Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

[Michael Hopcroft]

what sort of spells would a Priest or Priestess of a Goddess of Love and Lust learn that would help in their duties?

 

aside from lacking a cool name for said diety (which is something I desperately need for something I'm working on) I'm trying to figure out what such a priest or priestess would do.

 

The domain of this Goddess is those elements of sexuality that are outside the realm of fertility: namely the building of relationships and the enjoyment of "healthy" sexual expression. In a society where such a goddess id accepted, things socially would be somewhat different than the medival norm of traditional fantasy.

 

But then again I'm not sure that medievalism would survive polytheism and magic anyway, asnd that something completely different wouldn't emerge. But that's for another discussion.

[assault]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

The domain of this Goddess is those elements of sexuality that are outside the realm of fertility: namely the building of relationships and the enjoyment of "healthy" sexual expression. In a society where such a goddess id accepted' date=' things socially would be somewhat different than the medival norm of traditional fantasy.[/quote']

 

I can't think of any "real mythological" equivalents of this.

 

It might be worthwhile looking at what goddesses like Aphrodite were supposed to be about instead, and deriving spells related to their functions.

 

But then again I'm not sure that medievalism would survive polytheism and magic anyway, asnd that something completely different wouldn't emerge. But that's for another discussion.

 

The assumption of polytheism was there in a bunch of "medieval" societies. That includes "pagan" European societies, as well as Buddhist/Shintoist Japan.

 

Historical mythologies were related to, and reflected, the societies that created them. An "invented" mythology(!) should also be reflected in its associated human society.

 

In other words, "medievalism" is entirely compatible with polytheism, since it would be a variety of polytheism compatible with "medievalism".

[Lethosos]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Take a blip at Sune Fireheart, one of the major pantheon goddesses of the Forgotten Realms. She's the only church of love that I know of that has paladins! The fact that she herself also has the portfolio of beauty and that she saved and tutored Sharess, demi-goddess of lust/felines, gives it some interesting directions in the type of spells her priests/paladins carry.

 

The thing is, you'll want to look at the way the church works--what's common for them to do, day to day, is what ends up as the mainstay of their spellcrafting. Obviously, more potent spells would come with higher responsibilities in the church hierarchy.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Spell of Protection:

 

2PD Force Wall, Hardened, self only, only covers location 13.

 

(It has to be hardened, so it defends against penetrating attacks )

[Eosin]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

I am thinking that a little review of Ishtar would provide some insight. IIRC, she had priestess-prostitues. Also, at her temples young virgins were placed on the wall until they had "sacraficed" to her - basically they waited on the wall until a male took them somewhere and "deflowered" them. Of course, she wasn't as limited as your Love/Lust goddess and so she carried much more influence/prominence.

 

Other than that, I don't recall specific sexual dieties. The Hindu pantheon/faith might provide some fruit - there are numerous aspects assoiciated with sexuality (plus their penis statues are funny - in that giggly gradeschooler kinda way).

[OddHat]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Standard anti-STD spells, healing spells with Gestures and Extra Time ("Sexual Healing"), mind control through dance, mental paralysis through dance, dream communication with an erotic element, deadly sexual Martial Arts (Angel of Heat style), strange sexual special attack techniques (Keko Kamen style), birth control spells, viagra spells, curse of impotence.

 

At any rate, separating Sexual Pleasure from Fertility is a very modern idea; there were plenty of historical gods and goddesses with Love and Sex in their portfolio, but in every case I can think of it was linked to that vital task of making sure there would be more people, plants and animals.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Standard anti-STD spells, healing spells with Gestures and Extra Time ("Sexual Healing"), mind control through dance, mental paralysis through dance, dream communication with an erotic element, deadly sexual Martial Arts (Angel of Heat style), strange sexual special attack techniques (Keko Kamen style), birth control spells, viagra spells, curse of impotence.

