Elmal
y On Reason for Existence Elmal is the god of the Sun Dome-the shining light of the sky when both the sun and night are absent. He is the Light without Heat, the Master of Horses and the Loyal Thane to Orlanth, ing of the !ods. He is the only sky god worshi""ed among the hill barbarians of the Orlanthi. Elmal was not always "art of the Storm Tribe. He was originally "art of #elm$s %ire Tribe, enemies of Orlanth and known by the name #elmaio & the little sun. 'ut one day, (halana )rroy healed Elmal of his blindness, and the god *ould +nally see the unust ways of his tribe for what they were. He realised that there were more more things in life than the "erfe*tion of light, so he left his tribe and be*ame a wanderer. His sear*h for the true "ath brought him to Orlanth, who was assembling the greatest of mortals and gods into a new tribe. Elmal was tested when he *ame to Orlanth$s Hall, and he tested his hosts in return. return. He was inited to stay in the !reat Tula for the winter, and im"ressed by his former enemies, Elmal did so. This was a good thing thing for the Storm Tribe the winter saw the the stead atta*ked atta*ked +rst by a gang of trolls and later an army of (haos, but Elmal was there to hel" drie them o/. %or his braery, Elmal was inited to be*ome "art of the Storm Tribe and hae the honour to sitting at Orlanth$s table, among his thanes. Elmal eagerly a**e"ted. He is now the only Sun !od amongst the Orlanthi and retains his "osition as Orlanth0s *hief Hearthguard. Hearthguard. Social Position The *ult is maintained for it ful+ls a maor "art "art of Orlanthi so*iety. so*iety. 1n *lans where Elmal is worshi""ed, all full house *arls are e2"e*ted to hae at least initiate standing in this *ult. Elmal is worshi""ed at the start of eery new *ro", that he might bless the years food. Elmal is also worshi""ed by *areer warriors for his status as Orlanth0s thane. He is inoked in many maor Sa*red Time rites, and also his worshi""ers stand guard outside any meeting of a tribal *oun*il, if they are not "art of it themseles. Elmal0s *eremony day is %ireday. %ireday.
Elmal0s high holy day is %ireday of Truth week in the %ire Season
Likes and Dislikes The *ult dislikes 3orak 3oran, who who attem"ted to steal steal Elmal0s "owers for for himself at the Hill of !old and *ost him his Heart of %ire. They are are also hostile towards most *ults of Darkness, namely trolls and other s"awn of yger Litor. Elmali hae disdain and "ity for #elmalio #elmalio worshi""ers, who follow that old, s"oilt, u"start of a godling and who feel that "retending to hae some modi*um of the Sun0s "ower is an honourable thing to say. The *ult also dislikes most Sky gods for they are soulless, lifeless and without feeling and true emotion. The *ult asso*iates freely freely with Orlanth, Ernalda, Ernalda, the lo*al !rain !oddess, !oddess, Hi""oi 4Elmal0s wife5 and 6inga, who had many adentures with Elmal in the !odtime. The *ult has great great res"e*t for any Lightbringers, but but will be *autious in handing oer their res"onsibilities to them, as Elmal had to shoulder mu*h during his time as tem"orary *hief be*ause of their absen*e on the 7uest to restore restore the Sun. Elmal gae aid to the )ldryami 4eles5 in the !odtime and so there is some trust between them and his worshi""ers, where where normally there is nothing but sus"i*ion. The *ult has a friendly rialry rialry with Humakt0s *ult, *ult, but one that is "urely "urely "rofessional. Humakt builds warriors warriors & Elmal trains soldiers. There is no ran*our in the relation, and indiidual Humakti are often honoured by Elmali for their skill in wea"ons and *ommand. Membership Requirements
Lay Member Elmal worshi""ers *ommonly share share the same tem"les as Orlanth. The Head Sun*arl will organise all subserient House*arls to meet the demands of the *lan, often working alongside 8ind Lords to do this. The Lay Members of Elmal are often lesser (arls, and "art-time worshi""ers who o/er their seri*es to take guard. These "art-timers are often known as !round*arls, !round*arls, for that is what they are *onsidered. Lay Members must attend regular worshi" at weekly seri*es on %ireday. 1f the Lay Member fails to attend, they must o/er a gift of at least 9: lunars as re*om"ense. Lay Members neer befriend trolls or dwares, always su""ort the idea of Truth in all they do, and su/er e2"ulsion if dis*oered to be lying to the detriment of the *ult. Sim"le lying to outsiders is frowned u"on, but has no set "unishment.
