* Restricted Information: Dolphin Riders only

The Lore of the Dolphin Riders

1. The Cult
2. The Secrets
3. The Sacred Sites
4. The Purpose
5. The Media

1. The Cult

The Dolphin Riders are the Druids of the Camari, who specialise in using the magic of fish. They are friendly with Dolphins, who permit them to ride on their backs.  They all have Faith in LLYWELLA and are the priesthood who support Her bid for Clerical status, pending which She grants their Spells using a custom Druidic system.  Their Druidic Media are species of seaweed.

The Forests of the Inner and Outer Seas have both been colonized by the Camari.  They dwell mostly in shallow, coastal waters where there is plenty of light, but venture also into the Depths of the Ocean.  Originally introduced by LLYWELLA and ERALCH to the waters of the Inner Sea around the Secret Isle, they have migrated across the Inner Sea and (with LLYWELLA's help) found their way via the Otherworlds to the Outer Sea, dwelling along the Overworld coast.  They are most respectful to the Nature Spirits of the Seas; being Nereids of the seas and shallows and Oceanids of the ocean depths.  Only Oceanids are found in the LI -3 Depths of the Ocean, but they may also be found higher up out in the ocean.

It is extremely rare (though not unheard-of) for non-Camari Druids to become Dolphin Riders.

2. The Secrets

2.1    The Piscine Cycle

All Dolphin Rider and Fish Cultist Druids are permitted to learn and Cast Spells of the Piscine Cycle, which is concerned with the Magic of Fish.  Its associated colour is blue and its Medium is Nori / Laver Seaweed (Porphyra umbilicalis).

2.2    The Ranian Cycle of the Seas

All Dolphin Rider Druids are permitted to learn and Cast Spells of the Ranian Cycle of the Seas, which is concerned with the command of the Elements (particularly Water) in their interaction with the seas and the Nature that lives within them.  Its associated colour is turquoise and its Medium is Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus).

2.3    The Druid Cycle of LLYWELLA

 The Druid Cycle of LLYWELLA is concerned with the interaction of Nature with itself, the World, and LLYWELLA.  It includes a number of Spells which are akin to Clerical Spells of LLYWELLA.  Its associated colour is silver and its Medium is Spongeweed (Codium fragile).

The following additional rules apply to Casting Spells of the Druid Cycle of LLYWELLA:

2.3.1    Faith in LLYWELLA

Only Druids who have placed all their Ft in LLYWELLA are permitted to learn and Cast Spells of the Druid Cycle of LLYWELLA and to be Delegated any associated Powers.

There is a Casting Bonus of ±ChMod/2 [(Accepted Ft in LLYWELLA)] on all Spells of the Druid Cycle of LLYWELLA.

2.3.2    LLYWELLA Credit

LLYWELLA grants Credit (or Debit) with Her like any Clerical God, including to non-Dolphin Riders and even to those who do not have Ft in Her in appropriate cases.

 LLYWELLA Credit may be expended to give pluses on Casting Spells of the Druid Cycle of LLYWELLA which are carried out by Nereids at the rate of 3n(n+1)/2 cr for +n, i.e.:

When there is sufficient time available, LLYWELLA expects the Druid to Pray to Her for a number of minutes equal to the Credit expended before Casting.  This is not rigorously enforced, so approximate times as shown above are sufficient, especially for longer periods.  There is no penalty for not Praying when there is insufficient time, e.g. in combat situations.

The Credit bonus works by influencing the Nereid to give a better Roll to a Druid who shows himself to be a loyal follower of LLYWELLA.  As it is modifying Roll, it will only normally give sufficient extra plus to increase Roll up to 20 (e.g. if -45 Cr is expended for +5 and 18 is rolled, the effective plus is only +2).

Only Nereids are sufficiently loyal to LLYWELLA to give Credit pluses.  Some Potameids (particularly those dwelling in tidal estuaries) and Naiads may honour them.  Oceanids generally consider such behaviour to be above them.

