In most of Sartar, your clan has a minor temple to Orlanth and Ernalda, and maybe a shrine to one other deity. Your tribe has at least a minor temple to Orlanth Rex, as well as minor temples and shrines to other deities. Sometimes the tribe even has a major temple.
But the real opportunities come with the cities – Boldhome, Jonstown, Swenstown, Wilmskirk. Jonstown has major temples to Orlanth Rex and Orlanth Thunderous, plus minor temples to Chalana Arroy, Issaries, Lhankor Mhy, Ernalda, Humakt, and the Seven Mothers, and shrines to Argan Argar, Eiritha, Eurmal, Sartar, Uleria, and Yelmalio. That’s a lot of options.
Wilmskirk is the same – a major temple to Orlanth Rex, minor temples to Adventurous, Ernalda, Chalana Arroy, Issaries, Lhankor Mhy, Gustbran, and the Seven Mothers, and shrines to Eurmla, Humakt, and Uleria.
Boldhome is of course the best bang for your buck, with great temples to Orlanth, Ernalda, and Issaries, major temples to Chalana Arroy, Humakt, Lhankor Mhy, Storm Bull, and the Seven Mothers, minor temples to Aldrya, Aranea, Argan Argarn, Eiritha, Eurmal, Gustbran, Kyger Litor, Uleria, and Yelmalio, and shines to Asrelia, Maran Gor, Babeester Gor, Donandar, Lanbril, Ty Kora Tek, Voria, Yelm, and several Daka Fal lineages – plus likely more.
In short, there’s usually a temple or shrine to most Orlanthi gods a day or two away.
It is pretty common for people to have to travel a day or two to get to their seasonal holy day ceremony. But if Issaries, CA, or LM are really important to me, I am likely living in the city anyways. Humakt has shrines and minor temples all over the place so that is pretty easy as well.
Prince Jarosar was “murdered by a friend” in 1561 – this was a member of an “Elmal clan.” The Light worshipers among the Sartarites began offering sacrifices to Yelm quite early – likely even before Sartar even came to Dragon Pass. But thanks to increased trade with Peloria, this accelerated. The Light worshipers discovered their god Elmal was NOT Orlanth’s loyal thane – they learned of Orlanth’s theft of their god’s Fire powers, of his challenges to Yelm – and how their god was formed out of part of Yelm. And once this was seen, it could not be unseen.
By the 1550s and early 1560s, many Light worshipers in Sartar looked to Yelm (ie the Red Emperor) for leadership. There was kinstrife, murder, and the start of civil war in Sartar – and all taking place during a time when the Lunar Empire was on the upswing. King Phargentes was defeating Sartar and its allies, and the Sartarites could not afford the Light worshipers weakening them.
It was Monrogh who revealed the fullness of Yelmalio. Yelmalio was not Orlanth’s friend, but he could be Orlanth’s ally against evil and Darkness. Yelmalio respect his father, but was independent of him. And so, Yelmalio aided Dorasar in founding New Pavis. Yelmalio aided Tarkalor in defeating the trolls of the Troll Woods and liberating the Volsaxi to become Sartar’s ally. Yelmalio fought alongside Tarkalor against the Chaos-using Lunar Empire at the Battle of Grizzly Peak.
The old Elmal cult collapsed upon contact with the deeper mysteries of Yelm. Yelmalio is the alternative to Yelm, not the alternative to Elmal.
Where does that leave the Elmal cult in the Taraling clan? it is a Yelmalio cult that still uses the old name and works hard to fit itself within an Orlanth Rex tribal structure. But it is Yelmalio.