Kolat
The Wind Father
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Kolat is Orlanth's brother, a powerful spirit who commands the spirits of wind. He is the Orlanthi connection to the Spirit World, and his shamans are important for dealing with those unfamiliar magics.
Table of Contents
Mythos and History
A. Before Time
Kolat was born to Umath and the spirit Kal. Unlike Orlanth and his other brothers, Kolat was not tested by the jealous uncles—he was already full-grown at the time. Kolat was a friend to Orlanth in his early explorations.
Kolat helped Orlanth wage war against foreign spirits, and he used his Creation Sticks to either create or open the Spirit World and trap all the spirits there. In the time of the Vingkotlings, it became clear that the spirit winds and the god winds were different things, and that Kolat himself was a spirit thing; but he was already part of the Storm Tribe, and known as a faithful friend.
Later, in the Darkness, the evil spirits attacked again, and Kolat fought against them rather than with them. He fought Mallia's disease spirits, sent the spirits of the natural world against Thed, placated Granny Vo and Uncle, and fought other enemies, like Zzabur the Sorcerer. Finally, Karjakan the King of Spirits brought the entire Spirit World with him. Kolat fought against them, and grappled with Karjakan himself. Kolat revealed his Seza, his secret power, and it tore out Karjakan's brains. The Spirit World fled.
There are many myths about Kolat and powerful, local spirits, such as the story of Kolat and the Chalk Man, or how Kolat defeated Oakfed the Wildfire, or how Kolat rescued Sabi Varn the Night Listener.
B. Since Time Began
Kolat's shamans have lived among the Heortlings since the Dawn, always small in numbers, but serving a vital role in defending communities from spirit attacks and hostile shamans, and communing with the spirits of the natural world.
C. Death & the Otherworld
Kolatings have no special funeral rites: they may be cremated, or their remains exposed on a bier or a mere rock in a high place.
Kolat's part of the Spirit World is called the Horn Zone, named for the blast that is released when it is opened. It appears as a peaceful valley and grotto with a camp. It is part of the Vale of Four Winds, contested by other great spirits. He also has a place in the Storm Realm, called the Wind Cave, high on the side of Mount Doktados; anyone who enters there is trapped.
D. Runic Associations
Kolat's runes are Spirit and Storm , the former being more important. Part of the Seven Winds practice are spirits linked with Darkness 
, Fire 
, and Water 
. The Gambling Sticks have an affinity both for Fate 
and Luck 
. Practitioners may deal with many kinds of spirits, and only Chaos 
is inimical to Kolat.
Nature of the Cult
Kolatings are called by their spirits (that is, they possess the Spirit rune ), and this tradition is more a way of life than anything else. However, they are integrated into Heortling society despite their differences: they feel it is their calling to manage spirits, gathering, using, and releasing them, and helping people live alongside them. Thus, whenever people have problems with spirits, or that can be helped by spirits, kolatings are called upon to help. In return, they receive gifts and hospitality. Still, they prefer to—and sometimes are compelled to—live free, frequently as hermits in the wilderness.
The only practice of the Kolat tradition is the Seven Winds Practice, so the two are essentially conflated.
A. Particular Likes and Dislikes
Kolat is accepted by the Storm Tribe, and returns the friendship. Kolatings have also established traditional connections with local spirits in any region where they have existed for a long time. He also has many spirit allies, such as Huraya and Sabi Varn; and local spirits, like the Chalk Man of Dragon Pass. Brastalos the No-Wind is sometimes said to be Kolat's daughter.
Kolat's enemies are many: Karjakan the Spirit Lord, Mallia the Disease Mistress, Thed the Broo Queen, and Telmor the Wolf and other hsunchen spirits. In addition, he has a rivalry with Serdrodosa the Earth Witch, and with Storm Bull, whose rampages Kolat stopped on several occasions.
Kolatings have many personal taboos, but they traditionally refuse alcoholic drinks and avoid mind-altering herbs and mushrooms, which they see as Karjakan's tricks.
Kolatings believe Chance is paramount, and thus they rely on their gambling sticks, throwing them on the ground and reading and interpreting the carvings to decide what must be done.
B. Holy Days
Good Winds Day (Wild/Disorder/Storm) is Kolat's high holy day, one of the Twenty-Eight Sacred Days of the Heortling calendar. Outsiders are welcome at this ceremony.
Otherwise, shamans use their gambling sticks to determine when ceremonies are needed. Fasting, trances, drums, songs, and dances are involved, although the ceremonies are never quite the same twice. Rites are usually preceded by a day or more of fasting, and followed by a feast if the ceremony went well.
