Characters: Argrath
The Great Darkness
Argrath released the Strange Gods from their Underworld prison and was welcomed by the old gods who resided atop the Spike and by the rest of the gods. The Strange Gods brought change, death, disorder, rage, and war into the world and the Gods War raged and destroyed, slaying many gods spirits, and lesser beings. The Spike was destroyed and the Great Darkness fell upon Glorantha. Chaos corrupted, consumed, and destroyed the shattered remnants of the world. One by one, the benign gods departed the world, replaced by evil and Chaos.
The Second Son
Before Orlanth departed from the world he called his kings and heroes and priests together, and gave them instructions to preserve the sacred ground he left from. He gave them sacred gifts, and they gifted him with magical tools. And so began the Greater Darkness, when we struggled against Predark.
Hengall was the second son of King Vingkot, Orlanth’s regal son. His mother was the Summer Wife, but he was born at night when the Dragon’s Head was blotted out by the Sky Gorp. When he was born, the Third Mother give him a star for a heart.
Hengall was poisoned with a drink which caused him to grow huge. After one day of growth he was larger than a long house. Despair filled him. He knew he could not find sustenance without starving his brethren, and so he departed to fight against Predark, alone.
He was never heard from again by any of the Vingkotlings, or by their allies, for six generations. That was the age of the Chaos Wars, fought in ice and darkness, against foes who changed shape, and changed the shape of the world around them. All the world was unraveled, so that even the laws of Vingkot no longer held men from fighting their brothers, or respecting the rights of their neighbors. The disease of the world even affected the last of the Vingkot line, and the two Hidden Kings resorted to shapeshifting to survive.
When all the world was gone, and every man was alone, Argrath went out upon the world. There, at the edge of the world, he met with the Second Son, who told him of his great and terrible battle. He showed Argrath his wounds, and the secret of the Star Heart, and told him the secrets of the I Fought We Won Battle.
Q&A
Is that goddess Ernalda, Asrelia or Gata? (I assume one of those three, considering the Earth rune earrings.)
It’s Ernalda. Gata I don’t think is ever depicted by the Orlanthi, and Asrelia is depicted as an old crone.
Deities from Left to Right:
- Kalt, the Renewing God
- Ernalda, future Earth Queen and Orlanth’s spouse
- Dehore, Darkness Keeper
- Yelm, Solar Emperor
- Lodril, Lord of Below
- Genert, Giant of Genertela
See the Panel 3 art direction on 2 – The Uncles.