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The Young Elementals
The New Creation
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When the Seven Mothers helped the
Red Goddess to re-enter the world, the most ancient elements of
Glorantha appeared to support her. These were the four Young Elementals.
In them the untainted material of creation was reborn. They are
pure sources of elemental Darkness, Water, Earth and Light, gestated
in the Second Void and untouched by the compromises of the past.
They are the servants of Rufelza, and provide the raw material she
uses to heal wounds and prepare the new Lunar Cosmos. |
Etyries
Tongue of the Goddess
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The Lunar goddess of communication,
exchange and merchants was once a mortal being. She assisted the
Red Goddess on her Godquest, and subsequently attained her own divine
status through a similar quest. She is called Silvertongue for her
eloquence. Her worshippers are merchants, diplomats, heralds and
guides; they possess the secret lore which gives the Empire a previously
unknown power (the secret is of double entry bookkeeping). The cult
directs the Empire's economic cycles, and controls the seven Imperial
Monopolies. |
Nysalor
The Bright One
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Nysalor is an avatar of Rashorana,
who has come to this world many times. When humans strive to regain
their unity with the cosmic wholeness sincere efforts are rewarded
by the touch of the gods back. Nysalor, the Bright God, was created
by mortals at the end of the Dawn Age and prepared the way for the
birth of the Red Goddess. |
Gbaji
The Deceiver
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Gbaji is the evil twin of Nysalor, self-created
at the edges of the earth to counteract Rashorana's good news.
This dark counterpart to the Bright God cloaked his inner darkness
in purest light to deceive the unwary. He took the form of many
deities, trying to destroy Nysalor. Gbaji campaigned for 75 years
with war, assassination, poison, and curses. When Rashorana had
done all which was possible for the future Rufelza, Gbaji succeeded
and Nysalor was destroyed.
On her quest for godhead, the Red Goddess encountered
Nysalor and Gbaji together. Her perception, knowledge and insight
enabled her to distinguish between them, liberating the Good God
and binding the Deceiver in adamantine chains.
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The Crimson Bat
Steed of the Goddess
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Since before Yelm was slain, the bat
has been a bearer of death to the Pelorians. On her quest, Rufelza
encountered the god of Ultimate Destruction, and overcame it. When
she later encountered Death, she conquered it too. After completing
her Godquest she returned from the Otherworld astride the Crimson
Bat, which is the symbol of both her wrath and her mercy. This Chaotic
monstrosity has wreaked devastation on the armies of her foes, both
during the mortal life of the Red Goddess and throughout the subsequent
history of the Empire. |
Moonson
The Red Emperor
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The Red Emperor is the mortal incarnation of
the masculine part of the Red Goddess, and the secular head of
the Lunar Empire. His duty is to spread the word of his mother
across Glorantha, and he is responsible to her alone. Every organ
of imperial government reports ultimately to Moonson himself.
He has been reborn many times, and is in effect
immortal. Even though he can still be slain, no natural death
can claim him for long. The Red Emperor's dedication and courage
naturally brings him into danger, and so he has often been killed
while defending or expanding the Empire. But he has always returned.
Each reincarnation of Moonson maintains the policies of his predecessor,
and so the Empire prospers by being ruled by a single mind. Moonson
wears many masks, but his divine essence remains unchanged.
All subjects and citizens of the Lunar Empire
obey and worship Moonson, but the higher ranks of his cult are
the political leaders of the Empire: its tribunes and officials,
satraps and senators.
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Great Sister
The Emperor's Shadow
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Just as Sheng Seleris was the Red
Emperor's Solar Shadow, Great Sister is Moonson's Lunar Shadow,
one of the Emperor's Others. Immortal, just like her brother, she
embodies those parts of the Red Goddess which remained in the mortal
world but did not go to constitute the Red Emperor. She owes her
allegiance directly to Rufelza, and not to her brother. She benevolently
watches over the citizens of the Empire, striving to bring relief
to the poor and dispossessed. |
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This is an extract from The Lunar Pantheon, an
article by Greg Stafford, Nick Brooke and Sandy Petersen, published in
the Rough Guide to Glamour.
Glorantha, HeroQuest, Hero Wars, and Issaries are trademarks of Issaries, Inc.
The contents of this page are copyright by Nick Brooke
, 1999; any material derived from Greg Stafford's world of
Glorantha is also copyright by Greg Stafford. Glorantha is the creation
of Greg Stafford, and is used with his permission.
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