C. Depiction
Kolat is rarely depicted, but is sometimes shown as an older man with a long beard, often dressed in a fur of some description, a loincloth, or nothing.
D. Names & Epithets
Lord of the Horn Zone, Orlanth's Foreign Brother, the Wind Father.
Cult Organization
There is no formal organization; relative position is determined by personal spiritual power and wisdom. Practitioners support each other. Each sezing leads their own followers as they will.
A. Shamans
Kolat's practice is a shamanic practice. The shamans are called sezings, and lead small groups of followers. The shamans usually live alone as wilderness hermits, and only gather their local followers for ceremonies.
B. Holy Places
Kolat has no shrines or temples. Holy places are places of spirit power, usually of local spirits. Ceremonies are held wherever there are spirits to be dealt with, either negotiating and forming friendships, or suppressing dangerous spirits.
Important places in Sartar are Chalk Man Hill, Crow Top, the Six Sisters, and Tarndisi's Grove.
C. Sacrifices
Many kinds of sacrifices are made to Kolat, but food, herbs, and the like are most common. Valuable trinkets are also offered. The specific sacrifices may depend on the spirits to be dealt with, or are determined by the gambling sticks.
Membership
Kolatings are rare and few in number, for few Orlanthi are born with the Spirit rune . Most of them are men, since men are more likely to have the Storm rune . Most make a living on their own, as hunters or stickpickers.
A. Cult Skills
Jump, Dance, Sing, Speak Language (Stormspeech), Cult Lore (Kolat), Survival, Meditate, Spirit Combat, Spirit Face, Spirit Travel, Worship (Kolat).
B. Cult Passions
Devotion (Kolat), Hate (Chaos), Hate (Telmori).
C. Cult Weapons
None.
D. Becoming a Shaman
To become a shaman, the candidate must enter the Spirit World and face Karjakan (the practices's version of the Bad Man). As Karjakan attacks, the candidate must awaken their Seza (fetch) and battle Karjakan, as per the usual rules. Usually, the apprentice shaman's master takes him into the Spirit World, then leaves him to face Karjakan and find his way back alone.
Followers
Anyone who seeks the aid of a kolating shaman may become a follower, repaying the help with service, gifts, or simply room and board. Followers who show promise (the Spirit rune ) and a desire to learn are taught at the shaman's discretion.
Requirements: Be accepted by a shaman, usually by bringing a gift.
Duties: 10% of time and resources as services, hospitality, and gifts to the shaman. Attend Good Winds Day ceremonies, and other ceremonies as demanded by the shaman.
Restrictions: May not join hostile cults (Chaos cults like Mallia and Thed, and Hsunchen practices). Must obey the shaman.
Benefits: Access to the shaman's help, which may include skill training, spells, and even charms, at the shaman's discretion. Taught Spirit Combat.
Practitioners
Shamans may accept those with promise as practitioners, teaching them to make use of spirit charms and fetishes.
Requirements: Candidates with the Spirit rune are usually accepted automatically. From others, shamans may require proofs, including 50% in one cult skill and another cult skill or a cult passion.
Duties: Standard.
Restrictions: Standard.
Benefits: Standard. Taught Spirit Face.
Spirit-Talkers
Kolating spirit-talkers are usually apprentice shamans. While they are not full shamans, they are capable of summoning and communicating with spirits, and can provide help this way. Trying to deal with hostile spirits is dangerous for them, however.
Requirements: Must have the Spirit rune . Must have been a practitioner for at least 1 year. 50% in Cult Lore (Kolat) and Worship (Kolat), 50% in four cult skills, 70% in Spirit or Storm rune.
Duties: Standard. 30% of time and resources.
Restrictions: Standard.
Benefits: Standard. Taught Spirit Travel.
Sezings (Shamans)
Sezings are kolating shamans, eccentric holy men (and the occasional woman) who wander the wilds based on the divinations of their gambling sticks, and can be called upon to help Heortlings deal with spirits.
Requirements: Must have been a spirit-talker for at least 3 years. 70% in Cult Lore (Kolat) and Worship (Kolat), 70% in four cult skills, 90% in Spirit or Storm rune. Must awaken their fetch (the Seza).
Duties: Standard. 50% of time and resources.
Restrictions: Standard.
Benefits: Standard. Taught Spirit Dance. Sezings can perform special rites to gain temporary powers and protections (see Notes below).
Cult Magic
A. Battle Magic
Befuddle, Control (various spirits), Countermagic, Detect Magic, Detect Spirit, Mindspeech, Second Sight, Spirit Screen, Visibility, Voice of Thunder.
