Skip to content
The Well of Daliath
Menu
Menu

15 Sun Dome Temples

Posted on October 3, 2011

Jeff Mon, 03/10/2011 – 20:54

Throughout the entire region of central Genertela, including the Lunar provinces where the temples probably originated, there are no more than fifteen temples extant during the Hero Wars period. After reviewing the ancient (and very canonical) maps, I can now present you with the approximate location of all 15 Sun Dome Temples in Genertela (more detailed maps will have to wait until the Guide to Glorantha is published).

From the map, the area in Southern Peloria called Saird is clearly the center of the cult, with 11 Sun Dome Temples (3 in Holay, 2 in Tarsh, 2 in Aggar, 1 in Sylila, 1 in Vanch, and 1 in Imther). This makes a lot of sense, given that (1) the Daysenerus cult was given good lands confiscated from rebellious Heortlings after the Theyalan Wars, (2) Mirin’s Cross was the Second Age center of the cult, and (3) the Yelmalio cult supported Verenmars and his Kingdom of Saird.

Additionally, the make makes obvious the importance of the Sun Dome Temples in providing reliable infantry to the Lunar Provincial Army. With 11 temples, that’s likely 11,000 soldiers available for the service of the Empire. These temples are the military anchor of the “Sairdite” solar culture. The temples are all strategically located to make it possible to defend the lowland farmers. Yelmalio is the main soldier cult of the river cities of Saird, although no reason it can’t coexist with Humakt, Hwarin Dalthippa, or Yanafal Tarnils.

Historically, Jannisor’s Rebellion included the Sun Dome Temples of Saird, allied with the Sable Tribes, and the many Orlanthi tribes surrounding Saird. Likely the Sun Dome Temples were part of the Kynnelfing Alliance that resisted but ultimately was defeated by the Conquering Daughter. The Sun Dome Temples fought on all sides of the wars during Third and Fourth Wanes, but have been mostly allied with the Lunar Provincial Government since the Sixth Wane.

Outside of Saird, there are only 4 temples – 1 in Fronela, 1 in Delela (near Karia), 1 in Sartar, and 1 in Prax. These temples are almost entirely autonomous and independent of their cousins in South Peloria.


Submitted by Jeff Richard on Fri, 07/10/2011 – 11:54.

Many don’t have names that would have any meaning, but here’s a few locations (or nearest location to the Temple within a day’s march):

1. Peralam
2. Daughter’s Road
3. Domanand
4. Vanntar (Sartar)
5. Little Cafol
6. Laramite Hills
7. Linstingland
8. Zalador Hills
9. Orenair Sun Dome
10. Upper Forantin Sun Dome
11. Ever-Victorious Glory
12. Goldedge
13. Karia March
14. North Dona
15. Mo Baustra (Prax)


Comments

Submitted by Sysiphus on Sun, 09/10/2011 – 17:34.

Hello there.

Mmmh… out of casual and perverse curiosity I was searching for that most eastern yellow spot… and guess what ? Karia ! Nice.

If I recollect well David and Joerg’s writing about Eastern Ralios, well, I don’t know if these Yelmalions are attributed to Istakax or Kilwin ? (looks like in between ?… lost in the wilds ?…)
As I am working on a campaign over there, i’d be interested in knowing about their origins… ‘civilized’ lowland folks or wild highland barbarians ? Are they Galanini, (t.i. horse-folk ?) knowing they worship Yelm as supreme ?


Submitted by Jeff Richard on Thu, 06/10/2011 – 17:30.
I’ve got some of the earlier drafts from before WBRM, and let me tell you, things look very different indeed. However looking at my Dragon Pass board map, one of the temples is right there on the map. Greg just didn’t know it was a Sun Dome Temple when he put it together. But it is there, has a unit and everything.

The second temple is not on the map but several hexes north of 1601 or 1700.


Submitted by Joerg Baumgartner on Thu, 06/10/2011 – 17:20

I have (and treasure) the map with the moon-sized crater occupying most of the center of the Lunar Empire and forcing it to spread out and distort around it (in the printed version of the White Bear and Red Moon rules) – very evocative of how it should feel to stand in Glamour and gaze on the Crater.

However, the gameboard I am referring to has Apple Lane on it and uses the same mountain style as those evocative maps in RQ2, Cults of Prax etc. and has seen practically no major additions appropriate to that scale yet.

That the two Tarshite Sun Dome Temples don’t appear as units in the game can be explained by the Dragonrise of 1625 – the Native Furthest militia never felt appropriate for a Lunarized Orlanthi kingdom twice the size of Sartar, and the dragonrise has always been the excuse for this. That disappointment was my initial reaction, nothing more.


Submitted by Jeff Richard on Tue, 04/10/2011 – 15:10.
Joerg – Most Yelmalio cultists are farmer-soldiers who belong to one of the Sairdite cities of South Peloria. They are all best thought of as a type of very well-drilled militia (like the Greek phalanxes or Swiss Pike). They rarely fight outside of their own domain unless paid (which deals with the loss of agricultural labor for a season or two).

They likely could muster some 11,000 pike if all 11 Sun Dome Temples in South Peloria were engaged, but those pike are directly supported by a civilized hinterland 150k to 220k (out of a total Sairdite population of about 600k).

