><\/td>Symbols<\/strong><\/td>Spheres of <\/strong>
Influence<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
3<\/strong><\/td>Lord of the <\/em>
Wild Hunt<\/em><\/td>		Ancient<\/td>Hunting horn made
of deer antlers and
brambles<\/td>		Terror, fear,
hunting, the lost<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/strong><\/td>The Shining <\/em>
One<\/em><\/td>		Ancient<\/td>A youthful girl, hair
not yet plaited in adult
braids, adorned with a
crown of wildflowers<\/td>		Youth, health,
song, spring<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/strong><\/td>Lady of the <\/em>
Winter Hunt<\/em><\/td>		Young<\/td>A woman carrying a
bundle of skis, spear
and bow over her
shoulder<\/td>		Winter travel,
storms, winter,
death<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/strong><\/td>Lord of <\/em>
Strength<\/em><\/td>		Young<\/td>A young man seated
upon a throne with a
naked sword across
his knees<\/td>		Nobility, youth,
warriors<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/strong><\/td>Lord of Winds<\/em>
and Sailors<\/td>		Old<\/td>A sailor with a cloak
made of feathers;
wind-blown waves; a
mountain wreathed
in cloud<\/td>		Weather, luck,
sailors, journeys
by sea<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/strong><\/td>Lady of Battles<\/em><\/td>Young<\/td>A woman armored and
helmed, her great sword
held point down before
her<\/td>		Conquest and
war, courage,
order, protection<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/strong><\/td>Lady of Reaping<\/em><\/td>Ancient<\/td>A young woman with a
basket overflowing with
food; a grim-visaged
warrior brandishing a
spear<\/td>		Harvest, death,
war, fertility, sex,
autumn<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/strong><\/td>Lord of Sowing<\/em><\/td>Ancient<\/td>A boar or a naked man
with pronounced genitalia<\/td>		Sowing, plowing
fertility, sex<\/td><\/tr>
11<\/strong><\/td>Lord of Victory<\/em><\/td>Ancient<\/td>A richly dressed noble
figure on a throne with a
sheathed sword across
his knees<\/td>		Battle, victory,
rulership<\/td><\/tr>
12<\/strong><\/td>Hearthmistress,<\/em>
Protector of the<\/em>
Hall<\/em><\/td>		Old<\/td>A queen seated upon her
throne, a spear and shield
at her side; a loom<\/td>		Hearth, marriage
children, weaving,
cooking, defense
of hearth and
home<\/td><\/tr>
13<\/strong><\/td>Lord of Forges<\/em><\/td>Old<\/td>Hammer and tongs; a forge;
a thickly bearded face<\/td>		Craft and crafters,
swordsmiths,
cunning<\/td><\/tr>
14<\/strong><\/td>The Huntress<\/em><\/td>Ancient<\/td>Two boar spears crossed;
a bare-chested woman
crouched; a she-wolf
stalking<\/td>		Hunting, wild beasts,
pursuit in love, luck<\/td><\/tr>
15<\/strong><\/td>The <\/em>
Dragonslayer<\/em><\/td>		Young<\/td>A man painted black and
carrying a spear<\/td>		Heroes, lost causes,
valiant death<\/td><\/tr>
16<\/strong><\/td>Lord of Mercy<\/em><\/td>Old<\/td>Twin idol with his sister,
Lady of Valor; they stand
side-by-side. He is a man
bearing a drinking horn<\/td>		Health, healing,
recovery, mercy,
justice, drinking<\/td><\/tr>
17<\/strong><\/td>Lady of Valor<\/em><\/td>Old<\/td>Twin idol with her brother,
Lord of Mercy; they stand
side-by-side. She is a
warrior with a sword and
shield<\/td>		Courage, bravery,
fortitude, sharp
swords, strong
shields, valiant
death<\/td><\/tr>
18<\/strong><\/td>The Daystar<\/em><\/td>Ancient<\/td>An ouroboros around the
sun<\/td>		Seasons, sunlight,
time, summer<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Propitiate Immortals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not all Immortals are beneficent. There are dark powers who seek the destruction of civilization. To keep them at bay, folk make constant sacrifice, hoping to satisfy the dark immortals\u2019 carnal lusts so they do not visit calamity on a settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To determine to whom the folk of this settlement sacrifice\u2014or to determine which cults secretly lurk in the hearts of the guilds and rulers of this place, roll 2d6 on the following table: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roll<\/strong>
(2d6)<\/strong><\/td>		Propitiate<\/strong>
Immortal<\/strong><\/td>		Age<\/strong><\/td>Symbols<\/strong><\/td>Spheres of<\/strong>
Influence<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
2-3<\/strong><\/td>Captain of the<\/em>
Dead Ship<\/em><\/td>		Eternal
(Jotunn)<\/td>		A desiccated
hand from which
the fingernails
have been torn;
a ship made of
fingernails<\/td>		Death, undeath,
funerals, sailing
in storms,
curses<\/td><\/tr>
4-5<\/strong><\/td>The Stalking <\/em>
Beast<\/em><\/td>		Eternal
(Jotunn)<\/td>		A great black
wolf; a shadow
in darkness; a
giant hand
covering the
moon<\/td>		Hunting, wild
beasts, eclipse,
nightmares,
ravening hunger<\/td><\/tr>
6-7<\/strong><\/td>Lady of <\/em>
Enervation<\/em><\/td>		Eternal
(Jotunn)<\/td>		A spilled cup; a
bent, lamed
woman; a giant
hand clutching a
warrior woman<\/td>		Servants and thralls,
gossip, laziness,
time, cold wet
weather, curses<\/td><\/tr>
8-9<\/strong><\/td>Lord of <\/em>
Whispers<\/em><\/td>		Eternal
(Jotunn)<\/td>		A knife tipped with
a drop of blood, a
hand over the
mouth; a coin
stamped with a
skull<\/td>		Politics, trade,
succession,
assassination,
corruption<\/td><\/tr>
10-12<\/strong><\/td>Lord of<\/em>
Slaughter<\/em><\/td>		Eternal
(Jotunn)<\/td>		A raven; a dead
man; a shattered
shield; a giant
crushing a powerful
warrior<\/td>		Ravens, ambush,
battlefields, battle
madness, murder<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Pray at the Shrine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A traveler may pray at the shrine of the Immortal Patron or propitiated Chaos Immortal of this place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make Sacrifices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may entreat the priests of this settlement to make sacrifices on your behalf. You may sacrifice to the Immortal patron or you may sacrifice to a Jotunn Immortal to try to ward off bad luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n