 

At any rate, separating Sexual Pleasure from Fertility is a very modern idea; there were plenty of historical gods and goddesses with Love and Sex in their portfolio, but in every case I can think of it was linked to that vital task of making sure there would be more people, plants and animals.

Not so much as you'd think.

Do some poking about on the topic of Sacred Whores and their patron goddesses and you'll find examples of goddesses who covered Sexual Pleasure and/or Sexual Power as a different sphere of influence from Fertility. Looking for historical data will be rough tho... This is a classic example of the kinds of oral traditions that suffered massive revision and watering down at the hands of the mideveal monks responsible for most written forms of myths. A lot of the "Edited for Disney" versions of myths tend to quickly skip over various bits of the sorts. Ishtar. Ashtart (more or less the same as above), Frejya, Sif, Fand, Niamh, Aphrodite and many others all have to a greater or lesser extent an element of the Sacred Whore... just because Man (deliberately NOT referring to the whole species, rather the half with dangly bits) has always considered the power women have to control our minds with their bodies to be a metaphysical mystery, thus it has been worshipped (check the origin of the word, by the by) in almost every culture. Many of the Fertility Goddesses got the fertility part tacked on to sanitize them.

 

In any case,

The powerset looks about right, there, Oddhat.

[Eosin]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

thus it has been worshipped (check the origin of the word' date=' by the by) in almost every culture. [/quote']

 

worship (n.)

O.E. worðscip, wurðscip (Anglian), weorðscipe (W.Saxon) "condition of being worthy, honor, renown," from weorð "worthy" (see worth) + -scipe (see -ship). Sense of "reverence paid to a supernatural or divine being" is first recorded c.1300. The original sense is preserved in the title worshipful (c.1300). The verb is recorded from c.1200.

 

Am I failing my entomology grade or were you referring to something else?

[austenandrews]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Sounds like you need to answer some more fundamental questions first, like what social function does the church of this goddess serve? For what reason would someone plunk a coin into this church's donation box? Presumably it's more than just getting laid. Do they sanctify marriages? Preserve the distinction between romance and marriage? Protect fidelity by codifying infidelity? Preside over the transition to adulthood (sexual maturity)? Sanctify cosmetic practices?

 

Once you've figured that out, possible powers should be straightforward. For instance, if the church sanctifies cosmetic beauty through traditional adornments, body modifications, etc. their magic would reflect that. If sacred piercings are the norm, healing magic is an obvious choice, as well as jewelry enchanted for various purposes. Sacred tattooes imply glyphs of health, potence, etc. The sanctity of personal beauty could imply mirror magic, or even water magic, as pools are natural mirrors.

 

Transition to adulthood implies rites of passage, which could lead to any number of magical specialties - questing, hunting, fighting, agriculture, animal husbandry, crafting, and on and on.

 

It doesn't have to be, and realistically wouldn't be all about just sex.

[Theron]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

In Gloranthan RuneQuest, Uleria, the goddess of Love, whose cult was clearly based on the Ishtaran temple prostitute model had a spell called "Eroto-Comatose Lucidity." Honestly, I can't remember what it did, but it's a great name for a spell.

[Dale A. Ward]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Am I failing my entomology grade or were you referring to something else?

 

Are you studying words... or bugs?

 

Entomology... Etymology...

 

Po tay to... po tah to...

 

[Lethosos]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Are you studying words... or bugs?

I'm afraid he has a thing for picking nits.

[nexus]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Spells to create and manipulate love and Passion, spells the cure Impotency, Enhance sexual performance or pleasure. Protection from STDs (and perhaps unwanted pregancy at least for the Preisteseses so they can stay "in the field longer). Spells of Minor healing/cleansing to tidy up the messier aspect of sexual congress, Spells that increase or decrease a target phsyical beauty and appeal. (Com and Pre). Utility type spells to assist in sexual congress (Lubriactions, reduce fatigue, muscle control, particularly over the sphincters and throat muscles). Spells that allow the Priestess to read the target's passions, desire and need to better please them and to guide them in finding the proper mate. Maybe a spell that lets the Preistess inflict "damage" though she pleasure or induce a long sleep in her lovers, or read their minds when engaeded in congress.