As for the Dragon Pass boardgame map, that’s over thirty years old. Maybe I will post someday what Greg imagined the Lunar Empire looking like at the time. 😀


Submitted by Joerg Baumgartner on Tue, 04/10/2011 – 13:53.
I am sort of disappointed to find at least one, if not three new locations on the Dragon Pass boardgame map and quite close to Balazar.

From your text, the temples within the empire are on permanent retainer of the Lunars, or in dire financial straits if they have to feed such a huge unproductive population of warriors. The two better-known temples have different solutions for feeding themselves – the Praxian temple probably is understrength and has a militia element to buffer the ranks, whereas the Sartar temple in Vanntar has a dedicated Ergeshi slave population to provide a labour force, with part of the templars serving as back-up overseers.

A full-strength Sun Dome Temple requires a population equivalent to 3 to 6 Heortling or Alakoringite tribes as an economic basis (and then still is dependent on regular mercenary contracts). This could make them some of the largest slave-holding groups in the Provinces. Do the Provincial ones subsist on barley, or have they switched to maize?

Jeff Richard

Next
Previous
Map, Moon Design Blog, Sun Dome (East Wilds), Sun Dome (Mo Baustra – Prax) (small city), Sun Dome (North Dona), Sun Dome (Vanntar – Sartar) (small city), Sun Dome Templars, Yelmalio

Sections

  • Search Tips
  • Current RuneQuest Glorantha Publications
  • RuneQuest Glorantha Corrections and Q&A
  • Catalogue
  • References for Glorantha
    • Gloranthan Canon
  • Gloranthan Documents
  • RPG Systems & Versions
  • Gallery
  • Role-playing in Glorantha
  • About This Site
  • Get involved!

Latest Posts

  • Sartar’s Transformation of the Economy

    One of the most remarkable transformations that Sartar made is …
  • The View From Boldhome, circa 1627

    Argrath was acclaimed Prince on Day 88 of 1627. Several …
  • Wolf Pirates 1625-1627

    Harrek the Berserk and his Wolf Pirates cast a looming …
  • Interacting with the Hero Plane

    Most cults limit their interaction with the Hero Plane to …
  • Notes on the Hero Wars

    As we think about the RuneQuest setting for 1621-1655, there’s …
  • Dragon Pass Dragonewt population

    A rough breakdown of the dragonewt population in Dragon Pass, …
  • Notes on King Blackmoor

    From 1615-1625, the Colymar tribe was ruled by Kangharl son …
  • Genertelan Worldview

    The first set of Cults books – Mythology, Lightbringers, Earth …
  • Spirit Cult Example

    Here’s an example of a strange little spirit cult (or …

Links

  • Chaosium
  • Glorantha on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest Glorantha on MeWe
  • Glorantha Wiki on Fandom
  • Prince of Sartar Webcomic
  • Glorantha G+ Archives on Tapatalk
  • Search mailing list archive

Latest from BRP Central

  • Sorcerer Stats
  • Time required to learn spirit magic
  • Disadvantages of Becoming a Shaman- Obligations to Tribe/Cult
  • Ancestor Worship and Daka Fal
  • Telmori wolf brother/fireblade clarification
  • Glorantha game Six Ages 2 nominated for three Pocket Gamer Awards, including Mobile Game of the Year
  • Any Info on Twilight/Nightlight?
  • Visions of Myth
  • The God Learners Episode 28: Gloranthan Freeforms, with David Hall & Kevin Jacklin
  • Monty Python Pestilence - Exodus Plagues

Popular Tags

2008 Bestiary Boldhome (large city) Chaosium Cult demographics Cults of Runequest (preview) Doraddi pantheon Ernalda Esrolia (homeland) Fonritian pantheon FR G+ post Greg Stafford Guide to Glorantha (preview) Hsunchen pantheon Humakt Issaries Jar-eel Kralorelan pantheon Lunar Empire Lunar Pantheon Magazine Malkioni pantheon Map Maps Michael O’Brien Mongoose Nochet (metropolis) Nomad Gods Orlanth Orlanthi pantheon Photo reference Population demographics Prax (homeland) Praxian pantheon RQ3 RQG Sandy Petersen Sartar (homeland) Spirit Cult Subcult Troll Pantheon Yelm Yelmalio Yelm Pantheon

Recently added or updated

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 16 Sorcery Q&A

  • Sartar’s Transformation of the Economy

  • Wolf Pirates 1625-1627

  • CHA4038 The Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories (2020)

  • The View From Boldhome, circa 1627

  • CHA4036 RuneQuest Weapons and Equipment Q&A

  • What is the Third Age History of the Sun Dome Temple in Sartar (2008)

  • Breakout #34 (1989)(AU)

  • AH8574 Human Adventurer Sheets (Box 2 – 1985)

  • AH8575 Non-human Adventurer Sheets (Box 3 – 1985)

  • AH8573 Monster Coliseum (Box 1 – 1985)

  • Wolf Pirates

  • Le Maître des Runes (1988)(FR)

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 12 Rune Cults Q&A

  • CHA4029 RuneQuest Gamemaster Screen Pack – Q&A

  • CHA4039 The Smoking Ruin and other Stories – Q&A

  • CHA4038 The Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories – Q&A

  • CHA4034 Red Book of Magic – Chapter 03 Spirit Magic Spells Q&A

  • Interacting with the Hero Plane

  • Petersen Games

©2023 The Well of Daliath | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme