Cult of Shallya
The Cult of Shallya is the organised worship of the Goddess Shallya across the Old World. [1a]
Shallya's priests, who are mostly female, are able healers, trained in the arts of healing and midwifery, and invaluable wherever there is plague, war, or strife.
The cult of Shallya is a peaceful one, and does not take active steps against enemy cults. The one cult they are not complacent towards is that of Nurgle, whose followers are expected to be thwarted. The Cult of Shallya has no military Templar order of its own, instead relying on others for protection.
Contents
Aspects
Poor Kislevites in Talabheim know her as Salyak, the Giver of Charity whose sect provide soup kitchens, even if they themselves must go hungry. [1a]
Holy Books
Holy Days
Shallya has no specific holy days but it is customary to make a sacrifice to the goddess each year on anniversary of one's birth.
Locations
The seat of power for the cult is Couronne in Bretonnia. [2a]
Organisation
All smaller shrines and temples are subordinate to larger temples and in turn they owe tribute to the main temple in the respective nation. The national temples then all owe fealty to the matriarch and temple in Couronne. Individual temples are strictly organised by the high priestess in charge. [2a]
Priests
Many priests of the cult are actually women - priestesses with young male priests encouraged to wander from temple to temple to avoid them living with a large number of impressionable young women.
Notable
- Anje Gustavson: Head of the Cult in the Empire and High Priestess of Altdorf. [2a]
- Lisegund: The Most Holy Matriarch, High Priestess of Couronne. [2a]
Orders
The only official holy order of the Cult is composed of the priests themselves, and is called the Order of the Bleeding Heart.
Relations
The Cult is on friendly terms with most other Old World cults. The warlike nature of Ulric means the two cults are not closely allied. There is some distrust towards Ranald, as it is believed that Ranald was once a human who managed to trick Shallya into becoming a god. She already forgave him but her followers are only human and some of them fail to follow her example.
Strictures
Followers of Shallya lead a life according to strictures of pacifism and mercy. They are forbidden from taking a human life, even in self-defense, although a follower of Shallya would not be expected to preserve the life of a follower of Nurgle. The lives of other intelligent races cannot be taken except in self-defense. Followers are expected to provide healing to anyone in need. Priests never wear armor, or use shields or weapons with the exception of a staff.
- Avoid Killing. [2a]
- Never refuse healing to a supplicant genuinely in need. [2a]
- Never hult a soul when it is time for it to depart. [2a]
- Go about your life unarmed. A stout walking stick is all you'll ever need. [2a]
- Abhor the Fly Lord in all his forms. [2a]
- Do not waste energy on your own pleasure. [2a]
Symbols
A dove or a heart with a drop of blood. [2a]
Temples
Most temples have both a hospital and an orphanage, with many also providing food for the poor. [2a]
Gallery
Priestess of Shallya
Priestess of Shallya
Sisters of Shallya
Shrine to Shallya
Quotes
| You PUNCH do not KICK steal from STAMP the temples of Shallya
~ A Talabheim thief explaining professional ethics to a colleague.[2a] |
Sources
- 1: Sigmar's Heirs
- 1a: Chapter V: Cults of the Empire, pg. 38
- 2: Tome of Salvation
- 2a: Chapter 2: Old World Cults, pg. 50-54
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition, 1988, pp. 200-201
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition, Black Industries, 2005, p. 183
