Cults of Glorantha

Ernalda

Ernalda is the Great Goddess. The world would not exist without her. Glorantha could exist without the sun or the Underworld and even without the sky and oceans; but it could not exist without Ernalda.

Ernalda is ancient, born among the most ancient of the immortals. She is the power of Binding. She is the power that links all things together. She is also the goddess of women, protecting and nurturing all things that make women what they are and that are unique to women. She is a fertility goddess of women and also of plants and crops: Ernalda can be worshipped by herself or in conjunction with any of the crops Orlanthi traditionally raise: barley, wheat, oats and so forth.

Such is Ernalda’s power that she is found outside the Storm Tribe. Even the elfs, so loyal to Aldrya, recognise Ernalda’s authority. She also has many names: Bountiful Mother, First Wife, Grain Mother and so on. Whatever form she takes, Ernalda’s influence and semblance are immediately recognisable to all belonging to her cult. Throughout Time, Ernalda has been acknowledged and embraced by all the Theyalan peoples and even beyond. Ernalda is the most important goddess in the world. She is revered by Orlanthi, Esrolians and even those Pelorians who have forsaken Orlanth. People who hate and fear Orlanth, still lovingly offer sacrifices to Ernalda.

Runes: Earth, Fertility, Harmony

Mythos and History

Ernalda Creates the Challenge (Resonance 70%) – Why All Pieces Must be Nurtured: When Asrelia begat her daughters, foremost was Ernalda who became the Queen of the Earth Tribe. From her mother came the power of Rule so that Chaos would not destroy the world. From the Emperor came the power of Harmony so that the world would remain bound together and that things would never change. The Emperor decided that the petulant god of change, Umath, had to be broken so that things would always remain Just So. He sent his warrior, Jagrekriand, to destroy Umath, which he did. The parts of Umath had to be scattered then and the part known as Disruptor was given into Ernalda’s care so that it would be pacified. Ernalda nurtured it, loved it and encouraged it, because that is her nature and way. Disruptor became Orlanth and Orlanth challenged the Emperor.

Orlanth courted Ernalda and proved that he alone was worthy of her. She moved into his house of her own volition. They created a home in the Godworld and had many children together. They attracted many strangers and wandering gods and made them part of their tribe. They called the tribe the Great Free People and members were no longer just of the Earth, Storm or other tribe, though their kinships with those people were not broken.

Ernalda’s Lovers (Resonance 65%) – Faithfulness is Natural. Other Lovers Do Not Satisfy: Orlanth did a Bad Thing one day and Ernalda was angry with him. She sent him away and chose new lovers, new mates and new husbands, too. Yet none were a match for Orlanth, as a lover, mate or husband. Orlanth returned, of his own volition, not because he was tempted or asked or required to do so; he returned because it was his fate and nature to return to Ernalda and he drove out all those who had courted, loved and mated with Ernalda, promising gruesome revenge if they ever tried to return. Ernalda and Orlanth realised it is not possible for them to be truly separated.

Ernalda Weaves the Compromise (Resonance 75%) – The Great Compromise Holds the World Together. It can Never be Broken: When Orlanth killed the sun, Disorder and Chaos stalked the world. Ernalda was forced to hide in her mother’s house, deep in the earth. Chaos searched for her with many allies. She kept herself safe by entering the Great Sleep and so fooled Chaos into thinking her vanished. When the sun rose and Chaos was vanquished because Arachne Solara ate the Devil, Orlanth came looking for Ernalda and found her in her mother’s house. He awoke her with a single kiss. Now she was awake, they made a plan. Ernalda wove a great net; all the gods were called together and everyone agreed to support the net, which they called the Great Compromise. Even the Emperor held onto the net and swore the oaths all gods swore, binding himself to it. Orlanth cast the Great Compromise over the world and, with much help, pulled all the pieces of the world together again. Chaos was cast out of the world, back to where it had come from, by the gods.

Nature

Ernalda is the Great Goddess and Queen of the Universe. She is generous, powerful, and wise; the most beloved deity in all Glorantha. She is the source of bounty and plenty and is desired by all. She is the Goddess of the Orlanthi and the source, protector and maker of everything they have. She is the power behind all life; people live off her bounty, worship her family, and are healed by her grace. With her daughters she is the source of all food, raiment and shelter. Her worship is most popular with women, naturally, but farmers and landholders also offer her veneration but do not progress through the ranks of the cult.

