I would normally agree as even discussing the struggles between the Pelorian Yelmist culture with the Theyalan Lightbringer culture in central Genertela is a God Learner point of view far above the level of the peoples we are discussing. For this reason I agree that Yelm is worshiped in a number of indirect ways about Maniria, Prax and even upland portions of Peloria. These include Elmal and various hero and star cults etc. But with regard to the Far Walkers I prefer Yelmist as they are a mixture of Theyalan hill peoples and Pelorian lowlanders that had intermingled in their home sites and along the journey with the Elmali Taros Ridgeleaper out of Peloria.
John Hughes describes them exceedingly well for me with the following:
The original Far Walkers are typical pioneers - religious minorities, small family groups and bandit/adventuring gangs fleeing vengeance or tribal war, or seeking new lands and opportunity. Most are farmers and sheep herders. (Cattle are more romantic, but sheep travel better). For the most part, they are Alakoring Orlanthi from Saird, Aggar, Bilini and Holay, together with Lodrilites and worshippers of other solar tribal gods, some of whom bear titles that include 'yelmalos', the Brightness, Spear or Courage of Yelm.
Clearly, the Farwalkers are dominated by the Theyalan hill peoples at this time. But they are fundamentally a stew of Peloria. Again John Hughes characterizes this well for me with the following:
The Resettlement period is characterized by great religious diversity, and little if any religious rivalry. Families carry on their ancestral traditions in isolated steads, passing them on my word of mouth and ritual, and there are few priests or major shrines. With clans and tribes and further settlement, many smaller homeland and family traditions coalesce into discrete, uniquely Far Place cults that are part tradition, part syncreticism, and part reflection of the powers and realities of the new land. Chief among these are Yelmaltar and Ernalda/Sharla. When the clans meet, communal sacrifices are jointly offered to Orlanth, Yelmaltar, and Ernalda. Both major male deities are husband-protectors to Ernalda/Sharla, and Yelmaltar and Elmal are essentially considered brothers in arms.
For this reason I prefer the term Yelmist though I admit as implied above this often manifests itself in indirect ways.
> Peter continues:
> I'm not sure how worship of Yelmalio trends towards loyalty towards
> Sartar given that the Sun Domers actually drift away from Sartar pretty quickly.
I definitely need to do some reading here. My understanding was that the state nurturing of Yelmalio within Sartar and the granting of land for another Sun Dome enclave were something of a coup driving a wedge between sun worshiping folk in Sartar and the Darra Happan elements of the Lunar presence which had up until this point been seducing away these peoples to the Lunar cause.
>
Christopher Graves
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