Great!
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> Remarkably, there are only about 1000 Yelmalio cultists in the Far Place - less than 10% of the adult male population. Their dominance in Alda Chur is a tribute to the ruthless leadership of Harvar Ironfist and the support he has gained from the Lunar Empire.
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That sounds about right to me. In Hugh's material only the men belong and by the beginning of the hero wars sun worship in Alda-Chur has become increasingly elitist becoming a cult of exclusivity for the powerful. I believe that Yelmalter still caters to the loyal yeoman farmers of slightly higher affluence who might also aspire to join Yelmalio if they could. The Elmali have mostly been driven into the hills with the rest of the upland cultures that have a higher mix of Orlanth cultists though even still some Yelmalio cultists as well. Among the lowland commoners those that are farmers worship Lodril and Sharla a subcult of Ernalda. I guess the point being that Yelmalio is not the only source of sun worship in the Far Place. And in and around Alda-Chur when it is in Luner Hands there are even a few Darra Happan Yelmists. A-C being a major trade center has a very high component of trader cults, both Pelorian and Manirian in origin. The impression I get is that the revived Yelm temple in A-C eventually has many shrines to different aspects of the Yelmalio cult personified as hero based subcults. The Blue Flame spirits are probably guardian spirits of the temple that are worshiped now as Yelmalio Enduring. At least this is what I am going with until someone can publish something more definitive. I would add that A-C is worthy of serious treatment in any book on Sartar or Dragon pass being one of the most important trade cities and when controlled by Sartar its second largest.
Chris
> Jeff
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