Cults of Glorantha
Yelmalio Tharkantus
Loyal Son and Frontier Guardian
Yelmalio is Yelm’s loyal son, one of many such sons who bravely served the Solar Court. Unlike his brothers, he took the initiative, bringing war to the enemies of the empire and settling his people in the hills between the cities of Dara Happan and the barbarian storm gods. Yelmalio fought many of Yelm’s fiercest enemies as he strove to protect his people. He stood firm until he journeyed to the Hill of Gold. There he was disarmed by Orlanth, and then ambushed by Zorak Zoran. The darkness demon stole his fire powers, leaving him for dead. Only his honour and his bright light remained. Despite his maiming, he continued to struggle, helping the Elves to fight against Chaos. He was one of the few deities to survive until Dawn and was able to greet his Father as Time began.
The cult was strong at the Dawn among the surviving Aldryami forests and in the hills of Talastar and Brolia. During the wars that followed, it became very popular as a frontier war-cult for the Dara Happan Empire and then the Bright Empire, which spread the worship of the Sun Dome widely. Yelmalio is depicted as a warrior wearing gold armour and carrying a long spear. The cult of Yelmalio is also known as the Sun Dome Temple due to its habit of building immense temples which have golden domes. Many temples survive through the training and hiring of its worshippers as mercenaries, the famous Sun Dome Templars. The famous Sun Dome temples established along the frontier of the Dara Happan Empire are all major Temples. The most recently established, Ularovar, lies in Dragon Pass itself and houses a shrine to the Sun Dragon. Shrines to Yelmalio teach Sunbright.
Runes: Light, Truth.
Type: Sun, War.
Pantheon: Solar, Elf, Orlanthi.
Worshippers: Religious mercenaries, tough frontiersmen, converted barbarians, warrior elfs.
Worshipper Duties: Defending Dara Happan integrity and honour, fighting for a new Golden Age.
Initiate Membership
Requirements: Standard. Any son of a Yelmalio initiate may join automatically. Those who have served in the Sun Dome Templars for over two years must become initiates or leave the unit.
Special Notes: Upon initiation into the cult, initiates may, at their option, accept a gift from Yelmalio and its required geas(es). If an initiate refuses to take a gift when first joining, they may not take a gift until they become a Light Son, Light Priest or Light Servant. Gifts and their requisite geases are chosen randomly (see below). Initiates of Yelmalio are forbidden to learn or know the Bludgeon, Darkwall, Fireblade, Firearrow spells. If they know these spells, they immediately forget them.
Cult Skills: Athletics, Bow, Lore (Yelmalio Tharkantus
Cult Spells: Coordination, Detect Enemies, Farsee, Lantern, Light, Protection, Repair.
Common Divine Magic: All.
Special Divine Magic: Catseye, Command (Hawk), Sunbright.
Light Servant (Acolyte) Membership
Requirements: Standard.
Special Notes: A Light Servant may take another gift and its geases upon acceptance at their option. A Light Servant may not gain any further gifts or geases until they become a Light Priest or Light Son.
Light Priest (Runepriest) Membership
Requirements: Standard plus the candidate must know Farsee and Lightwall and possess the Language skill at 75% or more. Candidate must have been an acolyte for at least 5 years. heology), Perception, Spear, Shield, Throwing.
Associated Cults
Dendara: Provides Bless Home.
Yelm: Provides Sunspear to Light Priests and Light Sons only.
Yelmalio’s Geases
Roll once on the Geas table for every geas indicated on the Gift table. Note that Yelmalio’s cult weapons are Bow, Shield, Spear and Throwing.
58 Never use a flail or whip of any kind
59-60 Never use a sword of any kind
61-64 Never use a mace or maul of any kind
65-67 Never use any but cult weapons
68-70 Never flee or surrender to worshippers of Zorak Zoran
71-72 Never flee or surrender to any Darkness creatures
73-77 Never speak to or help trolls in any way
78-79 Never speak to or help dwarfs in any way
80-81 Never speak to or help non-Light or non- Fire worshippers in any way
82-84 Never speak to or help Orlanth worshippers in any way
85-86 Never permit an elf to suffer needlessly
87-88 Never eat the meat of horses
89-92 Never love any but Earth cult worshippers
93-95 Never bathe
96-97 Roll twice more
98-00 Games Master’s choice
Geas
1D100 Gift
01-02 Favoured by Yelmalio – no geas
03-05 Never eat meat on Fireday
06-09 Never eat meat in Fire Season
10-12 Never eat the meat of birds
13-16 Never eat any meat
17-20 Remain celibate every Fireday
21-24 Remain celibate every Truth week
25-28 Remain celibate every Fire Season
29-30 All celibacy requirements above 31 Total celibacy
32-33 Speak only truth to everyone
34-36 Never seek shelter from the storm
37-40 Never let a horse suffer needlessly
41-43 Never wear any non-metal
44-46 Never wear any metal armour
47-49 Never wear any armour
50-52 Never wear any head protection
53-54 Never use any shield
55-57 Never use any axe