TALASTARING ORLANTH CULTS
Hagodereth
Hago was a storm god whose first action, according to his oldest
worshippers (amongst the Talastarings and Anadikkings), was to court
his wife, Hethana. She wished him to bring to her the golden fleece of
Dereth, king of the storm sheep which thundered across the skies of
their world. He did, and after that Hethana has been the Golden Ewe.
Hago himself wore the skull and horns, and was called Hagodereth.
Hagodereth taught the Talastarings three special abilities. He taught
them to raise the wind, and to call the storm sheep to them. Finally,
he taught them to walk upon the air when the storm sheep did so.
Sacred Places: Mount Matu. However, the Hagodereth cult is found
throughout Talastar as he is the ancestor god of about 1 in 6 clans.
Varnaval the Great Andam
The Young God of the Vikuranthings, Varnaval was a shepherd and the
first king of men. He tamed the ordeeds and, after he hitched them to
his chariot, raided the foreigners and forced them to pay tribute.
Aided by Vorios the Iron Ram, he waged war upon the foreigners and
conquered the world, until they murdered him with demons and sorcery.
He then explored the Underworld and aided the Lightbringers. Each
year his worshipers celebrate his death and his rebirth in Sacred Time.
Vinga the Adventuress
To defeat the mighty demon Erladivus Orlanth transformed himself into
a goddess, Vinga. Her form was blindingly beautiful with lush red
hair with beautiful curls. She wields Orlanth's weapons – the
terrible thunderbolt, the Windsword, the Three-Bladed Spear – and
carried the Shield of Aran. Thusly armed, Vinga destroyed Erladivus
and cut off Erladivus' head. Vinga is a member of the Thunder Brothers
and often leads them into battle. Vinga never participates in
Ernalda's inner rites. Instead, she participates in the sacred
ceremonies of Orlanth and the Thunder Rebels.
Viskuranth
The oldest name of Orlanth in Talastar is Viskuranth ("Son of the
Spike") - this is the Orlanth that lives on Top of the World, rescued
the Great Goddess Ir by killing Emperor Yelm. He then received
Kingship of the Gods from the Great Goddess Ir and lives on the Top of
the World. Viskuranth is associated with the Ram and Thunder.
Sacred Places: Mount Visku ("The Top of the World") is Viskuranth's
home and most sacred place. Most mountains and many places have myths
associated with Vikuranth and are sacred to him as well.
Matu
Matu is the Great Storm physically manifest as storm and thunder. He
lives atop the Sacred Thunder Mountains of Talastar and breathes out
storms with every breath. Matu commands all other winds and storms;
he is sometimes called King of the Umbroli or even just Umbrol. He
knows the winds of all the seasons. Matu is sometimes called Umatum
or even Umath and has a great rivalry with Shadzor of Alkoth.
Sacred Places: Mount Matu in the Yolp Mountains
Viskuvath
Viskuvath is the "Breath of the Spike" and another name for
Viskuranth. Viskuranth centered himself atop Mount Visku. There he
gathered his vital air and took it within him. Viskuranth retained
his mighty breath and did not release it, building tremendous energy.
When he was ready, Great Viskuranth discharged his breath and released
it as Tarilor the Liberating Bolt. And the King of the Gods, praised
and worshiped by the gods as "Viskuvath" – "the Breath of the Spike"-
and let fly into his enemy his bolt, and struck the Evil Emperor.
Viskuvanth recovered his bolt with his right hand and with his left
hand took his trophies to confound and terrify his foes. Dedicated
Orlanthi can learn to master their breath from Viskuvanth at his great
temple at Tarvathlinpor ("Place of the High Breath") at the foot of
Top of the World Mountain.
Vorios
Vorios is the Storm Ram, with five curled horns, brass thunder hooves,
powerful iron horns, and a fleece of living lightning. In this form,
he leapt from mountaintop to mountaintop across all Genertela. After
each leap, he seduced a goddess and fathered sheep, clouds, or other
creatures. He is the divine mount and companion of Viskuranth and
carries him to the top of Mount Visku.
Sacred Places: Mount Vorios (also called Thunder Mountain).
Irkingillia the Handmaiden
Irkingillia is one of the Nine Handmaidens of Queen Ir. She is
described as beautiful and kindly, and her touch can soothe and heal.
Before the Gods War she sought to aid god and man alike and tried to
be friend to all. However, when Yelm became the Emperor, she was
locked away in the Golden Palace. Niskis the Lover discovered her and
she showed him the secret passages through the Golden Palace. She
escaped with him and brought her healing arts to the Tarkarlings and
aids her Queen in keeping peace amongst the quarrelling gods – it was
Irkingillia who healed Tobros after he had been defeated by Viskumanth
and Matu.
Ir the Great Goddess
Ir is the Great Goddess, Queen of the World. Despite being Queen of
the World and the Source of Power, Ir was enslaved by the Emperor Yelm
when the Old Gods appointed him Emperor. However, Viskuranth fell in
love with Ir and rescued her by killing Yelm. She married Viskuranth
and made Viskuranth King of the Gods and now lives with Viskuranth
atop Mount Visku.
Ganagin Oria
The green-haired goddess of blood, earth and sexuality, she is the
wild, untamable, feminine power of fertility and death. She is
sometimes associated with Uleria as well. She inspires lust or fear
in those who approach her and she feasts on battlefields and
slaughterhouses. She is a hungry and insatiable goddess, and must be
given gifts before she will give out her generous blessings.
Ganagin Oria was wronged by the Emperor Yelm who kidnapped her sister Ir. Ganagin Oria persuaded her lover Viskuvanth to kill the Emperor and return with Ir. When Shadzor came to take Ganagin Oria, she needed no husband to protect her – she gave birth to the Seven Terrible Children, led by the dread Loronaga - and forced Shadzor to withdraw into his Green City. She and her Children slew and devoured until Nisk seduced her, giving the Thunder Brothers time to defeat her Children. Ganagin Oria was awakened with the Dawn, but her cult was reestablished by the ambitious and terrible Queen Erilindia. Her shrines can be found in Terarir and Lakrene.
Miscellaneous: Ganagin Oria accepts and may preside over human sacrifice.
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