A common motif in parts of Western Sartar (particularly around Runegate and Chormsland) is the Horse Rider and the Goddess. Most stories associate them with King Yarandros or Derik Pol-Joni and Sorana Tor or Kero Fin, or else with the Feathered Horse Queen and one of her suitor-husbands (Sartar or Tarkalor most commonly), although many of these images likely predate the Dragonkill War. The Yelmalio cultists claim that this represents Yelmalio and Ernalda (or sometimes another goddess). Many correct interpretations are possible, as this motif exists on many mythic substrata.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Those who perform the Dragon of Thunder Hills scenario in the GM Pack might make other associations as well, and might end up with a new motif, perhaps more like:
Source: Wikimedia Commons
A mistake that often happens is that people assume that there is a single correct interpretation of a mythic motif (and that usually whichever came first chronologically – which is obvious nonsense when dealing with the God Time) – but these symbols can be placed next to many others and still have power.
When I was in Sofia a few years back, I bought an icon with this motif. It was labeled as St. George and the Dragon, but I could see past the label and saw the Horseman and the Dragon.
And I gave it a different name – Yelmalio fighting the Dragon. And thus drew magical inspiration from it.But of course it is also St. George and the Dragon.
At some point old arrangements lose their power and the new arrangement becomes the default. So happened with our Thracian Horseman – he became St George and retained his power and perhaps gained even more. Same thing happened about four generations ago with Elmal. The old trappings failed but he gained new power as Yelmalio.