 

A "martial art" is possible, probably dance based baed on striking preasure points, joint locks and other soft techniques that aren't painful so much as disabling and distracting due to being intensive pleasurable (NND mostly) and highly defensive. Preistess might be able to increase their Com to superhuman levels and gaing something klike combat luck or damage reduction against some targets since they just can't bear to strike something so beautiful or other 'Hyper Com" type abilities.

[The Monster]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

You do need to define "healthy sexuality" - could include and exclude so many things...

 

That said...

Emotion Control powers from the Power Database

Increase/decrease sexual desire (kind of like post-hyponic suggestion mind control)

Transform: Gender Identity

Transform: Gender

Transform/Mind Control: deviant sexual drive (e.g., fetishism)

Drain/Aid tactile sensitivity (or visual, olfactory, etc.)

Transform: Restore/remove (female) virginity

Aid/Drain COM

Aid/Drain PRE (Seduction is a PRE-based skill, ain't it?)

Images/Illusions: magical porn

Mind Control/Drain EGO: date-rape drug spell

Telepathy: sense sexual thoughts

Images: brand people who violate "healthy sexuality" (i.e., rapists, molesters, etc.) - a magical "scarlet letter"

Aid of various kinds based on sexual activity, i.e., have sex with the priest/ess (or with your approved partner inthe presence of the clergy) to get an EGO boost or something

 

 

Curse of Venereal Agony: xD6 EB NND Trigger:sexual intercourse

 

You might actually have the goddess *unable* to manipulate fertility per se, and it would be a major bone (heh) of contention between her and whatever fertility god/dess is out there.

 

STD's could also be a problem. It might be impossible for this entity to cure (that's in the realm of a healing deity), but it might be possible to prevent transmission. All you have to do is convince the partner ("don't worry baby, you won't catch anything; don't worry about those sores, I've got a magic spell..."). One of the major attacks from opposing dieties might be to lay on STDs as a curse.

[Eosin]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Are you studying words... or bugs?

 

Entomology... Etymology...

 

Po tay to... po tah to...

 

 

words that BUG people??

 

 

Why is it that I ALWAYS make that mistake? I know the words, I know the spelling, but between brain and computer they get get fuzzed.

[austenandrews]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Pertaining to relationships, there could be magic that bonds two people together more closely. For instance some kind of empathy (they always know the general mood of one another) or limited Mind Link (think Aragorn & Arwen); the ability to "scry" on one's partner, or one's partner's future; the ability to always find one's partner; maybe the ability to spread one partner's wounds and REC evenly among both partners, or to convey sustenance through a magical link; etc. Such magical bonds could be granted by a priest. Consummation by the couple may be required, but I wouldn't think so in all cases.

[David Blue]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

Bride quests - to find Mister Right or Miss Right - are very important.

 

Paladins of the goddess would need faithful and trustworthy hearts, to help those who the goddess favors and not to steal their happiness or hog their limelight. Such paladins would also need stout travelling boots. And resilience. The course of true love rarely runs smooth.

 

You'll need strong, relevant divination spells. "When, where, who, is this fate, will they be true, are they true / have they been true, how can I prove that I've been faithful ..." - ransack popular songs for ideas.

 

I'll even give you a start.

 

Also, things to help you go where you need to go and bypass barriers are good. Love laughs at locksmiths.

 

-

 

When I was a young boy, my momma she said to me:

There's only one girl in the world for you,

And she probably lives in Tahiti,

Or maybe in the Bahamas,

where the Caribbean sea is blue,

Weepin' away in the tropical night,

because nobody's told her 'bout you.

 

I'd go the whole wide world,

I'd go the whole wide world,

just to find her ...

