Glorantha: Talking to the Moon Woman 
Talking to the Moon Woman
What The Lunar Priestess Says
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 the truth about...? 
  Gods of the Lunar Pantheon 
Where did the world come from?
The Creator made the world and everything in it. He made the two races of gods 
first, the Celestial Court and the Tribe of Chaos. Neither understood the other, 
but each tried to imitate the Creator and so made the imperfect world we live 
in.
Where did I come from?
The Celestial Court and the Tribe of Chaos fought each other to destruction, and 
where they died lay a heap of ashes and slag. From that matter Glorantha, 
goddess of compassion, created First Woman. She bore the ancestors of mankind, 
whether they came from stone, dirt, wood, animals, or some human demigod. The 
races of people grew healthy and numerous, and you are of their descent.
Why do we die?
The disharmony of the Celestial Court and the Tribe of Chaos created an illness 
which sickened the Creator unto death. As a result all the world must now die 
too.
What happens after we die?
All souls, living and dead, move within the compassionate harmony of the world. 
When you die you shed the gross matter of your life and ascend to a more pure 
plane of existence for peace and joy. When you are again purged and whole you 
are reborn into a new body for a new life.
Why am I here?
The races of mankind were created to restore health to the Creator and his 
works. We live to purify ourselves and, thereby, purify the wretched parts of 
the world and reunite them with the Creator. Our duty is to restore unity, 
harmony, and joy to the world of the living and the dead, heal the Creator, and 
attain the bliss of immortality.
How do I do magic?
The world is filled with invisible powers. The Red Goddess places all those 
powers within your grasp, and you can integrate them in many ways: spirits may 
aid you, gods can help you, or you can manipulate energy with your own force of 
will. All the best magic can be used to heal the world.
I have heard of other powers. Can you tell me the truth about them?
All the gods who came before the Lunar Goddess are obsolete. These obsolete gods 
include the sky gods, earth goddesses, sea gods, darkness gods, and primitive 
spirits. They are stuck in their old ways, which once hurt the Creator unto 
death. The Red Goddess is the part of the Creator which has already been healed. 
We worship her and the New Gods.
...Aldrya?
Aldrya is the wild goddess, untouched by civilization, untamed by any human. She 
is all which is wild -- both the dancing light and the sinister dark. Her 
children are innocent people, simple servants to the spirit, born of wood. 
Aldrya and her subject spirits adorn the metaphysical Body of the Goddess They 
are the Goddess' hair and clothing.
...Chaos?
The Life/Death duality of the mortal world is mirrored in the Chaos/Divine 
duality of the immortal world. The gods of Glorantha fear Chaos in the way that 
living mortals fear death. But even chaos can be conquered and harnessed, as 
proved by the Red Goddess. Each thing, monstrous or metaphysical, has its place 
for those who understand the entirety of the cosmos, even if its place is only 
to be a precautionary tale.
...Kyger Litor?
Within us all lurks a frightening shadow, hiding and ready to pounce upon us in 
a moment of fear. The Red Goddess has conquered those inner secrets, so no 
longer fears. Kyger Litor herself must be cured to no longer fear the world, so 
that the world will no longer fear her. In the metaphysical Body of the Goddess 
the trolls represent the stomach and bowels -- digestion.
...Magasta?
The sea gods have always been secret initiates of the lunar way, for their 
erratic tides are caused by the ancient Blue Moon. The sea heals, and the fear 
that mankind feels of the sea is the fear of a health unknown to their mortal 
bodies. The sea is the blood of the goddess.
...Monotheists?
The god of the monotheists is visible to the Red Goddess. She alone has mastered 
his identity and secrets, and can use those natural powers called sorcery as her 
own. He is the unhealed Creator, weakened and abused by his worshipers.
...Mostal?
Just as some parts of your body are soft, like muscle and organs, so are some 
part of the goddess. Yet others are hard and unyielding, like your bone or the 
stone of the earth. That is Mostal, the bones of our Goddess.
...Orlanth?
Orlanth is the breath of the Creator, stale and wheezing out a troubled 
existence. His creed is change and freedom, yet he is unfree and unchangeable. 
