Rules

Magic

You can use your Runes to augment another ability, but cannot use them directly as an ability until you are an initiate of a cult.

Cults

Initiate

Must be a worshiper of the god of the cult and must
swear to follow the commands of the god as expressed by the cult hierarchy.
An initiate must observe the cult holy days and other cult strictures, and
is expected to provide material and spiritual support to the cult.

Violating cult obligations or leaving the cult can result in serious consequences, even magical attacks from spirits of reprisal!

If you share at least one Rune with a god at a rating of at least 1W and meet any other cult requirements, you can become an initiate of that god’s cult.

You approach your god through the highest appropriate Rune you share with the god.

Your divine Rune affinity may also be used:

As a personality trait, to reflect your closeness to the personality of your god, as indicated by the cult description.
As a knowledge ability, to recount knowledge of the myths, rituals, and other lore of your deity, as well as the deity’s conflicts with other deities or spirits.
As a flaw, as used by the Game Master to hinder you when you attempt to act in a manner contrary to the ethos of your god.

You may now use all your Runes you share with the god directly, as you would any other ability. Further, you may describe actions and contest results as overtly supernatural. Use the Rune as you would any other ability, except that credibility tests do not apply to them as long as your use is within the scope of the Rune. However, the Rune describes a wide range of magic, so it is treated as a broad ability.

The direct use of the Rune must be within the scope of the god’s power and is subject to any restrictions that the god himself has (e.g., Storm Bull initiates cannot use the Air Rune to cast lightning or thunder).

You can always specialize in abilities within your Rune; for example, an Orlanth initiate can specialize in casting Lightning Spears, which he can improve for 1 Hero Point: Air Rune - 3W - Lightning Spears +1

Your Game Master should give you a Situational Bonus or even a Plot Augment (see pages 104-105) on your divine Rune affinity when you have been consistently acting in a manner in keeping with your god’s personality. Similarly, the Game Master should freely assign penalties against your divine Rune affinities when you have not been acting like your god.

Devotee

must be willing to dedicate his life solely to his god and
must abandon all magic that does not come from his god.
must pass difficult tests given not just by the temple hierarchy, but also by the deity itself.
tested on his piety, his knowledge of the deity’s myths, and his virtue.
must renounce his initiate status to any other deities.
may still perform basic magic associated with their Runes, but can no longer use them directly.
must have some outside source of support or income, be it your clan, your temple, or a rich patron.
Everything you do must either emulate your god, or aid your cult organization

Feats

When you become a devotee you learn one feat straightaway, and can learn additional feats by overcoming a small plot obstacle (such as traveling to the Other Side to experience the myth) and spending a Hero Point.

With a feat, you fully identify yourself with your god and perform his magic as though you were the god. When you use a feat to accomplish a goal, you use the Rune rating associated with the feat.

Feats are breakout abilities of a specific Rune.