 

Then hie thee to the temple of the goddess of love, boy, there to receive a divination and thy quest!

 

The one you seek may move. If your intentions are pure, then seek divine aid to follow her, or him.

 

I will follow him,

Follow him wherever he may go,

And near him, I always will be,

For nothing can keep me away.

He is my destiny.

 

I will follow him.

Ever since He touched my heart I know:

There isn't an ocean too deep,

A mountain so high it can keep,

Keep me away, away from his love.

 

Though the way may be dangerous ...

 

They say don't go on Wolverton Mountain

If you're looking for a wife.

Cause Clifton Clowers has a pretty young daughter.

He's mighty handy with a gun and a knife.

 

Her tender lips are sweeter than honey,

And Wolverton Mountain protects her there.

The bears and birds tell Clifton Clowers

If a stranger should wander there.

 

All of my dreams are on Wolverton Mountain.

I want his daughter for my wife.

I'll take my chances and climb that mountain.

Though Clifton Clowers, he may take my life.

 

And then, if you find your way around, over or through every obstacle, everything is perfect.

 

No I don't believe in luck,

No I don't believe in circumstance no more.

Accidents never happen in a perfect world,

So I won't believe in luck.

I saw you walking in the dark,

So I slipped behind your footsteps for a while

Caught you turning round the block:

Fancy meeting in a smaller world, after all,

 

Accidents never happen, could have planned it all.

Precognition in my ears.

Accidents never happen in a perfect world.

Complications disappear.

 

Some people could be fanatics for the goddess because of that. Can a spell in the drug-sodden paradise of the assassins really compete with the lucid experience of destined love? Is that not as strong a fore-taste of paradise (and eternal re-union) as anyone could ask for?

 

Isn't it strange how sure you can be when you find the one you want?

Isn't it strange how crazy you go when you finally won the one that you want?

A moment like this (oh, oh, oh),

Maybe baby, we can make it.

 

It's You, It's You, Only You!

Well, I know what I want and I'm sure I can get it!

But It's You, It's You, Only You!

Well, I know what I want and I'm sure I can get it!

 

I'm losing my heart for you,

And I'm prepared to lose my life...

 

A regular priest wouldn't know or need to know how to consecrate warriors of eternal reunion, but someone would.

 

But not everyone experiences such joy.

 

Man cannot see false hearts, but supernatural power (sometimes) can.

 

For some, jealousy is an issue.

 

I know you've deceived me, now here's a surprise:

I know that you have 'cause there's magic in my eyes.

 

I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles.

Oh yeah.

 

For others, perhaps even revenge.

 

The gypsy woman told me

you were your mother's bad luck child.

The gypsy woman told me

you were your mother's bad luck child.

You're having a good time now;

you'll be having trouble after a while.

 

Went to see the gypsy woman,

to have my fortune told.

She said run right home right away,

and look through your keyhole.

The gypsy woman told me

you were your mother's bad luck child.

You're having a good time now;

you'll be having bad times after a while.

I believed everything the gypsy woman told me,

every single word she said.

I ran right home right away,

and looked through my keyhole:

another man in my bed.

The gypsy woman told me

you were your mother's bad luck child.

You're having a good time now;

you'll be having bad times after a while.

 

The goddess could also be involved in adjudicating and removing - or refusing to remove - other kinds of magic, such as coercive magic, that may intrude into her realm.

 

Sometimes the magic is evil, if only because of the price paid:

 

And I'd sell my soul for total control,

Yeah I'd sell my soul for total control,

I'd sell my soul for total control

Over you, over you.

Total control over you.

 

Other times it's not so clear, especially within marriage. (One problem with serving the goddess of love and lust is that there's no way to say that dealing with messy "domestics" isn't your department.) Could this be justice?

 

I put a spell on you,

’cause you’re mine.

 

You better stop the things you do,

I ain’t lyin’.

No I ain’t lyin’.

 

You know I can’t stand it,

Your runnin’ around.

