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Mythology of Orlanth

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.

Mythos and History

Orlanth was one of the many sons of Umath. His mother was a mountain goddess named Kero Fin, and he has always been associated with mountains since then.

When he was only five hours old, say the tales, he set off on his first adventure, armed only with a comb and a rattle. With those he challenged the young god, Yelm, to a dancing contest. Orlanth did a war dance while Yelm did a ballet. The gods who judged the event were shocked at Orlanth's behavior and so awarded the prize to Yelm. Orlanth went away angry and disappointed, and so began the most famous struggle of Godtime.

The Orlanth and Yelm rivalry is known in mythologies which do not even worship these two gods. In their own myths the contest is central to worship. There are many tales tell of one or the other god's victory. One such contest is when the gods made weapons.

Yelm made the silent and far-shooting arrow, inspired by the piercing effect of his rays. Orlanth got the sword which was inspired by the slicing of the wind through the world. Later the duel grew more serious and Orlanth used the new Power, Death, to kill Yelm. This brought the Lesser Darkness upon the world.

During the Lesser Darkness Orlanth continued to fight. He led a strong army of immortals with many allies. The gods of light continued to fight back, led especially by Yelmalio in Peloria. Orlanth fought Yelmalio and defeated him, and then, when the air god withdrew, Zorak Zoran ambushed the son of the sun and wounded him even more. In this way the fires of the world grew dim.

Then it was that chaos crept into the world upon the trail made by Darkness. Monsters and demons scouted through the cosmos, preparing the way for the Devil. Gods whose names are lost to us now died. Realms of beauty were lost, and there was fear among the gods when Flesh Man gibbered his visions of the future to them. Order slipped, Orlanth found his mother dead, saw his father suffering and chained between the earth and sky, and took upon himself the task to set right the wrongs which had brought such disaster about. He took what tools and weapons he could, called some friends and met others along the way, and thereby joined the Lightbringers who searched unknowable paths to rescue the world.

For his leadership of the Lightbringers and his acknowledged superiority over Yelm, Orlanth was confirmed as chief of the Air Gods. He also achieved the title of King of the Gods. That title is recognized by Lightbringers and some others, but not by all of the deities of the world.

The worship of Orlanth was known throughout most of the world in the Dawn Ages, and his worshippers brought the secrets of the Lightbringers down from the mountains to civilize the lowlands where the broken remnants of sun-worshippers struggled against the dark. But even inside of Time the ancient rivalry between the two deities rose again, and soon the worshippers of Orlanth in the hills and mountains were struggling with the worshippers of Yelm in the low-lands.

In the Second Age the Empire of the Wyrms Friends was a center of power for Orlanth worshippers, but the peoples turned to Dragon Magics and away from their old gods. Orlanth's people both rebelled and aided in the Wyrmish projects. In the end the Dragons had no mercy for any humans who fought them and destroyed thousands of people in the Dragonkill War of 1200. After that both Yelm and Orlanth were weak.

In the Third Age was born a new rival, the Red Moon. This goddess had skills and magics like those of both Yelm and Orlanth, and others more arcane. Through the passage of time the worship of the Red Moon grew in Peloria, and spread southward into the highlands towards Dragon Pass. The northern gods of light fell before her march, and then she set herself against Orlanth as well, to struggle for the Middle Air. Through the years her worshippers have converted and conquered those of the storm god, and the gods themselves have been seen brooding anxiously over their children during wars between men.

The breadth of the Orlanth cult's spread is extensive, and it is understandable that such diversity would spawn some differences of worship depending upon the local customs. In general, three forms of the god are recognized. Orlanth Adventurous is the most widespread, for his god-form appeals to those who wander and adventure. Orlanth Thunderous is the weather god aspect and is worshipped where people commune with the violent storms of nature. Orlanth Rex is the King of the Gods, and is worshipped by chieftains and nobles and poets.

Orlanth Adventurous is the god favored in Prax, and is the object of this write-up. Orlanth Thunderous is unknown here, for the storms of Prax come from the Storm Bull and are more evident than Orlanth's. Orlanth Rex has no place here either, where Waha rules over the tribes and imposes his social system.

Funeral rites for the Adventurous cultists requires burning the body while chanting a chant like Daka Fal's (see the Mythology of Daka Fal). There is then a song to command the soul to the winds. A smoky fire is made and grave goods are included to assist the person in the land of the dead. Among his dead, some souls will know freedom for a while, but others may join minor winds or be chosen by Orlanth to serve in his band of heroes.

Orlanth Adventurous guarantees to his loyal Initiates that he will go and get their soul if the body is not treated with proper burial rites, using one method or another. This way the Adventurers need not fear dying in a strange land among foreigners.

In the hilly regions Orlanth High Priests like to have their shrouded bodies tied into trees or sometimes held aloft by specially built racks. Other places simply ask for a burning, preferring to use smoky fires. Prayers send the soul to the wind, storm, and quiet air.

The primary runes of Orlanth Adventurous are Air/Storm, Motion, and Mastery. As is normal with major cults there are numerous other affiliations.

See also: