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Visualising Gloranthan Societies

Posted on January 12, 2024

I like to think of mortal Gloranthan societies as being made of clusters of temples, with links to their associates. Some cults – like Orlanth and Ernalda – end up with big changes of nodes and links.

So for example, we have a big cluster around Orlanth – Eurmal, Issaries, Lhankor Mhy, etc – and a cluster around Ernalda – Asrelia, Babeester Gor, Maran Gor, Ty Kora Tek, etc. In some cases a cult is linked to both Orlanth and Ernalda – such as Chalana Arroy and Storm Bull. And then we have more distant links like Aldyra, Eiritha, and Yelmalio to Ernalda. In the Grazelands we even have a tiny Yelm cluster, tied to its more powerful Ernalda group.

A few cults like Humakt have no links but he is always very close to Orlanth.

From this you see that Ernalda has a vast family, but Orlanth has a cluster of very power cults around him.

Some other cults create chains that are largely independent of the Orlanth-Ernalda network. Around Kyger Litor is Xiola Umbar, Zorak Zoran, Gorakiki, Aranea, Argan Argar, etc. Argan Argar ties to Ernalda, but otherwise this chain is independent.

Another is around Furthest, a big Seven Mothers node with links to Hon-eel, the Red Goddess, Hwarin Dalthippa, Yara Aranis, etc. It is also largely independent of the other networks and ties back to Glamour and Dara Happa.

Scattered around are little autonomous nodes that lead nowhere, like Daka Fal or spirit places. And we have a large, but at this time self-contained network forming a Dragonewt Rune – the Dragon Religion.

Some of the clusters have significant leaders – Argrath, Pharandros, the Feathered Horse Queen, Cragspider, etc. – but others are led by city rings or tribal leaders. These significant leaders try to bring their clusters and all its strings along with them into the Hero Wars.

Anyways, I often find that a more useful thought exercise than just thinking about lines on a map.

This helps remind me that ties of cult and kinship are the most significant for most Gloranthans. Of course each of these little nodes are also groups of kinship groups (which have their own invisible lines connecting them together).

And it helps illustrate obstacles to a ruler trying to rule past their own little network.

Would the River of Cradles and it’s valley be a “node” for Water? or the culture there is not important enough for that? The cult of Zola Fel is a small little node. Connected to a few others. But remember, he doesn’t get that much worship in the area compared to Ernalda, Orlanth, Yelmalio, Eiritha, Waha, or even Pavis.

Jeff Richard

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cults, Dragonewts, Furthest (large city), Grazelands (homeland), Zola Fel

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