Lay Members may farm, hunt or lie on lands "rote*ted by the *ult. They will also be gien training in *ult wea"onry and other skills the *ult *onsiders a""ro"riate. a""ro"riate. 8ea"on skills inoling *lubs or ma*es are *om"letely dis*ouraged due to their asso*iation with Darkness *ults. Sword training is also not dire*tly "roided, but not dis*ouraged, as it was a sword whi*h slew the Sun. Lay Members may learn S"irit Magi* u" to leel ;. Initiate )ll *andidates must be mature mature Orlanthi, although non-Orlanthi non- Orlanthi may "artake in the %oreigner0s %oreigner0s 8edding 8edding ia this *ult & whi*h oins them to a *lan as Elmal was when he married Hi""oi. They must hae at least <:=> in two of the following skills •
)nimal Lore
•
S*an
•
?ide
•
'ow )tta*k
•
@aelin )tta*k
They must deote deote 9:= of their time and in*ome in*ome to the *ult, and an additional additional 9:= of their time to guard duty for either the stead or the *hieftain0s halls. This may in*rease if a *lan is eer raised to the "osition of 8ar (lan, and will also *hange in times of relatie "ea*e. )n Elmali will always be gien a dis*ount on horses "ur*hased from the *lan, this is a religious duty obsered by all loyal Orlanthi. Most times the horse works out at about A:= *hea"er than normal. )n Elmali must sele*t a gift, and will gain the a""ro"riate number of geases. They gain a**ess to the *ult *ult S"irit magi* and also re*eie 9:: hours of of free training in *ult skills, and half "ri*e after that. Those worshi""ers worshi""ers who de*ide to deote their their lies to Elmal re*eie re*eie "ayment from the Head of (lan, usually in the form of lodgings, food, and a small amount of money or goods eery season to gie kee". 1t is rare that a married or widowed man will take u" su*h a demanding "osition. They must sa*ri+*e sa*ri+*e a "oint of BO8 to Elmal. Elmal. They may sa*ri+*e sa*ri+*e BO8 to gain Diine magi* from Elmal. This magi* will be s"ent until "rayed for again during Sa*red Time or the *ult High Holy day. 1nitiates may learn S"irit Magi* u" to leel C.
Rune Lord Sun*arls are the ?une Lords and the ?une Briests of the (ult, and sere as the *lans thanes and house*arls. (andidates will be "roided 1ron )rmour )rmour andor 8ea"ons 8ea"ons if their *lan is ri*h enough to a/ord them. They must hae :=> in the following skillsF • •
'ow )tta*k or @aelin )tta*k )ny Barry Skill
and :=> in three of the following skills • • • • • •
)nother 8ea"on Skill )nother Barry Skill Listen S*an )nimal Lore Human Lore
) Sun*arl must then "ass a test of holiness and be willing to make a "owerful oath of fealty to their liege, usually a Briest of Orlanth ?e2. He must know the S"irit s"ell %arsee or hae it as a gift. They must deote deote := of their time and in*ome in*ome to the *ult, whi*h usually usually inoles sering the head of the *lan or illage, as well as the war *oun*il. The Sun*arl re*eies the +rst "i*k of any horse, and also re*eies the right to woe any "riestess of Ernalda Ernalda he so *hooses. *hooses. He must show 6ingans good good will and hos"itality, and neer refuse an order to hel" his "eo"le. Howeer, he must ritually *hallenge any Darkness *reature, as well as any worshi""er of #elmalio or #elm. ) Sun*arl may neer ride any animal but a horse, unless ordered ordered to do so by his (hieftain. Gor may he marry any but a "riestess of an Earth *ult. ) Sun*arl may neer disguise himself as a woman and may neer eat raw eggs in any form. They may neer slee" under a red blanket or ride a horse with a red saddle blanket. They will lose all *ult status if they eer torture a *reature *reature linked to the Man rune. ) ?une Lord Lord may gain an )llied S"irit. This will either be a wea"on or the s"irit of his faourite horse will hae its intelle*t awakened 4AD5 and it will a*t as a normal familiarallied s"irit, able to learn and *ast s"ells.
They must a**e"t another another gift of Elmal Elmal and it0s geases, and may may sele*t any number more if they so wish. ?une ?une Lords may regain their s"ent Diine magi* s"ells ea*h week, by *asting the 8orshi" 8orshi" Elmal s"ell at an a""ro"riate shrine, tem"le or holy "la*e on %ireday. ?une Lords may learn S"irit Magi* u" to leel .
Magic Spirit Magic • • • • • • •
'ladeshar" (oordination Dete*t Enemies Light Lightwall Brote*tion ?e"air
Forbidden Spells 'ludgeon Darkwall %ireblade %irearrow 1gnite • • • • •
Divine Magic • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
8orshi" Elmal E2tension Diination Dismiss Magi* Heal 8ound Soul Sight S"irit 'lo*k 8arding 'less (ro"s (atseye Shield Trues"ear Trues"ear Sunbright En*hant 1ron En*hant !old
Hi""oi Broides & 'less Horses Orlanth Broides & Lightning 6inga Broides & Sureshot
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