Ernalda is a merciful, loving cult. It teaches that one must be true to one’s nature and embrace the kinship of the hearth and family. It teaches that for every woman there is one man and in that union a bond of strength is produced that cannot easily be broken or sundered. As her myths show, Ernalda is the Weaver who binds together the universe through promises, loyalty and compromise: even the mighty Sun Emperor is bound by Ernalda’s net, proving that even the sun must respect the power of the earth.

Organisation

Ernalda’s presence is widespread throughout Glorantha but strongest in Orlanthi lands. Her temples are small, rural shrines often close to fields filled with crops, or temples and shrines to Orlanth, her husband. Where large temples are found, a dedicated clergy of priestesses lead all worship rites and holy day sacrifices. Each clan, tribe and settlement has its own independent cult (and sometimes cults) of Ernalda, based around a holy place and with its own priestesses and sacred items. Worshippers from one community can, and do, worship at the shrine of another community, although clan and tribal feuds may make that dangerous. It is not unknown for clans, or even tribes, to fight over control of important holy places. All aspects and subcults of the Great Goddess can be worshipped in any Ernalda Temple.

Worshippers celebrate weekly holy days every Clay day. All Initiates attend these rites but only the most fervent members spend the entire day involved in rituals and worship. Shared holy days occur about once a season and revere another goddess along with Ernalda. The entire community meets on these days to celebrate Ernalda and the goddesses (usually a local grain goddess, or one of Ernalda’s daughters), who bring life to the world.

Regular holy days are celebrated every Clay day of Fertility Week. On these days the priestesses perform ceremonies and rites for the coming season, preparing blessings and calling upon Ernalda to kiss the ground and so deliver the best harvest. These are community-wide rites, which bring the whole community together to revere Ernalda through her various aspects.

Ernalda’s High Holy day is the regular holy day in Earth Season. The communal rites celebrate and prepare for the beginning of the harvest. The private rites celebrate Great Ernalda, the Mother of the Universe, from whom the bounty of the harvest ultimately comes.

Membership Standard.

Initiates must be women. Males may stay as Lay Members but progression through the cult is strictly for females. Rune Priestesses are known as Earth Mothers and to qualify the woman must have given birth to a healthy child.

Common Magic

Heal, Second Sight, Strength, Vigour.

Higher Magic

Standard, plus the following: Bless Crops, Elemental Summoning (Gnome), Heal Body, Heal Mind, Rain, Regenerate Limb.

The cult also teaches: Command (Snake), Command (Swine), Delivery, Earthpower, Regal Aura.

Command (Creature)

Duration 15, Rank Acolyte, Ranged, Resist (Persistence)

While the spell lasts, the caster takes over the actions and will of the fixed INT creature specified by the spell. Thus many varieties of spell exist. The caster must be able to see the creature and if it leaves the caster’s sight then the spell is automatically broken until the caster comes into view again. The caster can affect one creature for every point of Magnitude for the spell. Whilst under the caster’s control the animal will perform whatever actions the caster declares and will refrain from causing the caster any harm.

Delivery

Duration Special, Rank Initiate, Touch

Delivery ensures that a natural childbirth is safe, clean and with managed pain for the mother. The spell lasts for the natural length of the delivery and is usually cast when the waters break although it can be cast when contractions have begun. The beneficiary of the spell feels relaxed and calm and although she will still feel the pain of childbirth, it is neither distressing nor overwhelming. The spell dissipates once the child has been born (the spell guards against still births or birthing difficulties) and the cord is cut and tied magically as the closing act of the spell.

Earthpower

Duration Instant, Rank Rune Lord/Priest

This spell activates automatically when the holder of the spell’s POW or Magic Points fall to zero for any reason. For the spell to work the caster must be in physical contact with the earth. The spell automatically restores a number of points of POW and/or Magic Points equal to the spell’s Magnitude, up to the caster’s normal values. If the cultist has multiple Earthpower spells, then each instance of the spell contributes towards the regained POW and Magic Points up to the normal values.

Regal Aura

Duration 15, Rank Initiate, Touch

This spell confers an Influence skill bonus equal to the caster’s Pact (Ernalda) skill.

Gifts and Compulsions

The cult offers no specific Gifts but it does require that its members find a life partner and remain faithful to that partner. If their life partner should wander and be unfaithful, then punishment may be made (usually determined by a priestess of the cult) but forgiveness must also be offered.

Cult Skills

Any Craft related to farming, Courtesy, Culture (Own), First Aid, Healing, Insight, Lore (Ernalda), Lore (Regional), Lores related to farming and nature.

Allied Cults

Babeester Gor: teaches Great Parry.

Maran Gor: offers Blast Earth.

Ty Kora Tek: provides Bless Grave.

Vinga: offers Elemental Summoning (Sylph).