The Cult Of Elmal

by Nicholas Effingham, based upon David Dunham's and Maurice Beyke's description and Greg Stafford's and Sandy Petersen's Yelmalio description

I. Mythos and History

Elmal was a son of the Emperor and the Sky was his given domain which he ruled upon his steed of mighty fire. Elmal gave life to the people of the world. However, he saw that the life he gave was dead in it's soul, it lacked vitality that Elmal saw in other beings. He saw that he was the giver of Cold Light. Seeking to change this, he sought out the Old Man who told him that he might search for secrets at the Hill of Gold. And so Elmal stepped forth from his fiery horse and left to the Hill of Gold. Here he called upon the Cosmos to grant him his chance to find the secrets that would let his Breath warm the world both in it's soul as well as it's body. Orlanth came by at that time, and heard the call of the sun god. Willing to prove himself, Orlanth came to Elmal and challenged him to battle. Elmal and Orlanth fought at the Bridge of Gold, and Orlanth beat him into the waters. As he fell, Elmal grabbed Orlanth and pulled him in with him. Elmal, however, was not used to the cold, drowning waters and so could not swim. Before the Waters claimed him, Elmal was rescued by Orlanth and in him saw the very initiative and animation that Elmal had desired to give to his people. Elmal said that he sought the same power that drove the mighty Storm God.
Orlanth agreed to show him, and so Orlanth taught Elmal the Storm's Secrets.
Elmal then met Ernalda and was accepted into the Stead, and was captivated by their daughter, Hippoi the Horse Goddess. He asked that she might be allowed to marry him, and after some consternation they agreed and so the Foreigner's Wedding was made. Hippoi then joined Elmal in the Sky and thence forth all horses have been connected to Fire, the Sun and the Sky.
When Orlanth slew the Emperor, and Chaos entered the world, Elmal came from his throne in the Sky and to the side of his sworn Liege, Orlanth. When Elmal descended thus, the world fell into perpetual night and the Darkness had come. The Sun did not return for a long, long time.
Elmal fought with his lord, and at the battle of Stormfall scarred entire hordes of caos beasts and demons. He adventured far and wide with Vinga, for she rescured him from the Black Lord of the Trolls who came to steal the powers of Fire from him, while he survived he never truly recovered and forever lost access to his Fire powers, although many of his sons and daughters, thanes and warriors, managed to reclaim lost powers and weapons stolen by the Black Lord. He rode his wife, the great Hippoi, and taught the many people of the Orlanthi the true powers of the Thane. When Yelmalio, the Winter Sun, strove to take the Elmal's place in the Sky, Elmal came to the Hill of Gold to fight with him. He defeated Yelmalio and stole his armour, which he now wears, although his Shield was often used by Orlanth. Yelmalio never managed to become the Sun he wished.
Orlanth departed on the Lightbringer's Quest and Elmal guarded the Stead whilst he was away. He gave him his power and energy that he migt suceed. Elmal risked everything and won, to a point. When Orlanth called his Stead into the Underworld to where the Spider Woman sat, Elmal led them. The gods of Darkness, however, could not take it that a Sun god could exist in the New Cosmos, and so as a compromise, Elmal agreed to spend half of his existence in the Underworld and that is why he travelled across the sky when the Net was thrown.
In the First Age Nysalor was formed, and at that instant Elmal recoiled in terror, resolved himself stoicly, and prepared for his second descent to aid his liege against the evil chaos. Of course, the Spider Woman would not allow this and Orlanth asked Elmal to honour his bond and so Elmal continued across the Sky. His cult prospered under the evil Lokamayadon, and Elmal could not stop it, though he hated it so.
His cult was also defeated and supressed by the explosion of the Yelmalions who sought to destroy Elmal by claiming that Yelm, the Emperor, was the sun and not the Sun Thane! Such an outrage provoked brutal assaults and wars, today Elmal is worshipped in only a few Orlanthi lands.
Those who die in the cult are assured that if they were faithful they will have eternal bliss with Elmal in the Heavens. Those who failed, in part or in whole, to fufil all their duties, must stand gaurd at Orlanth's Stead for a varying amount of time dependant upon their sin. Most worshippers expect at least a short stay here. The bodies of Elmalians who fail to return from the court of Daka Fal are bound in cloth and burnt at the start of the first watch of the day seven days after the actual demise of the body, and the body is kept burning till the start of night when the Gates of Dusk open and the soul may follow their lord into Hell and Elmal will show them the way to the Lands of Death.
Elmal is associated with the Runes of Light and Truth, with minor associations to Death and Storm. Sometimes Light is replaced with a Rune known as Broken Fire, but it is believed the God Learners destroyed it's existence.

