Glorantha: The Chieftain Speaks 
The Chieftain Speaks
Learning The Right Footpath
originally published in Gods of Glorantha
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
  Where did the world come from? 
  Can you tell me truly about...? 
  The Gods of Pamaltela 
Where did the world come from?
The children of Yanmorla and Cronisper were the Old Gods: Lodril, Yelm, Bolongo, 
and the others. When their children fought, the elders fled into the sky and 
earth. Then the children each made their own parts of the world.
That is where the world came from. From the family of the gods.
Where did I come from?
The Old Gods had great might and more free time than we do. Like us, they were 
amused by making beautiful and useful things. Sometimes they failed, and made 
things like jelmre or elves. One important thing they made was the first people: 
the fathers and mothers of we Agimori. When Pamalt was chieftain, those people 
learned to have children, and you are their descendant.
That is where you come from. From your ancestors' success.
Why do we die?
When Pamalt was chieftain, the world was worse off than now. Sorcerers and evil 
gods invaded and everything was sick and dying. All the prophets prophesied only 
a lifeless universe. The Old Gods were helpless and lost all their powers. Only 
Pamalt was strong. He led the Agimori on the Right Footpath to our new world. 
Together we fought, and we wrestled Life back from the evil gods. So now 
everyone dies, just like in the old times, but we also come back to life again 
some day.
That is why we die. Because the world was changed.
What happens after we die?
Everyone, like you, has four parts: your body, breath, spirit, and mind. As long 
as your spirit is on the Right Footpath, it is with Pamalt. Death is when your 
mind leaves your body, which is buried to sprout your lineage medicine plant. 
Your mind then rests with your breath in the Breath World. When you are ready, 
your breath dies too, and you go to sit on Pamalts council, mind and spirit 
together. If Pamalt's council needs to, they may send you back to earth as a 
child again.
That is what happens after you die. You visit the land of the gods and spirits.
Why am I here?
We are the Keepers. Pamalt gives us wonderful gifts and powers on the Right 
Footpath. We need to be born, live together, bear children, work in harmony with 
the world, and die.
That is why you are here. To be happy.
How do I do magic?
We learn magic from the breath of the Right Footpath. The most wise among us can 
sometimes even contact the Old Gods this way. To learn magic, you must send your 
mind to the Breath World. There you meet a challenge to learn the magic. Bigger 
magics are protected by harder challenges.
That is how you get magic. By struggle and courage, just as you get everything 
good.
I have heard of other powers. Can you tell me truly about ...
...Aldrya?
The jungle goddess is our enemy. Her green hell is a lair for demons. Her 
minions always plot against Pamalt, and try to blanket our beautiful plains with 
steaming jungle.
That is who Aldrya is. The enemy who mindlessly tries to kill beauty to replace 
your type of life with her own.
...Chaos?
These evil gods are our permanent enemies. If we tread the Right Footpath we can 
kill them, and make sure Vovisibor never rises again. But when we are lax and 
lazy, chaos returns, stronger than before.
That is what chaos is. The thing that always returns.
...Kyger Litor?
When Pamalt was chieftain, monsters roamed the world. Kyger Litor was one, but 
she ran away when Pamalt killed her champion, Qualyorni. Finally, Pamalt gave 
her the north half of the world and she gave him the south.
That is who Kyger Litor is. The bad enemy who is too far away to hurt you.
...Magasta?
He tried once to invade our land. But he failed, because Pamalt and his council 
were vigilant and brave. Now he is far away, and can only slay those foolish 
enough to cross his poison waters.
That is who Magasta is. The enemy that has been beaten.
...Monotheists?
When we relaxed our watch against chaos, wicked men troubled us with an evil 
trick: religion without piety. Soulless sorcerers again crossed our land, and we 
have not rid ourselves of them yet.
That is who the wizards are. People who care nothing for the Right Footpath and 
the Breath World.
...Mostal?
Mostal is one of the Old Gods. Like the others his time is over. His weird dwarf 
people still survive underground, and he rules them with a metal hand.
That is who Mostal is. The chieftain who rules hard, but with no heart.
...Orlanth?
When the Old Gods quarreled this god shouted the loudest and used his fists and 
knives against his own family. He fought so hard that he was exhausted, and his 
heir, Keraun, joined Pamalt's Council. Orlanth's other child, evil Sikkanos, is 
just like his father.
That is who Orlanth is. The bully who thinks strength is all that matters.
...Spirits?
When the Old Gods made beautiful things they made plants and animals and other 
spirits. Some of the spirits did not join Pamalt's Council, but they are still 
our friends and part of our trust as the Keepers of Nature.
That is what the spirits are. The life of the Breath World.
...Yelm?
When the Old Gods ruled, everyone enjoyed the sun god's wealth. But pride led to 
his downfall: he thought he could live without the help of everyone else in the 
world. He lost his powers, and now he is a slave, a bright orb of fire chained 
to an unyielding path, trapped by duty to his task.
That is who Yelm is. You can always depend on him because he has no choice.
The Gods of Pamaltela
Aleshmara, old woman
Aleshmara is Pamalt's sister and mother-in-law. She leads a pack of sisters who 
must approve the actions of Pamalt's Council. She holds the Basket of Life, a 
gift from Earth Mother when she left the world. She names those who sit on 
Pamalt's Council. Aleshmara owns all wealth, knows all lineages, keeps all 
women's secrets, and rules her daughter Faranar, who lives in Aleshmara's tent 
with husband Pamalt.
