Glorantha: Cult of Yelmalio 
Cult of Yelmalio
originally published in Cults of Prax and Sun County

This document is Copyright © 1998 Issaries, Inc. It may be freely linked to, and 
one copy may be printed for personal use, but any other reproduction by 
photographic, electronic, or other methods of retrieval, is prohibited.
Table of Contents
  Mythos and History 
  Other Notes 
Mythos and History
Legend states that Yelmalio is the son of Yelm, the Sun. During the fighting 
between mortals who supported their gods he led his people from the warm 
lowlands, carrying high the magic and power of his father.
Yelmalio was a commander and leader. He met and fought many beings for the cause 
of his father in the Gods War. But at the Hill of Gold he was disarmed by 
Orlanth, and then he was ambushed by Zorak Zoran, who stole his fire powers. The 
Son of the Sun fell and bled out his life-giving heat. His favored weapons of 
bow and sword fell also, and were absorbed into the knowledge of the whole 
world.
During the Darkness Yelmalio's wounds did not deter his struggle. He joined with 
the Lord Elf and others to fight against the relentless approach of chaos. He 
survived, and greeted the rise of his father, the Sun, at the start of Time.
Since that time, Yelmalio has lived in the mountains and hills, and even the 
staunchest Orlanth worshipper admits the presence of the Sun.
The cult of Yelmalio is also called the Sun Dome Temple because it popularly 
includes worship of both Sun and sky (the "dome") in one. It is, in fact, the 
sun cult as worshipped by mountain people where the fiery orb is praised more 
for light than for heat. In lowland cultures it is normally the sky which is a 
source of light without heat, thus this god of light without heat is the 
"sky-sun", or Sun Dome.
At the Dawning, the cult survived in elven strongholds and in Dragon Pass. A 
minor cult even then, it did not have a representative on the First Council, 
which guided the descent from the mountains to civilize Peloria. The cult came 
to the fore in fighting the horse barbarians of the lowlands, and the cult of 
the Son of the Sun became very popular as one of the many Light-oriented cults 
of Dara Happa during the Dawn Ages.
In the Second Age, the cult fought dwarves everywhere, and spearheaded armies 
invading the mountain regions (reliving the enmity between Yelm and Orlanth). At 
the end of the Second Age, when all the lowlands united against the Empire of 
the Wyrms Friends, Yelmalio again led the fight. Many cult heroes were slain by 
the dragons in the Dragonkill War of 1100. Though its Dragon Pass temples were 
destroyed, the cult lived on among elves, and in Prax and Peloria.
In the Third Age, the cult moved back into Dragon Pass at the request of the 
House of Sartar. There it restored some of the cosmic balance of the area and 
stabilized the kingdom for the ruling house. Both the Dragon Pass and Prax 
temples have proved relatively minor, though they have always been 
well-supported by their worshippers.
The worshippers of Yelmalio anticipate descending to the mansions of Yelm, where 
the sun god stayed in Hell after his death at the hands of Orlanth. There, in 
the halls of eternal Light, they will find their final contentment. This is 
accomplished through many lifetimes of work, and true worshippers are willing to 
return many times to attain this. They will, in fact, even return to the same 
body, and in this way the cult practice allows resurrection.
The dead of this cult are burned at dusk with smokeless fires if they have not 
risen after seven days. Services begin with a great mourning and the burning, 
then wine or beer follow, as do victory paeans and the call for the soul to join 
with the Sun. At dawn the sunrise is read for omens, and the ceremony concludes.
The cult is connected with the Runes of Light and Truth (the torch of light and 
knowledge).
Other Notes
The Sun Dome Temples
Throughout the entire region of southern Peloria in the Third Age, there are 
only fifteen operative Sun Dome temples.
These temples are uniformly shaped, though they vary somewhat in size. They are 
always square-based with slightly tapering walls, and with a single huge 
staircase rising from the western side and going to the roof. Atop the roof is 
an immense dome sheathed with gold. Worshippers inside the temple can see 
through the gold and look upon Yelm during worship.
The congregational priest leads the inside services, but the majority of the 
priesthood assembles atop the temple around the dome. Non-worshipers inside the 
temple or anyone who climbed the staircase to the top of the temple with unholy 
intent would be blinded for life, if not killed.


See also:
The Travels of Biturian Varosh: Three Blows of Anger
Gods in Prax: Invader Deities
A Personal View of Yelmalion Culture
Wisdom of the Woodwife


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