Cults of the Western Reaches

***Carmanian Castes and their Defining Cults:***
Caste	Primary Cults	Secondary Cults	Role
Karmanos	Aronius Joranthir, Karmanos	Ancestral Hero Cults, Etyries	Lords
Vizier	Malakinus (sorcery)	Any sanctified cult. The Vizier caste forms the Carmanian priesthood.	Wizards
Hazar	Aronius Joranthir, Bisos the Hazar	Doburdun, Durbadath, Hum'Akt, Ratakar, Turos the Shaker, Yanafal Tarnils	Knights
Other	Hero Cults, Spirit Cults, Local Cults, and Mystery Cults as dictated by the House's individual history and needs.

The Carmanian approach to religion has an unusual character owing to their unique history and culture. The Carmanian culture was shaped by the teachings of Carmanos the Prophet, who founded a revolutionary new religion that included elements of his father's western monotheism with the native polytheism of Pelanda. Carmanos revealed that Idovanus, the Pelandan High God of Order, was in reality Romankrinturos - the Highest God, God of Good, and Creator of the Universe. Idovanus is opposed by Ganestatarus, Lord of Deceit, who strives to ruin all that Idovanus creates. When the Carmanian viziers failed a magical contest with the Pelandan Blue Wizards, the religion suffered a crisis of faith. This crisis was resolved by the introduction of Carmanian rites for the worship of the Good Gods - Bisos, Charmain, Durbadath, Hum'akt, Oria, and Turos. The new religious order restricted sorcery to the Vizier caste, due to its potential for corruption. Another religious crisis later prompted restricting the direct veneration of Idovanus to the holiest Carmanians - a select order of wizards known as the Magi. These holy men determine which of the local gods follow the Will of Idovanus, and which are part of the unholy Lie of Ganesatarus - the Evil One. Through the wise oversight of the Magi, the Circle of Good has widened to include many other deities, such as Natha, KetTuros, and KetEnari. The overwhelming majority of Carmanians worship one of these approved deities. The most recent change in Carmanian Dualism came with the Red Goddess and her Carmanian champion, Aronius Joranthir. Joranthir taught that the Red Goddess was really Natha, the Pelandan goddess of Balance and Nemesis. Thus, he incorporated the Lunar Way into the Carmanian faith.

Aronius Jaranthir
Aronius Joranthir was a Karmanoi from Bindle who brought Carmania to the Lunar Way, and became an Egi in his second lifetime. He is the god of Lunar Knights.
Worshipers: Karmanoi (2,000 in Carmania).
Cult Description: A short cult description can be found in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
Myths:

Akrolar
The Bull-Horn. The Carmanian god of entertainers
Worshippers: Those who seek to raise the spirits of the Good People.
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 42.
Myths: None

Alanabrilis
The Disruptor.
Worshippers: Ill-behaving scofflaws and enemies of Order throughout Old Carmania.
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
Myths: None

Atyar
The Knowledge Thief.
Worshipers: Some few Viziers who use his specialized magic in defense of their House. Atyar is a God of Entropy (Chaos), and is rarely worshiped openly.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Bentus
High God of Pleasure. His cult is sometimes extreme and often suppressed.
Worshipers: Very few, His largest temple is in Mintinus. (1,000 throughout Peloria) Bentus is a source of common magic talents in Pelanda.
Cult Description: Bentus common magic talents are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 38. Read my Bentus cult description here.
Myths: Bentus & Ikadz, Mythlist

Bisos
The Bull God. The Right Hand of Idovanus. Protector of the Shah (now the Red Emperor).
Worshipers: Roughly 40,000 total, between all aspects, in Southern Carmania and Bindle.
Cult Description: Affinities for the Bisos subcults are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39 & 43.
Myths: Mythlist

Charmain
Goddess of Castle Blue in Lake Oronin, mother of Carmanos the Prophet. Spirit of Sovereignty and patroness of the river people of the Oronin Valley.
Worshipers: People who make a living on or around Lake Oronin or the Oronin River (50,000 in Old Carmania).
Cult Description:
Myths:

Daak the Stranger
This entity abused the hospitality (and person) of Dendara, and represents the evils of "outsiders".
Worshipers: Very few. He is sometimes worshiped by bandits.
Cult Description: A short cult description can be found in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39.
Myths: Mythlist

Daxdarius
The General. Pelandan god of War and Generals. Patron of the Phalangite.
Worshipers: Hazars and Pelandan soldiers, typically restricted to members of specific regiments. (3,000 in Carmania and Doblian)
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39.
Myths: Mythlist