That is who Aleshmara is. The woman who gives you everything.
Artmal, god of the Veldang
Artmal fell from the sky in the days of the Old Gods. He set up the infamous 
Artmali Empire in the middle of Pamaltela. All beings that were deemed inferior, 
including our ancestors, were expelled or enslaved. Only the blue-skinned 
natives were free and happy.
But when trouble came from the north Artmal, with the other Old Gods, fell to 
ruin. His empire became the Nargan Desert. His people became the Veldang.
That is who Artmal is. An old man, once strong, but now crippled and blind.
Bolongo, trickster
Bolongo is one of the old gods. He helped make the world. Sometimes his help was 
bad, like when he got Vangono drunk and took his place in the wedding to 
Enisoyo. Sometimes his help was good, like when he helped make the Necklace of 
Pamalt. Sometimes his help was just silly, like when he turned his head into an 
ant's, and could not turn back.
That is who Bolongo is. The fool who cannot tell between right and wrong.
Cronisper, sky father
Cronisper is one of the two elders of the Gods Council. Like all deserving 
grandfathers, he sits in the back of the tent and smokes his pipe. He mostly 
speaks only in vague grunts and nods, but when he speaks clearly he should be 
heard. He lives in the sky, where the constellations are his dwellings, the 
planets are his servants, and the stars are his treasures. He is Grandfather 
Sky.
That is who Cronisper is. The old man whose limbs are weak but whose wisdom is 
strong.
Jmijie, traveler
He is the Wanderer, for he cannot stay in one place. Sometimes people are hit by 
his invisible stick, and they get an unreasonable urge to travel. Jmijie created 
a system of invisible roads which crosses the world, and which magicians can 
travel on.
That is who Jmijie is. The wayfarer, half-vagrant, half-pilgrim.
Keraun, wind and rain
Keraun is the ruler of the winds. She brings the rain and winds to blow upon us, 
and she rules the cloud spirits. Her home is in the northeast. Thunder and 
lightning are her brothers.
This is who Keraun is. The strong bad person who has seen her wrong and is now 
your friend.
Lodril, fire
This god of fire is one of the Old Gods. Pamalt made him raise the mountains of 
the north, which separate the realm of Pamalt from the rest of the world. His 
children include Gustbran and Vangono.
This is who Lodril is. The man who is strong of thew, but not of brain.
Noruma, shaman
This god is the chieftain of magic. He is brother to the Horned Man. Noruma 
knows the strongest spells, even how to contact the Old Gods. He comes in dreams 
to call people to his path, and he communicates with the Breath World.
That is who Noruma is. The medicine man.
Nyanka, good water, childbirth
Before the Agimori met Nyanka they were not able to have children. Nyanka gave 
of herself, and taught them the wisdom they needed. The clear, permanent oases 
are her favored spots, but the winter streams are hers too.
That is who Nyanka is. The woman who gives without need of receiving.
Pamalt, Chieftain
Pamalt is headman of the gods' council. He is the only Old God to stay strong in 
the new world. He shows us the Right Footpath, and helps us on our way. He 
protects chieftains, and he also protects the helpless, orphans, hunchbacks, 
lepers, and even albinos, whom he created one day while drunk.
That is who Pamalt is. The wise, good, and clever chieftain.
Rasout, hunter, god of men
It has always been the duty of men to hunt the beasts of the plains. Rasout 
teaches reverence for the kill, love of the hunt, and the arts of stalking, 
trapping, and the chase.
That is who Rasout is. The hunter working hard to bring the best food.
Sikkanos, the bad wind
Far south, at the edge of the world, sits the Nargan, a parched land where evil 
lurks. The earth there burns your skin, the water there rots your innards, and 
the air there decays your mind. Filthy chaos things live there, and they send 
the bad god Sikkanos against us from the south.
That is who Sikkanos is. The enemy you can never forget.
Vangono, god of war
Vangono found the first spear, shield, and bow, and he used them to destroy his 
enemies. He is fierce and bloodthirsty, and he sometimes even gets Pamalt, his 
chieftain, in trouble. He can breathe three kinds of fire and is terrible in 
battle.
That is who Vangono is. The loyal warrior whom you love in war but who makes 
trouble when it is peace.
Vovisibor, Filth-Which-Walks
Vovisibor brings ignorance, cruelty, greed, and selfishness to us. He came from 
the hole left by the ruin of the World Mountain. He makes men be utterly alone; 
without lineage, family, or tribe. Only Pamalt can stop him. Vovisibor is like 
an evil counterpart to Pamalt; he, too, is a chieftain, but he rules the gods 
and peoples of hate. His councilors are Thed, Pocharngo, Malia, Ompalam, and 
other bad gods.
That is who Vovisibor is. The bad man who has no good in him.
Yanmorla, Grandmother Earth
Yanmorla is one of the two elders of the Gods Council. She is usually too 
distant to bother with us. Her tent is deep inside the earth, and on the way to 
it you must pass the Earth Witch. All the breaths of dead animals go to her. She 
is called Grandmother Earth.
That is who Yanmorla is. The wealthy old woman who has no use for her goods 
except to bestow them on her worthy children.


See also:
Pantheons of Glorantha: The Pamalt Pantheon
Cult of Pamalt


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