A Nereid who knows the Druid well and knows him to be a particularly loyal follower of LLYWELLA (e.g. he has >= 100 LLYWELLA Cr) may also give the Credit bonus on Druidic Spells of other Cycles.

2.3.3    Druid Command of LLYWELLA

A Druids who has placed all his Ft in LLYWELLA may learn the Druid Command of LLYWELLA at any Spell Level from 1 to 10 provided his DrL is >= that Spell Level.  Its Spell Level increases to match his DrL (FRD) up to a maximum of 10.

The Druid Command of LLYWELLA may be used to Cast any Spell Effect that would be Granted by LLYWELLA if She were properly Clerical (including ones for which there are equivalent Druidic Spells in other Cycles) except for Dispel / Turn Undead (She would not Grant Control or Create Undead), Speak with Dead (other than Speak with Dead Fish) or Consecrate Object / Place.

The Druid Command of LLYWELLA requires LLYWELLA Credit to be Cast (in addition to SP and IP) and is the equivalent of Credit Requests for Clerics.  The Credit cost is 3 * the SP Cost.

Final Appeals to LLYWELLA are made using the Druid Command of LLYWELLA, even if there is insufficient Casting Time (as Cast by reflex) or the Spell has not been learned (e.g. because the Caster is not a Druid).

2.3.4    LLYWELLA Magic Items

LLYWELLA Credit may also be exchanged for Magic Items in Commune with LLYWELLA.  Such Items are Holy to LLYWELLA and Aligned N/N.  They tend not to work properly out of water.

2.4    The Dream Kingdoms

The Endless Ocean is the Dream Kingdom of Cetaceans.  The Eternal Reef is the Dream Kingdom of Coral.  The two are closely associated, and have a large area of overlap.  Fish other than Cetaceans (which are also a type of Fish in Anarea) may go to these Kingdoms when they dream.

The Inky Depths are the Dark Forest of the Oceans, bordering on Nightmare and Madness.  They may most easily be accessed from the LI -3 Depths of the Ocean.  The Depths are typically LI -4 or less.  They are not usually visited by the Dolphin Riders.  The Kraken lost in Chaos is believed by the Dolphin Riders to dwell in the Inky Depths.

3. The Sacred Sites

The Sacred Heart of the Inner Sea is The Ring of Bright Coral, located in the Depths of the Ocean.  The Dark Heart is The Ring of Dark Coral, which is at the bottom of the Inky Depths.  The other Sacred Sites are located around the shallows of the Ocean next to each neighbouring Forest on the land.

The Sacred Heart of the Outer Sea is The Circle Upon the Sun-Kissed Isle, a stone circle on the low summit of a floating island at the Edge of the World.  The Dark Heart is The Circle Upon the Moon-Kissed Isle, its equivalent in Nightmare.  There are six other Light Sites in the Overworld, mostly along the coastal shallows, and six other Dark Sites in the Underworld, mostly along the coastal shallows.

4. The Purpose

The Dolphin Riders are the Priesthood of LLYWELLA, and their purpose is to protect the Oceans and guide their people in living at one with Nature in the Ocean environment and in the worship and Creed of LLYWELLA.  They are hostile to intruders who fail to respect the Ocean and Nature, but can be friendly to those who show respect for the environment.

5. The Media

The Media for Dolphin Rider Spells are the following types of seaweed:

Rather than using golden bowls and sickles for bonuses on collecting media, the Dolphin Riders use knives shaped from the jawbones of cetaceans and nets weaved from the guts of cetaceans, as follows:

•  If cut with a cetacean jawbone knife: +3; or
•  If cut with a dolphin jawbone knife: +4; or
•  If cut with a cetacean jawbone knife and caught in a cetacean-gut net: +6; or
•  If cut with a cetacean jawbone knife and caught in a cetacean-gut net (only one of which is from a dolphin): +7; or
•  If cut with a dolphin jawbone knife and caught in a dolphin-gut net: +8

Needless to say, the jawbones and guts should only be taken from specimens which have died other than at the hands of the Dolphin Rider.

Go to Dolphin Riders Spell List

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© P.R. Wild, 31 October 2010