He resists the Goddess' liberation and suffers because of it, but with 
compassion the Red Goddess reaches out to him and will prevail. He shall be 
freed.
...Primitive Spirits?
The multitude of minor spirits of the world are like the other organs inside 
your body. Do not degrade them. When healed each, like you, will be a god. Some 
are important now, but all are equal before Eternity. Nurturing them brings 
equal healing and friendship to you. Help them.
...Yelm?
This proud god of emperors is regaining his divine strength and freedom through 
the liberation of his worshipers here in Peloria. Support him, praise him. The 
bright and shining fire of the universe is the keen mind and sharp eyes of the 
goddess.
Gods of the Lunar Pantheon
Annilla, the Blue Moon
Annilla is the secretive goddess of the Blue Moon, an unseen heavenly body which 
is responsible for the secret powers of Glorantha. She preserves the mysteries 
which empower the Red Moon.
Arkat, the western hero, the cleanser
We praise this misguided man who came from the western lands to destroy Gbaji 
the Deceiver, an evil spirit whom his allies called the Inward Shadow. Arkat 
destroyed that monster and scattered its fragments, liberating the pure light of 
Nysalor which had been imprisoned and locked away. Arkat, a god now, suffers 
terribly for his secrets.
Creator
This entity, now crippled and stunted, is the spirit of the cosmos. The Red 
Goddess, bless her, has taken up the task of his healing. When she has 
succeeded, she will be his bride and queen.
Etyries, messenger
The goddess of communication and merchants was once a mortal being. She attained 
her status through the Red Goddess' magics. She is called the Tongue of the 
Goddess because of her eloquence.
Hon-eel the Dancer, Third Inspiration of Moonson, goddess of maize
Hon-eel is the goddess of maize. She discovered that wonderful plant and taught 
us how to use it. She is also important because, when still a mortal woman, she 
conquered enemies of the Empire who came from three directions.
Hwarin Dalthippa, the Conquering Daughter
This warrior woman led mighty armies and conquered the southern provinces for 
the Empire. She established a city of culture and beauty, made magic roads, and 
became the war goddess of her region.
Nysalor, the bright one, god of illumination
All humanity seeks to regain the immortality lost during the Gods War. The Red 
Goddess can show the way to it, thanks partly to the liberation offered by this 
bright god. Nysalor was created at the end of the Dawn Age and prepared the way 
for the birth of the Red Goddess.
Red Emperor
Our Red Emperor is one in a long line of wizard-kings, responsible only to their 
mother, the Goddess of the Red Moon. Our emperors are immortal in that no 
natural death can claim them, though they can be slain in combat. Because of our 
emperors' dedication and courage, many have been slain in defending and 
expanding the Empire. Each emperor maintains the policies of his predecessor, so 
that our empire prospers as if ruled by a single mind, which indeed is true.
Red Goddess, goddess of the Red Moon
Our ruling goddess exemplifies all which our religion teaches. She began as a 
lost soul, unknowing her own power. Once initiated by the Seven Mothers she 
undertook hazardous tasks to awaken and assert herself. She grew, changed, and 
blazed the path which she has since taught to many. Now she is the heart of the 
new universe.
Seven Mothers, the recreators of the Red Goddess
The goddess prepared all the world for her coming, and these seven individuals 
came together to bring about her rebirth. In return the goddess taught them all 
her secrets, and they have achieved immortality. The seven may either be 
worshipped individually, or altogether. The seven branches of the cult act in 
harmony to familiarize outsiders with the stories of the Red Goddess. Just as 
the original mothers taught the Goddess, so do their holy folk teach people 
about her.
Yara Aranis, Second Inspiration of Moonson, Goddess of the Reaching Moon
This savage daughter of the Red Emperor was conceived with the intent to 
terrorize the horse nomads, and slay them if need be. The cult is more popular 
in the northern empire, but a shrine is included in all borderland temples.
Young Elementals
The Young Elementals are the servants of the Goddess. They are the raw material 
for the new world to be formed when the Creator is restored and the Red Goddess 
is accepted by all.


See also:
Pantheons of Glorantha: The Lunar Pantheon
Cult of the Seven Mothers
Cult of the Crimson Bat
A Timeline of the History of the Lunar Empire


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