You know better daddy,

I can’t stand it cause you put me down.

 

I put a spell on you,

Because you’re mine.

You’re mine.

 

I love ya.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you anyhow,

And I don’t care

If you don’t want me,

I’m yours right now.

 

You hear me.

I put a spell on you,

Because you’re mine.

[David Blue]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

I also think you want a simple, pro-social spell for priests to strengthen lovers' hearts so they can keep it together and function, for example when their true love is off at war and there is no news. This should be more like an EGO aid than an anaesthetic shutting off the feeling. You still hurt, but you are a little more able to handle it. (+1 on EGO rolls.)

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

In Gloranthan RuneQuest' date=' Uleria, the goddess of Love, whose cult was clearly based on the Ishtaran temple prostitute model had a spell called "Eroto-Comatose Lucidity." Honestly, I can't remember what it did, but it's a great name for a spell.[/quote']

it extended the time period associated with, *ahem*, the moment of release. Somewhere around +1 minute for every point of temp. Power invested in the spell.

Combined with the nifty trinket that Uleria worshippers could make that would double their charisma/appearance (up to racial max for lesser worshippers, past max for preistesess) and the fact that its not uncommon for a RQ priest to have 60 odd-stored power available, and I suspect that spell could be fatal.

 

 

I have tried to imagine what a 60+ minute orgasm would be like and failed.

[austenandrews]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

it extended the time period associated with, *ahem*, the moment of release. Somewhere around +1 minute for every point of temp. Power invested in the spell.

Combined with the nifty trinket that Uleria worshippers could make that would double their charisma/appearance (up to racial max for lesser worshippers, past max for preistesess) and the fact that its not uncommon for a RQ priest to have 60 odd-stored power available, and I suspect that spell could be fatal.

I would be disturbed at the very inclusion of such a spell in a game I played.

 

I have tried to imagine what a 60+ minute orgasm would be like and failed.

Ever see the movie Brainstorm?

[Dale A. Ward]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

I have tried to imagine what a 60+ minute orgasm would be like and failed.

Ever see the movie Brainstorm?

 

Woah!! Perfect reference!!

 

For those who have not seen the movie, the premise is that some highly intelligent people (with way too much time on their hands) have invented a device that can record a person's memories, including the full physical and emotional experience. These experiences can then be replayed into the minds of other people, causing these others to display the physiological signs of having experienced the recorded memories personally.

 

Cut ahead a few scenes - As nerds are prone to do, two of the people on this project team decide to record themselves having sex. (Don't look so surprised... who else would a nerd have sex with but another nerd?) The tape of this experience becomes very popular with the other scientists/nerds and several bootleg copies are soon making the rounds.

 

One of the people gets a copy and decides to make a loop of it. He invites a friend over to check it out, and the friend is appropriately "impressed". Then, both of them are called away for some minor emergency and they run off, leaving the machine running. The machine is discovered by the young son of one of the two guys who, like any curious offspring of scientists/nerds, connects the machine to his own mind and sits down for a little illicit porn viewing.

 

When the kid's father returns later, he finds the kid sitting at the machine, still connected... slack-jawed, vacant-eyed, drooling, and twitching in some macabre perpetual orgasm. Sensory overload can be a dangerous thing.

 

I'd like to try it... just once...

[Black Rose]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

I'd like to try it... just once...

Um, I think you'd really only get once, unless you think that running your brain through an experience of which you literally can't store a solid memory. Go ahead, try to remember one, I dare you; the best you'll get is "oooh, nice..." Frankly, I think you'd burn out your pleasure center; my fiancee told me about a study where they wired a woman's brain so she could set off an orgasm by pressing a button (yeah, yeah, I know ). Except it didn't quite work that way - it gave her the "almost there" feeling, but never sent her over the edge. It reached the point where she was constantly pressing the button even though it gave her no release, just for the tormenting sensation of "almost there".

 

Evil.

