My 13th Age collaborator Jonathan Tweet occasionally uses this space to write a guest blog on a gaming topic. Today he's introducing the gods of Glorantha to 13th Age players. He opens with a truth that I would have punctuated with an exclamation point!
The gods of Glorantha inspired the icons of 13th Age. Rob and I both value the way Gloranthan gods helped
player-characters connect to the game world, and that’s basically where the
icons came from.
With 13th Age in Glorantha,
you’ll be able to see how these gods fulfill a function similar to that of the
icons. The thing I like about Glorantha’s gods is that they have personal
histories and particular personalities. Gods in game worlds can sometimes be
generic and abstract, and in fact the icons of 13th Age are intentionally generic as well. The gods of Glorantha,
however, are something different. They have detailed histories and complicated
relationships to each other, creating a rich pantheon for gamers to explore.
This post highlights some of the gods and shows why Rob and I think they’re so
cool.
The
Storm King, Orlanth
Orlanth is a mighty god, a destroyer and a builder, a rebel and
a leader. His bywords are freedom and action, so he’s perfect as an
adventurer’s deity. In the mythic past, Orlanth used Death to kill the Sun
Emperor, plunging the world into darkness. Later, he led a party of
“Lightbringer” gods into the Underworld to save the Sun and bring hope back to
the world. Orlanth’s people are now often depicted as bronze-skinned warriors,
I think of them as having a “Germanic barbarian” feel, given that they live in
clans with chiefs, jarls, and thanes. In our default time period, the Orlanthi
people have thrown off their conquerors from a more advanced civilization, the
Lunar Empire. The Orlanthi, the Lunars, and everyone else with a bone to pick
are getting ready for conclusive battles that will settle scores once and for
all.
The
Earth Queen, Ernalda
She is the Great Goddess, the power that reunited the world
after it had been nearly destroyed by Chaos. She was once the wife of the Sun
Emperor, but Orlanth killed him and demonstrated to Ernalda that he alone was
worthy of her. Ernalda binds everything together. Without her, society could
not exist, or even the world itself. She was originally an Earth goddess and
still has many Earth-related aspects and allies. In times of trouble, Ernalda offers
surprising powers, and when you’re playing 13th
Age you know it’s going to be a time of troubles.
Death’s
Champion, Humakt
This dire god was the first to bring Death into the world, and
he rules the Death rune. Although born a storm god and brother to Orlanth, he
has cut his kinship ties to Orlanth and shed his connection to the winds. Now
he is the pitiless god of battle and death. His devotees are fearless warriors
with a special hatred of the undead. Truth and oaths are also part of Humakt’s
purview, and his devotees follow strict codes of honor and justice. In their
mind, the best defense is killing everyone who stands in their way.
The
Storm Bull, Urox
This horn-headed brother of Orlanth loves violence and hates
Chaos. During the Great Darkness, he faced down and defeated Wakboth, a supreme
incarnation of Chaos. Today, his followers are unruly berserks, tolerated by
polite society because they are so good at finding and destroying Chaos monsters.
Certain players love that sort of character, and maybe there’s one at your
table. Urox’s most devoted followers undertake a heroquest that, if they’re
successful, grants them horns that actually sprout from their heads.
The
Dark Power, Kyger Litor
She is the chief deity of the trolls. The trolls of Glorantha
are both more human-like and more alien than the default trolls that
d20-rolling adventurers have been hacking and burning since 1974. Like humans,
trolls have a sophisticated culture, with their own myths, gods and mores.
These trolls, however, are different. They are scary darkness creatures who
will eat people if they can, but they are also devoted enemies of Chaos.
Females are bigger than males, and they rule troll society. Due to an ancient
curse, most troll births produce stunted dimwits, called trollkin and relegated
to second-class status. Or maybe fifth-class status, since they sometimes get
devoured. The domesticated animals in troll society are monstrous bugs of
various sorts. Over the vast population of trolls rules Kyger Litor. She owns
the Darkness rune and provides darkness magic to her worshippers.
The Red
Moon, Sedenya
Orlanth’s great foe is a new goddess, the Red Moon. Unlike the
old gods who existed before Time, Sedenya can abide Chaos and even direct it
toward positive ends (they say). Her son, the Red Emperor, rules the Lunar
Empire, which is at war with the Orlanthi people. If you listen to the Lunars,
they will tell you that they have a superior, sophisticated culture capable of
reconciling dichotomies and even making peace with Chaos. Barbarians would do
well to be reasonable and adopt Lunar beliefs and practices, they say. If the
barbarians aren’t prepared to concede, the Lunars are willing to force the
issue. The Lunars have already subverted many other cultures, following their
goddess’s motto that “We Are All Us.” The Red Moon makes an excellent villain
in a campaign, since she is both attractive and deadly. Her followers have
excellent military organization, powerful schools of magic, and a religion
that’s adept at taking over local beliefs. If that doesn’t work, the Lunars
call on the Crimson Bat, a monstrous creature of Chaos [[rh: already added to the 13th Age in Glorantha book as a stretch goal]] that requires human
sacrifices to live and that drives its enemies insane. As the Red Moon, the goddess Sedenya literally hangs high above her empire, day and night. From there, she
sees her empire spread century by century.
If none of these gods prove to be your favorite, there are
others. Babeester Gor is the avenging daughter who like to chop off pieces of her
enemies with her mighty ax. The warrior god Elmal once served the Sun but left
his court to join Orlanth, and now he is Orlanth’s loyal thane. Orlanth’s
warrior daughter Vinga inspires adventurers, especially women, to undertake
daring quests. The world of Glorantha is filled with gods from the cosmic to
the local, and there are bound to be options that appeal to the various sorts
of gamers you have at your table. Rob and I had our eyes opened when we first
encountered Gloranthan gods decades ago. We’re both really excited to share more
of what we love with the 13th Age crowd. When 13th Age in Glorantha debuts, you’ll see why.
--Jonathan Tweet, October 2, 2014
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