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Notes on the Old Gods

Posted on January 26, 2024

As the Mythology book details, the primordial gods consisted of a group of archetypes that were the sources of Powers, both spiritual and physical, in the universe. These primordial gods dwelt on the Spike, and included the Elder Gods, the Council of Pairs, and the Elemental Deities.

Among the Hykimi, these are said to include the Four Companions, Maker and Grower, Great Mother, the Witnesses, the Kings of Above and Below, King Undine, and many more. Theyalans call this the Celestial Court, but they are also often just called the “Old Gods”.

These primordial entities created lesser but separate versions of themselves, or combined with each other to create new beings (called “Bastards” in old Malkioni writings). These devolutions and combinations are what we commonly refer to as the “Young Gods” – they include Yelm, Orlanth, Lodril, Ernalda, Kyger Litor, Magasta, Humakt, Yelmalio, and many others. In fact, except for Uleria, pretty much all the deities with cults are “Young Gods”.

Among the Orlanthi and Solar pantheons, the Old Gods are largely in the background and often little more than impersonal names. Aether, Gata, Nakala, Acos, Kargan Tor, etc – these entities show up in myth, but are too remote and too distant for any mortal to directly draw power from.

The Hykimi revered the Old Gods, however. They did not draw power from them, but their shamans visited with them in their ecstatic journeys in the Spirit World. At Hrelar Amali, the Old Gods were worshiped.

The Hykimi drew power from their ancestors. For example, Pendal, son of Basmol, and Ifttal, daughter of Seshna, were the ancestors of the Pendali. They begot many children, who founded tribes in Seshnela. Telmor, son of Fralar, was the Father of Wolves, and so on. As we all know, originally men and animals were not so distinct, and each of these lineages included men and animals, mingled together. The world was alive with spirit, and men, animal, plant, and element all commingled easily.

The Gods War broke this, among so many other things. Mortals were cut off from spirit, and they lost much of themselves. Only the Hykimi preserved themselves in the Old Way, with the aid of their shamans. This is why they revere the Old Gods, and largely disdain the Young Gods (except for their own ancestors).

The Middle Sea Empire discovered numerous parallels between the Hykimi peoples of Fronela and Ralios, and the Hsunchen peoples of Kralorela. For example, the Damali of Kralorela told precisely the same stories as the Damali of Ralios – and in the same language!

At the dawn, Hrelar Amali would have been considered a hykimi site?

Yes. At the Dawn, the priest-judges (who I think were all shamans) of the Dangan Confederation loosely held the various groups at Hrelar Amali together. The Enerali were at the top, worshiping their ancestors Ehilm and Ralia, but also using their shamans to interact with the spirits and gods.

So you could imagine Hrelari Amali as this great “opening” to the Gods Realm, where even non-shamans could visit the gods, so long as the dancing continued.

I think there must be parallels between Hrelar Amali of the Dangan Confederation and Belintar’s Proximate Holy Realm.

Jeff Richard

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CoR-MY, Damali (Fallow Deer People), Hykimi, Ifttal, Map, Pendal, Pendali (lion people), Telmor

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