Derdromus
Lord of the Underworld, Keeper of Death, and Warden of Punishment
Worshipers: Pelandans, Spolites, and some Viziers. (20,000 Old Carmania)
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Doburdun
The Protector of Entekos. Doburdun is the Pelandan god of Storm, and was until recently worshipped as a subcult of Entekos. Currently, the office of the Provincial Overseer is promoting the cult for use in the Barbarian War, and offering it to defeated Orlanthi as an alternative to the Rebel God.
Worshipers: Soldiers fighting the violent storm barbarians in the south. Converted storm barbarians. A very few worshipers in the heartlands of the Empire who are dedicated to taming the storms that can devastate the crops.
Cult Description: A version of the Doburdun cult was posted to the HeroQuest-RPG Yahoo group.
Myths:

DonKivis
The Aesthete.
Worshippers: Pelandan artists, entertainers, and musicians.
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39.
Myths:

Durbadath
The Lion-folk have always been associated with the Light and have fought for Dara Happa against Gbaji and later against the Spolite repression of their people and religion across Peloria and Pelanda. So great were their difficulties against the Spolites that they agreed to serve the Carmanians who saved them from certain extinction. Idovanus recognized the cult and many Carmanoi and Hazars, including the famous Lion Shahs, followed the god to emulate his kingly nobility.
Worshipers: Hazars
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
Myths:

Entekos (Dendara)
High Goddess of Air and Virtue. The names Entekos and Dendara are used interchangeably in Pelanda. The names are also sometimes used together, as Entekos Dendara (Entekos the Virtuous) or Dendara Entekos (Dendara, Goddess of Air). They are worshipped separately in Dara Happa.
Worshipers: Pelorians. (30,000 throughout Peloria)
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Erissa
The White Goddess. Goddess of Healing, Daughter of Oria.
Worshipers: Healers (6,000 throughout Peloria)
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39. A cult description is also in the HeroQuest rulebook.
Myths:

Eses
The Cow Mother, wife of Bisos, primarily worshiped in Worion. Similar to Eiritha/Ernalda cults.
Worshipers: Women in Worion and around Lake Oronin.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Etyries
The Lunar goddess of merchants, messengers, and heralds.
Worshipers: Karmanoi of the more Lunarized Houses. (38,000 throughout Peloria)
Cult Description:
Myths:

Fjordaur
The Moon Dancer - Lunar God of Assassination. Fjordaur was a devotee of Ratakar the Murderer, and attempted to assassinate the Red Moon Goddess for the Carmanians. He discovered that Rufelza was actually a reincarnation of his God's mother, JagaNatha, and converted to the Lunar cause.
Worshipers: Fjordaur is worshipped by a small cult of assassins and ritual murderers, who slay people to appease their god and his mistress.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Ganesatarus
The Lord of the Flies, Master of Deceit. The Pelandan God of Evil.
Worshipers: Hidden cults only.
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Gerra
Goddess of Grief and Sorrow. An aspect of Natha. Her holy places are gruesome sacrificial pyramids where initiates mutilate themselves.
Worshipers: Mostly in Spol. (1,000 in Old Carmania)
Cult Description:
Myths:

Hum'Akt
The Carmanian version of Humakt. The Holy Razor, Master of the Power of Separation.
Worshipers: Hazars
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
Myths:

Idovanus
High God of Order. He was also identified as Romanakirn (by Carmanos the Prophet), the Highest God, God of Law, and the God of Good.
Worshipers: Only the Magi among Carmanians, but also worshiped by others in Lunar Pelanda, and Saird. (12,000)
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Ikadz
The Master of Pain. This entity receives the souls of evildoers and cleanses them before they can join the other dead. Ikadz is a deadly foe of Humakt.
Worshipers: Some few Viziers who use their specialized magic in defense of their House.
Cult Description:
Myths: Bentus & Ikadz

Invisible Orlanth
The mystery cult of Orlanth, who became enlightened and conquered Idovanus. It is said the cult has an Orlanthi equivalent of the Magi, whose Ersoons are swords and divine the Will of Idovanus from the weather.
Worshipers: This cult includes aspects appropriate to all Carmanian castes.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Irrippi Ontor
The personification of wisdom and learning for the Lunar Empire.
Worshipers: Some Viziers, but mostly in the more Lunarized Houses. There is a strong rivalry between the cult of Irrippi Ontor and the traditional Carmanian viziers.
Cult Description:
Myths:

JagaNatha
The Drinker of Blood, Dancer Upon the Ruins, Goddess of Vengeance. Mother of Ratakar the Murderer. The "Natha" aspect of Natha.
Worshippers: See Natha.
Cult Description: See Natha.
Myths: See Natha.