B. Spirits
The Seven Winds practice has seven practice spirits, divided into the Good Friends (Hhu Ho, Tular Varnei, and Uuuh Hu), the Place Friends (Seleran, Veren Vu, and Zolan Zubar), and the Inner Wind. The Inner Wind is a shamanic secret.
The Seven Winds will only serve practitioners or higher. A practitioner can only have one charm or fetish for each of the Seven Winds spirits.
Hhu Ho (Breath Friend) Before Me
POW 2D6 to 6D6
Hhu Ho can manifest as an air elemental with a size corresponding to its POW, to attack an enemy, carry someone or something to a destination, or perform some other task.
Hhu Ho can also cast Wind Warp, and has 1D6 rune points.
Taboo: Never commit adultery.
Tular Varnei (Uncle Frost) On My Right
POW 2D6+6
Tular Varnei can cast Decrease Temperature, and has 1D6 rune points. Tular Varnei can also cast Frostbite.
Passive: The bearer of the charm can spend MP to gain a bonus to a single attempt to throw something (+5% per 1 MP).
Taboo: Must tend oak trees.
Uuuh Hu (Wrong Season) Behind Me
POW 3D6+6
Uuuh Hu can cast Cloud Call, Cloud Clear, Rain, and Stop Rain, and has 2D6 rune points.
Uuuh Hu can also spend MPs to allow the bearer of the charm or fetish to shoot a beam of magic from their eyes at someone up to 50 meters away. If the bearer (not the spirit) wins an opposed test of Spirit Combat vs. the target's POW, the target loses 1D6 MP per 2 MP spent by the spirit. Countermagic can block (and be shattered by) this attack, but spirit armor is useless.
Taboo: Rise early from sleep.
Seleran (Deep Well) On My Left
POW 2D6+6, CHA 3D6, Spirit Combat POW×5%
Seleran can manifest to guard the bearer of the charm or fetish, intercepting any spirit that tries to attack them in spirit combat. It will leave (or return to its fetish) once there are no attackers left, and cannot be sent out to attack.
Taboo: Never drink alcohol.
Veren Vu (Defender) Above Me
POW 4D6, CHA 3D6, Spirit Combat POW×5%
Veren Vu can cast Absorption or Reflection, and has 2D3 rune points.
Veren Vu can also intercept an attacking spirit in spirit combat.
Taboo: Must sleep under the sky.
Zolan Zubar (Bearpaw) Below Me
Intensity 2, POW 2D6+6, CHA 3D6, Spirit Combat POW×5%
Zolan Zubar can be called to attack or defend against the Six Foes: ghosts, spirits of death, of disease, of possession, undead corpses, and curses (including spirits) sent by women.
Against ghosts, spirits of death and disease, possessing spirits, and spirits sent by women, it enters spirit combat.
Against undead, Zolan Zubar can attack in spirit combat. Use regular spirit combat rules if the undead has POW. If the undead has no POW, it is destroyed on a Critical Success, immobilized for 20-INT MR on a Special Success, turns and flees on a Success (if it cannot flee, it acts as if Befuddled instead).
Against curses sent by women, it resists the casting test with its POW to try to negate the curse.
Taboo: Never kill.
C. Shamanic Abilities
Shamans start with Second Sight. The next ability must be (Wind Spirit) Fetch.
Other common abilities are Discorporate, Expanded Spirit, Expanded Will, Magic Attack, Magic Defense, Power Within, Sensory Link, Spell Barrage, Spell Extension, Spirit Armor, Spirit Attack, and Spirit Reserve.
The shamanic secret is the Inner Wind. To learn it, the shaman must have 90% in both the Spirit s and Storm a runes, Spirit Combat, Spirit Face, and Spirit Travel.
Inner Wind
The shaman can perform a ritual, spending MPs and making a Spirit Travel test (minimum 15 minutes; bonuses for extra time as for ritual prepation -30%) to transform into a wind. The shaman will travel into a chosen destination as a wind, then reform. The wind's speed will be 1 meter per SR (or m/s) for each MP expended. Any charms, magical items, and gambling sticks will transform along with the shaman, but clothes, armor, weapons, and other gear will not.
D. Taboos
Sezings often receive taboos that have to do with using the gambling sticks to make decisions, or that otherwise relate to gambling, chance, and wagering.
Spirit Societies
The following are a sampling of spirit societies commonly joined by kolatings in Dragon Pass. Spirit societies are dedicated to powerful local spirits, and thus vary from place to place.
