As I get near to wrapping up the final text on the Sartar book and move into art, I need to say – man this book will blow some minds! Sartar with princes, roads, cities, and caravans! 33 minor cults, including many you have never heard of!
All the tribes, loads on the cities, clan creation details, new occupations, expanded family background, and much much more. And that is not even including the Boldhome booklet, the Dragon Pass gazetteer booklet, Encounter booklet, and the MASTER MAP!
Here’s a snippet:
Orlanth in Sartar
Orlanth is the patron god of the Kingdom of Sartar, and nowhere is his cult more fully developed. The three main subcults of Orlanth – Thunderous, Adventurous, and Rex – have temples and shrines throughout the kingdom and rarely does an initiate have to travel more than a day to worship their preferred aspect at a sanctified holy place. There is also a great temple to Orlanth Lightbringer, a mystical subcult that inspires individuals to correct the wrongs of the world. Many other subcults can be found in Sartar as well; these are simply the most important and prominent ones.
Orlanth Adventurous is the warrior god subcult of Orlanth, patrons of heroes, warbands, raiders, and adventurers. About a fifth of all cult activity is associated with this subcult, which emphasizes warrior prowess. Orlanth Adventurous often defies traditions and settled assumptions; he is a god of Change and Mastery, as much as a god of Air. Orlanth Adventurous is more often associated with cities and tribes than villages, although some clans have him as their patron god. The Four Magical Weapons subcult has been fully incorporated into the Orlanth Adventurous subcult throughout Sartar.
Orlanth Thunderous is the most popular and widespread subcult of Orlanth. About half of all cult activity is associated with this subcult, which emphasizes the god’s mastery of winds and weather. This is the atmospheric god, bringer of gentle rains and thundering storms, and married to Ernalda the Earth Mother. Orlanth Thunderous is the god of farmers, and his son Barntar is a popular subcult of Orlanth Thunderous. Most villages have a minor temple to Orlanth Thunderous with a shrine to the Barntar subcult; this temple is so closely linked with the local Ernalda cult that many people refer to this as the cult of Orlanth and Ernalda.
Orlanth Rex is the ruling god subcult of Orlanth, the patron of the Kingdom of Sartar, the cities, and the tribes. The Rex subcult is at the opposite end of social organization from Thunderous; instead of the village temples of Thunderous, Orlanth Rex is organized at a tribal level or greater. About a quarter of all cult activity is associated with this subcult. Orlanth Rex binds the other subcults and Lightbringer cults together and holds power over the other tribal temples and shrines. Orlanth Rex is intimately connected with the House of Sartar, and his dynasty serve as the highest priests of this subcult. The Sartar and Sartar the Builder subcults are associated with the Rex cult throughout the Kingdom of Sartar.The only great temple to Orlanth Lightbringer in Glorantha is at the Hill of Orlanth Victorious, the very place that Orlanth began the Lightbringers’ Quest. Orlanth Lightbringer is invoked every Sacred Time and as part of many mystical ceremonies. This subcult can be joined by any Orlanth cultist, and provides support for the acquisition of heroic and other magical powers through heroquesting. Orlanth Lightbringer is sometimes called the God of Heroquesting. He is closely associated with the other Lightbringer cults (Chalana Arroy, Eurmal, Issaries, and Lhankor Mhy).
No summary of the Orlanth cult in Sartar can be complete without a mention of the Vinga subcult. This woman warrior subcult worships the female incarnation of Orlanth and is open to female initiates of any Orlanth subcult. The Vinga subcult is respected for the bravery and ferocity of its members, and several of the Sartarite princes maintained an elite unit of women warriors.