Jernotia(us)
High God(dess) of Liberation. The Great Teacher, the Changing Deity. Avatar of Rashorana (Natha).
Worshipers: Pelandans (19,000 in Old Carmania)
Cult Description: Common Magic for the Jernotian Way is found in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 38.
Myths: Mythlist

Karmanos
Karmanos the Prophet revealed the Carmanian religion, and was later revealed to be an incarnation of the Red Goddess preparing for her own full appearance.
Worshipers: Karmanoi
Cult Description: Affinities for the Lawbringer subcult are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
Myths: Karmanos the Lawbringer (Etyries.com), Mythlist

Kenstrata
Pelandan god of Hunters. Often considered lower class or primitive. Usually paired with Orogeria.
Worshipers: Pelandan hunters.
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39.
Myths: Mythlist

Lendarsh
Prophet of the High Gods. An ancient hero from the east who united Pelanda at the Dawn.
Worshipers: Pelandans, mostly Lendarsh's descendants. (7,000 in Old Carmania)
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Makabaeus
Lunar Patron of Sorcerers. One of the many Lunar sorcerers. Patron of the Magical Colleges.
Practitioners: Viziers of the more Lunarized Houses.
Order Description:
Myths:

Malakinus
The Carmanian school of White Sorcery founded by Carmanos the Prophet.
Practitioners: Viziers.
Order Description:
Grimoires for the Learned Order are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
A short description of the Physician Order (my name for the old Malakinus cult description) is available on the HeroQuest-RPG website.
Myths:

Natha
An aspect of Sedenya, the Red Moon, patroness of the Lunar Empire. Natha is the Goddess of Balance and Nemesis, and represents the power of regular cyclism.
Worshipers: Generally confined to the Lunar Heartlands. In the Western Reaches, the aspects are worshipped as individual deities.
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Netta
Goddess of Night, similar to Xentha and Xiola Umbar.
Worshipers: Mostly worshiped by Spolite women.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Oria
The Great Mother (a more fecund, untamed version of Ernalda or Eiritha), Goddess of Success. Paired with Turos in Pelanda.
Worshipers: Carmanian (?) and Pelandan women. (376,000 throughout Peloria)
Cult Description:
Myths: Mythlist

Parcel
The Soother
Worshippers: Carmanian female healers.
Cult Description: Affinities are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 43.
Myths:

Rakenveg
The Pelorian Trickster God. He is also called the Fool, the Liar, Hare Man, and the Carrot God.
Worshipers: He is worshiped by jesters, fools, thieves, and troublemakers throughout Peloria.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Ratakar the Murderer
Ratakar is the son of JagaNatha, Goddess of Vengeance. Where Daak represents the threat of strangers, Ratakar represents violence against people within the same group - families, towns, ect. He is the God of Kinslaying and Assassination.
Worshipers: Very few - mostly Dart Warriors in Old Carmania, and people seeking revenge.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Rufelza
The Red Goddess, a common form of Sedenya.
Worshipers: common people. (100,000 throughout Peloria)
Cult Description:
Myths:

Turos (Lodril )
High God of Power. Formerly the Great God of Pelanda, Turos was blessed by Idovanus, shaped the land, and defeated Derdromus to liberate his wife, Oria, and the other goddesses of Life from the Underworld. In modern times, the rulership aspects of Turos and his heroic descendants have largely been replaced by Carmanian and Lunar cults.
Worshipers: Pelandan men, and some Hazars (The Shaker) and Viziers (King Below). (196,000 in Old Carmania, Bindle, and Darsen)
Cult Description:
Affinities for KetTuros are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, pages 39 and 43.
Affinities for Gartemirus are listed in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1, page 39.
Myths: Mythlist

Uleria
High Goddess of Love. Some have hailed her as the womb from which Idovanus was born.
Worshipers: Pelandans, especially in Ulwar.
Cult Description: An old RuneQuest version of the Uleria cult is available on the HeroQuest-RPG webiste.
Myths: Mythlist

VakaRu
God of the Sweet Sea.
Worshipers: Any who make a living from the Sweet Sea. (19,000 mostly in Bindle).
Cult Description:
Myths:

