Glorantha: Cult of Dormal the Sailor 
Cult of Dormal the Sailor
originally published in Tales of the Reaching Moon #10

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
One of the greatest catastrophes at the end of the Second Age was the great 
curse, formed by the evil sorcerer Zzabur, which forced all ships off the sea's 
surface. This curse was called the Closing, and was an irresistible force which 
forcibly pushed all ships from the seas. For centuries, ships could only travel 
on interior seas, or closely hugging the coast.
The exact nature of the Closing is not known, nor is the reason for its ending. 
Even Dormal never claimed to have broken the curse, just to have sidestepped it. 
Yet it was broken, and it has not returned, yet.
Dormal was a native of Kethaela, called the Holy Country. He was fostered on the 
benevolence of that land. Using the researches of others, he finally braved the 
hostile seas. Others had tried often before him. Many methods had failed. 
Dormal, with the guidance of friends and heart, succeeded.
In the spring of 1580, Dormal opened the oceans by sailing to Handra and Three 
Step Island and returning to Kethaela without mishap. This was a remarkable 
event, and the Pharaoh immediately ordered more ships built. Dormal took his 
original ships and some new ones and set off westward in a voyage of exploration 
and liberation.
Dormal first returned to the city of Handra. The people there had wasted no time 
in exploiting their enlightenment, and were already building ships. A fleet of 
boats was scuttled around the Mournsea befriending the native Triolini.
Dormal set off from Handra late in 1580, but the growing bluster of winter 
forced the fleet to take refuge in Alatan. The island's ruler, a hard and cruel 
man named Jobar, tried to kill Dormal and seize his ships. Instead, he was 
killed and another made king in his place.
In 1581 Dormal sailed to Pasos, through the Seshnegi Islands, and across the sea 
to the Vadeli Isles. He spent the rest of the year seeking Brithos, home of 
First Sorcerer Zzabur, but found only howling mists and sea horrors. Instead, 
Dormal discovered the Red Vadeli Isles and their previously unknown inhabitants, 
and wintered there.
In 1582, Dormal sailed back to Seshnela, mapping the new cities and ancient 
ruins of that land. In Laufol, wizards tried to detain him, but failed. Then he 
went northward to Fronela, where the Loskalm fleet (sheltered from the Closing 
in their bay) came to fight this foreign invasion. Dormal defended himself and 
proved the worth of his craft. He befriended the Loskalm king, and stayed the 
winter in Fronela.
In 1583, Dormal sailed northward to the glacier, and then moved west. His last 
known stop was Ygg's Isles, where one of his ships wrecked. On he sailed 
westward to find Luathela, despite warnings from the savages of Ygg's. From 
there, say his priests, he sailed to immortality and godhead, whence come his 
current powers.
Dormal's native land, the Holy Country, was the first nation to construct a 
deep-seas fleet. As Dormal sailed westward, teaching his craft, the Kethaelans 
traveled to the Mournsea, allying with the Triolini and trying to suppress the 
ships of that resourceful city of Handra. In 1582 the first naval battles of the 
Third Age occurred.
Alatan's new ruler quickly made his own ships. He sent them, with soldiers, to 
the coast, where they seized cities, turning them into ports. He then began 
raiding all nearby lands. The Mournsea Triolini sent to Kethaela for aid, and in 
the summer of 1582 fifty ships from Alatan destroyed forty-two Kethaelan ships. 
Many islanders paid tribute to Alatan after that.
A number of places built fleets for trade and defense. Those of major note 
include Kethaela, Alatan, Pasos, the Vadeli, Arolanit, and Loskalm. Each of 
these nations had a healthy number of ocean-going vessels afloat by 1583 and 
each dominated their region of the shore.
The Vadeli had few natural resources and immediately began carrying others' 
goods for profit. They prevented any shipping from crossing the Brown Sea to the 
Jrusteli Isles. They themselves outfitted a magnificent fleet and went there 
claiming to be messengers of the god Dormal sent to rule the land and save the 
inhabitants from the sins of their ancestors. Thus they ruled for eight years 
before others reached the island and fomented rebellion.
The Vadeli sailors did not stop in the Jrusteli isles. They crossed the Dashomo 
to the remnants of the cities in Vralos and Enkloso. These people resisted 
stoutly, but fell to the warriors from the north.
The Vadeli coast wars in Enkloso gave time for the people of eastern Pamaltela 
to prepare themselves. A strong naval tradition remained in the enclosed Maslo 
Sea. The Dynast, Hoom Jhis, saw an opportunity for commercial splendor and 
sailed west, forcing the Marthino coasts to succumb to his rule. In 1594 Hoom 
Jhis fought the Vadeli. The Vadeli fleet was wrecked on reefs, but the Maslo 
fleet was shattered. Despite Hoom Jhis' efforts, most of the local ports gained 
independence. Hoom Jhis and his merchant navy still dominate the eastern coast 
for shipping and trading rights.
Kethaela continued in a difficult war with the Alatan pirates. In 1585 Pasos 
attacked Alatan, but the pirates sailed east and left their island to be sacked. 
The Kethaelans combed the Mournsea and, with help from merman allies, found and 
destroyed the pirates. A treaty was made with Pasos to suppress ships from the 
Alatan area, and the pirate kingdom promptly broke into a number of small pirate 
communities.
In 1586 a formal expedition set sail eastward from Kethaela. When it reached 
Teshnos, the Kethaelan admiral established the port of Dosakayo. Treaties, 
force, and judicious evasion gained passage through both Fethlon and Trowjang, 
where many small-boat pirates dwelt, including yellow elves. Next year, the 
fleet sailed into Kralori waters, hoping for the best. Instead, they met the 
Kralori inner sea navy and were destroyed. Reports of this reached Kethaela in 
1588. The Pharaoh consolidated trade with Dosakayo and left the Kralori alone.
The Kralori built a deep-seas navy, but the Dragon Kings were content to patrol 
their own waters and ignore the outside world. However, intrepid Kralori 
merchants went forth, trading with Teshnos and exploring the fabled Eastern 
Isles. Trade from there began to trickle into Kralorela about 1589.
Even during the Closing, it was possible to sail from one island to another in 
the Eastern Isles. One important island is Haragala. When Kralori merchants came 
with their news that the seas were opened again, the Haragalan potentates 
fortified their nation and wrought a fleet to defend themselves.
Haragalan and Kralori ships reached Teleos about 1595. They made no attempt to 
cross the treacherous Togaro Current, but were pleased to meet sailors from 
Maslo who did so in 1598.
By 1598 all the seas of mankind had been opened. The curse of four centuries had 
been broken in less than 20 years. Trouble was everywhere, and old systems broke 
down as local navies and leaders established themselves. Mermen, unused to 
ships, also caused problems, but by 1600 all the seas of the world were 
navigable.
Dormal worshipers are buried at sea, with prayers varying with the deceased's 
culture. Even those Dormal initiates who die landbound are frequently returned 
to the ocean in ceremony, if only by means of a friend's rowboat.
Dormal's runes are those of Communication and Ocean. He is also sometimes 
associated with Mobility.


[ New Here? | Greg Sez! | Main Page | Product Listing | Coming Events | Cool 
Links ]