Chalk Man
Chalk Man or Ches Takal is a spirit of the Green Age, when life was in overabundance. He stood up out of the ground, leaving a white outline of chalk. Kolat befriended him, and when Rabbitface kidnapped Kolat, Chalk Man sought out his lair, which could not be found by anyone who had been born. The two gambled, and Chalk Man lost his eyes. Chalk Man helped Granny Vo and Uncle, married Granny's three daughters—Dara, Dera, and Dora—and got new gambling sticks after he made Uncle a better person. With the new sticks, Chalk Man wagered his wives and won back his eyes, Kolat, Kolat's brothers, and Kolat's people, and finally killed Rabbitface. Chalk Man commands several other spirits, and still remembers his friendship with Kolat.
- Requirements: Chalk Man can be contacted at his outline on the Donalf Flats, where he lives in a hidden cave that can only be entered in spirit form. Joining his society requires the sacrifice of 1 point of POW.
- Duties: 10% of time and resources must be devoted to worshipping Chalk Man.
Dara the Weasel Root 
POW 3D6
Dara can cast Strength and Vigor.
Taboo: Cannot marry (the worshipper is married to Dara).
Dera the Red Deer 
POW 3D6
Dera can overcome a red deer in a POW vs. POW test and cause it to be docile, allowing a hunter to approach it or luring it to the hunter. Dera can be sent after a red deer that is seen, or to look for one nearby.
Passive: The bearer of the charm gets +10% to Track.
Taboo: Never deny food to someone who cannot provide for themselves.
Dora the Orphan Girl 
POW 2D6+6, CHA 2D6+6, Spirit Combat POW×5%
Dora (or rather Uncle, her slave) can attack a man who has molested girls in spirit combat. If Uncle reduces the victim to 0 MP, the molester dies, and will be reborn as a girl.
Taboo: Never mistreat a girl.
Herkan the Gambling Stick
POW 2D6
Herkan can watch over a contest, and will warn the magician if their opponent is trying to cheat.
Passive: The bearer of the charm will know, roughly, if they have an advantage or a disadvantage in a contest (not any opposed test, but a proposed contest).
Taboo: Must accept any offer to gamble.
Ikspit the Maggot
POW 2D6+6
Ikspit can attack a disease spirit possessing someone, attack any spirit possessing a woman, substitute its POW for the CON of a disease victim in their next resistance test, or cure rabbit pox in children.
Taboo: Must not touch or eat rabbits.
Kalf the Gambling Stick
POW 2D6+6, Spirit Combat POW×5%
Kalf can curse an enemy with bad luck: if it wins a POW vs. POW test, the victim suffers a -5% penalty per MP Kalf spends to one specified test.
Alternatively, Kalf can attack a victim in spirit combat and covertly possess them, inflicting a -20% penalty on all tests.
Taboo: Tell no lie.
Keko the Gambling Stick
POW 2D6
Kalf can grant a target good luck, granting a +5% bonus per MP spent to one specified test.
Taboo: Oppose foreign shamans and spirit-talkers.
Orbidi the Badger Woman
POW 3D6, CHA 3D6
Orbidi can attack any giant, mountain being, or creature that lives on a mountaintop. She attacks in spirit combat, but against physical creatures she deals physical damage to a random missile hit location (not bypassing armor) instead of MP damage.
Taboo: Never allow a badger to be harmed.
Oakfed
Oakfed the Wildfire—who the kolatings know as Dagaralobran—is the great fire spirit that rules over all fires in Dragon Pass and neighboring regions. Back in the Green Age, Oakfed ate all the trees it could, and they grew back overnight. But when the ages turned, the trees stopped growing so quickly, and Oakfed ate all the forests in Prax. Then he came to Dragon Pass to eat more. Heler tried to extinguish him, but could not. The winds could not blow him out. Only Kolat, who wagered his body against Oakfed's obedience, could defeat him: Kolat wagered that Oakfed could not set fire to a bundle of sticks and cords he had made, but when Oakfed lit the medicine bundle on fire, he could not leave it and was trapped. Kolat made Oakfed teach people the secrets of the Three Fires: the Camp Fire, the Bon Fire, and the Holy Fire.
- Requirements: Worshippers must travel to Oakfed's part of the Spirit World in the coldest part of winter. Joining his society requires the sacrifice of 1 point of POW.
- Duties: 10% of time and resources must be devoted to worshipping Oakfed.
Bonfire Spirit
POW 3D6
This spirit can create a flame that requires no fuel. It costs 1 MP to create a candle flame, 5 MP to create a small campfire, 10 MP to create a bonfire, and 15 MP to create an inferno. The fire will burn until extinguished. It can spread normally, but fires it starts will consume fuel.