II. Cult Ecology

The Cult is maintained for it fufils a major part of Orlanthi society. All housecarls are expected to have at least initiate standing in this cult. Elmal is worshipped at thr start of every new crop, that he might bless the years food. Elmal is also worshipped by housecarls for his status as Orlanth's Thane. He is invoked in many major Sacred Time rites, and also his worshippers stand guard outside any meeting of an Iron Council.
The Cult dislikes the cults of Zorak Zoran, who attempted to steal Elmal's powers for himself, Yelmalio, who is a spoilt upstart of a godling who feels that pretending to have some modicum of power of the Sun is an honourable thing to say and do, and the cult also dislikes most Sky gods for they are souless, lifeless and without feeling and true emotion. The cult associates freely with Orlanth, Ernalda, the local Grain Goddess, Hippoi and Vinga, who had many adventures with Elmal in Godtime.
The holy days of the cult are Fireday of every Truth Week, with a High Holy Day in Storm Season.

III. The Cult In The World

In the Third Age the cult had a major rebellion in the form of Yelmalions who converted the pure Elmalions to the worship of Yelmalio, the Winter Sun. Therefore, many areas have forgotten about Elmal or else refuse his worship.
He is worshipped in Bilini and Lankst (all IMO) and a variety of other smaller colonies of Orlanthi. Notably, he is not worshipped by any sect of the Stygian Heresy of Ralios.
Temples are commonly of minor size and up, shrines only exist in small villages. They commonly share the same temples as Orlanth. The Head Suncarl will organise all subservient Housecarls to meet the demands of the clan, often working alongside Wind Lords to do this. The lower worshippers of Elmal are often lesser Carls, and part-time worshippers who offer their services to take guard. These part-timers are often known as Groundcarls, for that is what they are considered.
In his role as the Sun, once a year the Elmalian Suncarl is called upon by the local Earth Goddess Priestess and must make certain rites to bless the land.
Shrines teach Brighteye.

IV. Initiate

All canidates must be mature Orlanthi, although non-Orlanthi may partake in the Foreigner's Wedding via this cult. They must suceed in tests in Animal Lore, Scan, Ride, and either bow or javelin attack. They must then sacrifice a point of POW to Elmal. They must devote 10% of their time and income to the cult, and an additional 10% of their time to guard duty for either the stead or the chieftan's halls. This may increase if a clan is ever raised to the position of War Clan, and will also change in times of relative peace.
An Elmali will always be given a discount on horses purchased from the clan, this is a religious duty observed by all loyal Orlanthi. Most times the horse works out at about 30% cheaper than normal. An Elmali must select a gift, and will gain the appropiate number of geases. They gain access to Divine Intervention, Spirit Magic and one-use Rune Magic. They also receive 100 hours of free training in cult skills, and half price after that.
Those worshippers who decide to devote their lives to Elmal receive payment from the Head of Clan, usually in the form of lodgings, food, and a small amount of money or goods every season to give to keep. It is rare that a married or widowed man will take up such a demanding position.

Spirit magic: Bladesharp, Coordination, Detect Enemies, Farsee, Light, Lightwall, Protection, Repair.

V. Suncarls (Rune Lords)

Suncarls are the Rune Lords and the Rune Priests of the Cult, and serve as the clans thanes and housecarls. They must have 90% in either bow attack or javelin attack, and 90% in any parry, aswell as three of the following; any other attack, scan, ride and animal lore. They must also have at least 30% Ceremony. A Suncarl must then pass a test of holiness abstracted as POWx3, and be willing to make a powerful oath of fealty to their leige, usually a Priest of Orlanth Rex.
They must devote 90% of their time and income to the cult, which usually involves serving the head of the clan or village, aswell as the Iron Council. The Suncarl receives the first pick of any horse, and also receives the right to woe any priestess of Ernalda he so chooses. He must show Vingans good will and hospitality, and never refuse an order to help his people.
However, he must ritually challenge any Darkness creature, as well as any worshipper of Yelmalio or Yelm.
They receive all rights attributed to a Rune Lord (1d10 Divine Intervention, arms and armour etc...) and those rights given to a priest (re-usuable rune magic etc...) If they suceed in a non-deadly, but reasonably difficult, HeroPath they gain an allied spirit bound into a weapon, or else gain an awakened allied horse. They must accept another gift of Elmal and it's geases, and may select any number more if they so wish.