[Wilfred_Death]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

I've had PCs in some of my FH or other games that were Priests of an 'Erotically Oriented' god.

 

Some of the spells the Players took for their PCs were:

 

Minor Transform, with advantages and etc: 'To make sure that the parts to make a Conga Line were available.... eeewwwww!

 

Whilst Playing rather than GMing, it's like those Karma things, and M.A. Kuden's

The 'Obvious spells that a Kid might think would be cool' end up being the spells you have to take anyway...

 

Picture this: The Party struggles thru mud and blood and are lugging their loot

when eventually they arrive at the secluded mountain village.

 

The 'Thiefy' guy has stolen everything or lockpicked or stealthed the party out of trouble. FIghter guy has permanent blood encrustation under his fingernails. Druid Woman has 'Druided.......'

 

And you have healed them a lot, and conked a few minions on the head, with that rather ORNATE mace, you carryy.............

 

The villagers have had a decline in birthrate, or a lot of thei ryoung have fallen victim to monster predation.

It's Freezin Cold, It's the middle of the night, you're bone weary ( eh eh )

The Hetman approaches you, you are the only one who has even a remote chance of saving the Villagers from decline and extinction...

This very night you must perform the ritual blessing ceremony of the Moon Goddess, - Who You worship because she looks fantastic in Lingerie...

And when you pray you are always having to conventrate so hard so as not to let lewd thought slip into your ( PCs ) Prayers

 

Like I said, It's cold, you're tired, they take you to New StoneHenge, there is a whole bunch of strangers, and you have to get Naked, and perform the complete ritual in front of them, with someone you don't even know, and probably don't like...........

You ask the GM to fade to fireplace, But you know to round out your character:-

You need :

A Priapism Spell.

+ EGO Only for during rituals

Mental Defence AoE , Also effects Caster vs Caster's own actions

+ to PRE as above

 

- Everyone usually suggests Spells vs STD's -

But you as a Priest should accept what your god decides to give you

when you are worshipping her / him / it.

Never would a PC of mine who was supposed to do 'erotic rituals' doubt their god so much as to use any Prophylactics.

If he caught a disease, he'd try to atone, for his 'obvious' sin.

 

But I mean its embarrassing I'd imagine....

You've got 40 or so people watching you, that's one hell of a PRE attack

Hesitates Half Phase, how do you interpret that in this sort of situation.

.....................

 

It's much easier if you are a normal Cleric type.

You chant away in some language the hoi polloi don't understand,

Wave your Hammer a few times, Smite some infidels, and give impromptu sermons.

ANyone who criticizes you is obviously a Heretic, and You made sure you put 'Flint and Steel ' as well as 50' Of Rope, on your Character Inventory Sheet

 

The People Playing the Game might not want to go into all the sticky details, Maybe just figure out that for X ( 10 or so ) Pts, you get a special One Off Cosmic Power that would allow you to do the correct things in public in the cold.........

 

And Then , ANd Then, ANd Then,

You got all the regular beneficial spells you should take, which probabbly most of have been suggested above.

 

Cure / Cause Impotence AoE..........

Cure / Cause Dysmenorhea (?) AoE

Facilitate Fertility - Change Fertile Time to NOW

Contraceptive - If that is allowed by your god

 

Skills too lots of Skills

Surgery / Childbithing skills

Rituals

and so on ad nauseam

[nexus]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

When the kid's father returns later, he finds the kid sitting at the machine, still connected... slack-jawed, vacant-eyed, drooling, and twitching in some macabre perpetual orgasm. Sensory overload can be a dangerous thing.

 

I'd like to try it... just once...

 

 

Huh, I thought the kid got stuck in the "torture" program that was created by the government who'd coopted the technology? Or does that happened later in the movie?

[Lethosos]

Re: Spells for the Goddess of Love and Lust

 

I'm afraid that Nexus is correct--it took me awhile to recall this particular movie. Poor kid died from the incredible shock.