Valindus
God of Winter Storms, a much less popular cult since the initiation of the annual Kalikos Icebreaker quests.
Worshipers: Some few Viziers who use their specialized magic in defense of their House.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Yanafal Tarnils
Ram and Warrior, one of the Seven Mothers. He is the major war god of the Empire.
Worshipers: Hazars
Cult Description:
Myths:

Yara Aranis
Goddess of the Reaching Moon. She is the Lunar Goddess of the Glowline, which is maintained through the temples of the Reaching Moon. There are two such temples in Lunar Pelanda, one in the Oronin Sultanate, and the other in Doblian.
Worshipers: Soldiers and Borderers, Priests of the Reaching Moon Temples and all those who hate the Nomads.
Cult Description:
Myths:

Bisos and Eses - Bull Father and Cow Mother
Charmain and the Liberators - Charmain with Aronius Jaranthir and Takenegi. "In 5th Wane cities." (25,000)
The City Gods - KetTuros and KetEnari protect the walls and gates of the Pelandan cities. (20,000)
Irgota and Sarudan - A cult of healers along the Poralistor river. (19,000)
Orogeria and Kenstrata - Pelandan Hunter gods. (46,000 Old Carmania, Darsen, and Darjiin)
The High Gods - Also called the Jernotian Ring. Worshiped collectively by the common folk living around Mt Jernotius. (30,000 in Old Carmania)

Turos and Oria - Worshiped together by most farmers, commoners and crafters of the Oronin Valley.

Note: Worshipers of Daxdarius, God of War, and JagaNatha, Goddess of Balance and Nemesis, believe their deities to be High Gods, although they fell from the pantheon when Lendarsh restored the ancient rites of Idomon.

**Geography**
Bindle:	The land between the Brass Mountains and the Sweet Sea.
Darsen:	A region of hills near the confluence of the Oronin and Poralistor rivers.
Darjiin:	A Satrapy of the Lunar Heartlands south-east of Lake Oronin.
Jhor:	The area between the Brass Mountains and the Oronin River.
Pelanda:	The Oronin River Valley.
Peloria:	The great basin containing the Acros, Oslir, and Poralistor river systems.
Old Carmania:	The region containing the Satrapies Jhor and Spol of the Western Reaches, and Pelanda.
Spol:	The land between the Brass Mountains and the Poralistor River.
Worion:	The land south of the Brass Mountains.

Notes:
This information was pilfered from various sources, official and unofficial. Special thanks go to Nick Brooke, Martin Laurie, Peter Metcalfe, and Wesley Quadros.

Glorantha is the Trademark of Issaries, Inc., and is used with their permission. Issaries, Inc. is the Trademark of Issaries, Inc.
The Carmanos and Pelandan Pantheon rune graphics are based on those shown in the Imperial Lunar Handbook Vol.1. and were created using images captured from the HeroQuest Core Runes font by Issaries, Inc., copyright © 2002 Issaries, Inc., used with permission.

	Bisos the Hazar	The knight aspect of Bisos.
	Bisos the Freeholder	The god of Carmanian yeoman farmers.
	Bisos the Bull	Non-Carmanian warrior god of the people around Lake Oronin.
	Bisos the Bull Father	Non-Carmanian farmer god of the people living around Lake Oronin.

	Malakinus the Learned	School of scholarly viziers.
	Malakinus the Physician	School of Healers.

*Verithurusa*	Red Moon	(Childhood)
*Lesilla*	Blue Moon	(Motherhood)
*Gerra*	Black Moon	(Suffering)
*Rashorana*	Invisible Moon	(Illumination)
*Orogeria*	Blue Moon	(Huntress)
*Natha*	Red Moon	(Avenger, current aspect)
*Zaytenera*	White Moon	(Divine Intellect)

	ChekTuros	War Turos, who saved his lover by driving off Daxdarius.
	DedaddiTuros	Bringer of Harmony. God of the Council in Balovius and Rafelios.
	KetTuros	God of Cities, first worshiped under this name in Kendesos.
	Ruler of Below	God of the Underworld.
	Turos the Father	God of Masculinity.
	Turos the Shaker	Also called HerraTuros, Defender of Osthens.
	Turos the Shaper	God of Artists.
	Idomon	The Prophet, son of Turos and Jernotia, grand-father of Gartemirus.
	Gartemirus	The Wise King, great-grandson of Turos and Jernotia.

	*Jernotius*	The Liberator (an avatar of Rashoran)
	*Dendara*	Goddess of Virtue
	*Idovanus*	God of Order
	*Uleria*	Goddess of Love
	*Bentus*	God of Pleasure
	*Oria*	Goddess of Success
	*Turos*	God of Power