Common Rune Magic: All.
Special Rune Magic: Bless Crops, Brighteye, Enchant Gold, Enchant Iron, Hold Frost, Shield, Truespear.

VI. Special Rune Magic

Brighteye is the same as Catseye, refer to Sun County p.24 for it's description.

Hold Frost
3 point
ritual(ceremony), re-usuable
This is a HeroQuest Ritual spell (see HeroQuest notes). Only Sunthane's may sacrifice for it. It takes one whole day to cast. It protects an area of ground from the ravages of winter frost and other such difficulties for one season. This means that long winters are still dangerous, and also magical frost and winter still harm the ground. The area of ground protected is equal to one acre for every Support Point mustered. This ritual is often cast multiple times, but in doing so the community is left spiritually and physically at risk for the period of the ceremonies.

VII. Sub-cults

Spirit Of Reprisal
The spirit is Sporin Thaneson. He claimed the mighty Sunspear from his grandfather's Armoury of Fire, and taught others to wield it. He attacks apostates by showering them with Sunspears. An apostate will be struck by a variable number of Sunspears appropiate to his crimes, from a single one for simple transgressions, such as petty cult theft, to ten for major heretical actions involving the cult as a whole. These Sunspears appear at a time most inappropiate for the victim.
It is possible to join his cult, and thus gain access to the spell Sunspear, but only Sunthane's who hold the rank of High Priest have access to it. If they ever loose their position then the High Priest's access to Sunspear becomes one-use and they can no longer sacrifice for it.

Talem Firespear
This sub-cult deals with Elmal in his role as Spear carrier for Orlanth. Talem was his son to Hippoi, it was said that Talem went to Hell and broke down the heavy lead doors and took back the arms and armour that Zorak Zoran stole from his father. To enter this sub-cult requires the canidate to have demonstrated loyalty to the cult, and piety, and suceed in a small rite that may only be attempted once a year (can be abstracted as POWx3). Once in the canidate can gain access to Command and Summon Salamander, as well as the spirit magics Fireblade and Firearrow.

VIII. Associated Cults

Hippoi
His wife grants Bless Horses.

Orlanth
The King of All Gods, to whom he swore loyalty to, gives him Lightning.

Vinga
To whom he is so close to in his Godtime adventures, he gains Sureshot.

IX. Notes

These are the gifts a canidate may choose from.

GIFT (NO. OF GEASES)

+10% to any skill (1)
+30% to any cult skill (2)
Permanent ability of Farsee (2)
Raise Bow Attack to 90% (3)
Raise Spear Attack to 90% (3)
Raise Thrown Spear Attack to 90% (3)
Gain Brighteye as a re-usuable spell (2)
Automatic Mindspeech with Horses (2)
+1 to any ability, no limits (2)
Recover Magic Points at double rate (2)
Recover Fatigue at double rate (2)
No need to sleep (2)

1d100 Geas
01	Favoured By Elmal, no geas
02-10	Remain Celibate every Fireday
11-15	Remain celibate every Truth Week
16-20	Never speak wilst on guard unless an attack takes place
21-25	Always stand double watch
26-40	Never speak to, or help, chaos in anyway
41-43	Never lie
44-48	Never allow a horse to suffer needlessly
49-53	Never allow a cat to suffer needlessly
54-60	Never flee from or surrender to chaos in anyway
61-65	Never refuse request for aid from a Storm Worshipper
66-70	Never refuse a request for aid from an Earth Worshipper
71-75	Never have sex with, or marry, anybody other than an Earth worshipper
76-78	Never have sex with, or marry, any body other than an Earth priestess
79-82	Always attack a Darkness creature
83-85	Always attack a Yelm or Yelmalio worshipper
86-90	Never use a sword
91-95	Never ues non-cult weapons
95-98	Roll again twice
99	Roll again thrice
00	Gamesmaster's choice or roll again