Taboo: Never extinguish a fire.
Burning Flint Spirit
POW 3D6
These spirits live in pieces of hot flint that are made into a charm or fetish.
The spirit can cast Create Wildfire, and has 2D3 rune points.
Taboo: Do not prevent fire from spreading.
Camp Fire Spirit
POW 2D6
The spirit can cast Ignite at 100%.
Taboo: Light a fire every day.
Holy Fire Spirit
POW 4D6
This spirit can burn away impurity in one object or creature, dealing 2D6 damage each MR (on SR 12), expending 5 MP each MR. If the GM judges a creature or object to be pure (which may require an ability test), they are immune.
Taboo: Always remain pure (abstain from sex, eat no meat, clean self with ashes).
Sabi Varn
Sabi Varn is the Night Listener. Born in Kero Fin's shadow, she was rescued from Dark-eaters by Kolat, who used two magical sling pellets to do so. Charms and fetishes are sling stones carved with the Eye or the Finger.
- Requirements: Joining her society requires the sacrifice of 1 point of POW.
- Duties: 10% of time and resources must be devoted to worshipping Sabi Varn.
Awakening Spirit
POW 3D6
This spirit is released at night or in darkness, and will stand guard while discorporate, awakening the user if a specified event occurs, or at dawn (when it must return to the charm or fetish, or into the Spirit World).
Taboo: Never eat in darkness.
Eye-and-Finger Spirit
POW 2D6+6
This spirit can cast Demoralize and Speedart.
Taboo: Fight any intruder.
Serkos
Serkos is the kolating name for Odayla. Kolat and Odayla got along well, and Kolat learned the ways of the hunt and how not to offend the prey.
- Requirements: Joining the society requires the sacrifice of 1 point of POW.
- Duties: 10% of time and resources must be devoted to helping Odaylans.
- Practice Spirits: Animal spirits for local animals. See Odaylan beast charms.
Granny Vo and Uncle
Chalk Man had more dealings with Granny Vo and Uncle, but Kolat learned how to honor them and placate them. They are old spirits of the natural world, and can be capricious and cruel.
- Requirements: Joining the society requires the sacrifice of 1 point of POW.
- Duties: Another 10% of time and resources must be devoted to propitiating Granny Vo.
Three Bow Spirits
POW 2D6
Each spirit knows one random spell from Heal, Ignite, and Speedart, which it can cast at 100% skill.
Taboo: Varies, but always arbitrary.
Spirits of Reprisal
Any worshipper who violates a taboo is visited each night by the Seven Winds, who strip away one of his charms or fetishes, releasing the spirit.
Unless the worshipper makes amends, on the night that the last charm or fetish is undone, a tiny bee spirit will come and leave a scent on the worshipper's spirit that makes it smell delicious: embodied spirits and daimons will think him delicious food, and discorporate spirits and daimons may try to attack to devour him as well. Tradition spirits will know the scent and never trust the worshipper.
Notes
Kolating shamans know several secret magical rites that are used in certain situations against certain enemies.
A. Karjakan Rite 
A sezing can make a decorated straw man to represent Karjakan, and perform special invocations to it, to gain powers over and against foreign spirits. By sacrificing 1 POW and making a successful Worship (Kolat) or Cult Lore (Kolat) (one skill can augment the other) test, the shaman gains an augment to all tests against foreign (non-tradition) spirits for one week (as per the degree of success on the test; a failure or fumble results in no penalty, only the waste of the sacrificed POW). The bonus applies to Spirit Combat, Spirit Face, Spirit Dance, casting spells against the spirits or resisting their spells, and other tests that the GM deems suitable.
B. Mallia Rite
Kolat faced and defeated Mallia, the Disease Mistress, four times. Kolat's shamans perform four rites during the year—the dates decided by the gambling sticks—to keep away Mallia, each time sacrificing a fawn, a lamb, and a secret component. The shaman, and any followers (or higher) who participate are immune to standard diseases and disease spirit. (If the GM judges that a disease or disease spirit is new or rare, it can still affect them.) This protection lasts from rite to rite, and only a sezing can grant it.
C. Thed Rite
Sezings can recognize special wasps nests where the spirit Be'e may be summoned with a Spirit Face test. Be'e is sent to a special place to warn Thed that the kolating is alerted to him. The next time the kolating is in danger from broos, a wasp appears to warn him, and another wasp stings the broos to warn them. If the broos still attack the kolating, a swarm of wasps flies out of his mouth and attacks the broos.
Sources: The Book of Heortling Mythology, HeroQuest Roleplaying in Glorantha, Sartar Companion.