Solar Esrolia

[None]

A few years ago I while talking about my interest in a solar campaign (witch I haven't given up on by the way I've just been very busy, and still am sadly, and I'm also waiting fro the solar cults book) mentioned that I was more interested in a "Solar Esrolia" rather than a "Solar Prax" as the reason why I wasn't terribly interested in a Grazelander campaign.

Recently a thought came to me. "What would a Solar Esrolia actually be like?" Since I usually find what if scenarios interesting and I'm a little bored I thought 'why not?'

Unfortunately since I fell I'm not that knowledgable about Esrolia or Glorantha in general and more minds tend to give rise to more ideas I decided to to see if any of you felt like humouring me despite probably not being able to contribute al that much myself. I'm specifically asking for different interpretations and variants of a fully Solar Esrolia, the forms it could take and the effect this would have on the surrounding areas. Not just the 'most likely' or 'most realistic' (just please go to deeply into the purely silly and comedic, this is a serious question).

 

Also, I'm still alive despite my inactivity. I'm just naturally prone to lurk rather than post.

Edited Thursday at 08:17 AM by None

[Joerg]

The Stafford Library title Esrolia - Land of 10,000 Goddesses mentions a Harono temple, a solar ziggurat in Nochet, and gives a few myths about how Kodig the Bad Man overthrew the benevolent (?) reign of Harono, which might be a local name for Yelm or a local sun god (which makes no difference to entry level God Learners). It also has notes on Palangio's Sun Domer cult of Yelmalio and its EWF incarnation during the Kotor Wars, and how it was ousted from the city. Plus stuff on Elmal which nowadays is just another name for Yelmalio.

[metcalph]

I think it's called Caladraland.  

There is a significant population of Yelmalions in Caladraland (80k) according to CoR: Mythology but I have no idea of their origin or where they live (Porthomeka?)  Presumably they've adopted Monrogh's revelations and are now Sun Domers.  The Esrolian Yelmalions are probably descended from the Harono and largely exist as a cult of Husband Protectors (ie no Sun Counties here) and I imagine they too have been patched over.  

[None]

9 hours ago, metcalph said:

I think it's called Caladraland.

Not exactly what I had in mind as I don't exactly think of it as 'Esrolia' or 'fully Solar' as much as just 'Lodril land'. Although yes I know. he is a solar god and Cladraland is part of the holy country. It's just not given nearly as much attention as Esrolia so I don't know or think about it much.

[Squaredeal Sten]

Solar religion is not dominant in Caladraland.  Lodril is a volcanic deity, with solar associations.  Caladra and Aurelion are volcanic deities, children of Lodril but their own cult.  Yelmalio is way down the list and Yelm is not on the chart.  Caladraland is much different in other ways: agriculture is slash and burn rather than irrigated plowed fields. the politics is clan based rather than urban elite baded.   So not a good fit for the O.P.'s stated goals.

[jajagappa]

10 hours ago, None said:

mentioned that I was more interested in a "Solar Esrolia" rather than a "Solar Prax" as the reason why I wasn't terribly interested in a Grazelander campaign.

Recently a thought came to me. "What would a Solar Esrolia actually be like?" Since I usually find what if scenarios interesting and I'm a little bored I thought 'why not?'

This kind of depends of what your goal is. Are you building a campaign with an alt-Glorantha view? Are you trying to find a place where a somewhat solar-oriented culture might exist in Esrolia? Something else?

If the former, then instead of solar culture developing centrally in Peloria, it develops in Esrolia instead around the cult of Harono the Sun (or Yelm if you prefer the streamlined labels/masks). The questions you need to ask are: 1) what happens when the Sun dies? 2) how does the culture survive and why does it stay focused on or preserve remnants of the now-absent solar deity? 3) what is the story of how the sun is brought back to life? and 4) why does it return to solar-orientation or rule when the Sun returns?

If the latter, then bear in mind that Yelmalio is a Husband-Protector of Ernalda. Per the Esrolia book, Yelmalio is defeated/sacrificed late in the 2nd Age and largely disappears (or that's the official line). But New Crystal City is built on the remnant of Elmalvo (i.e. a Yelmalio/Elmal city), so that could well be the natural place to reinsert Yelmalio as the living/dying Sun consort of Ernalda.

Alternately, Storos is protected by a Star Captain, so that's another city that may have a stronger solar/sky presence.

[None]

24 minutes ago, jajagappa said:

This kind of depends of what your goal is. Are you building a campaign with an alt-Glorantha view? Are you trying to find a place where a somewhat solar-oriented culture might exist in Esrolia? Something else?

In this case I, at the moment, have any goals beyond a just for fun what if. As I said I kind of fin like what if scenario and I couldn't come up with anything myself so why not see if anyone else felt sparing it a few thoughts. So I guess it's an alt-Glorantha. Be it one with a regular solar pantheon Esrolia or an solar Ernaldan pantheon. As long at it is still in one way or another Esrolia and not 'literally just Dara Happa but translocated to Esrolian soil'.

Come to think on it the later would have some serious ramifications for the Grazers and Orlanthi. Hmm.

Not that a solar Esrolian campaign couldn't be a fun idea but no that wasn't my intent as of now.

 

10 hours ago, Joerg said:

The Stafford Library title Esrolia - Land of 10,000 Goddesses mentions a Harono temple, a solar ziggurat in Nochet, and gives a few myths about how Kodig the Bad Man overthrew the benevolent (?) reign of Harono, which might be a local name for Yelm or a local sun god (which makes no difference to entry level God Learners).

That could also be an interesting take to build on actually.

Edited Thursday at 06:55 PM by None

[jajagappa]

10 hours ago, Joerg said:

Esrolia - Land of 10,000 Goddesses mentions a Harono temple, a solar ziggurat in Nochet

That still exists in Nochet's Sacred City. 🙂 (At least a rebuilt one still exists.)

[soltakss]

On 9/26/2024 at 7:16 PM, Squaredeal Sten said:

Solar religion is not dominant in Caladraland. 

It depends on what you define "Solar religion" as. If you define it as "Deities who are the Sun" then that includes Yelm, Yelmalio, Shargarsh, and a few others, but excludes Dayzatar, Yelorna, Polaris, all the Stars, Lodril, the Low Fires, Caladra & Aurelion, and so on, then you are right.

However, if you include the Fire/Sky Pantheon, then it is entirely dominant in Caldraland.

On 9/26/2024 at 9:11 AM, None said:

Recently a thought came to me. "What would a Solar Esrolia actually be like?" Since I usually find what if scenarios interesting and I'm a little bored I thought 'why not?'

Ernalda was married to Yelm, Lodril, and Yelmalio. Esrola was married to Lodril. So, those husband Deities and their progeny would form part of a Solar Esrolia.