Ernalda

Ernalda as depicted in *Ride Like The Wind.*

Ernalda is the mother goddess and Earth Queen worshipped by the Rams, wife and advisor to Orlanth. Her mother is Asrelia and she herself is the mother of Uralda, Voriof, and Aldrya, the sister of Maran Gor, and kinswoman to Babeester the Axe. She has a great deal in common with the Rider Earth godess Nyalda, the two being syncretized by the Berenethtelli tribe.

## Ride Like the Wind

### Lore

Your clan circle has little to say about others' gods, but they mention Ernalda occasionally:

* "Rams worship some other earth goddess, who they say they stole from the sky gods."
* "Earthquakes never happened until the Ram showed up, bringing with him his tempestuous wife Ernalda."
* "I have heard that their god Orlanth is told what to do by his wife. Ridiculous!"
* "Ernalda and Nyalda are not so different as we like to think."

### Myths & Rituals

Although Ernalda appears in none of the Riders' myths, she does figure in two rituals:

* A threat to crops and forests
* Rivalry between warlords

And although your clan cannot participate, your Ram neighbors may perform a ritual called "The Wooing of Ernalda".

## Lights Going Out

### Worship

Though Ernalda dies during the prologue to *Lights Going Out*, it is still possible to maintain a temple or shrine to her. They do not give access to any of her blessings, but may help you in certain events.

Her blessings, had she been alive, would be:

* Bless Children: Increases the fertility of our women
* Cooperation: Enhances venture effects
* Crafting: Helps basketmakers, potters, and weavers produce more
* Hospitality: Eases dealing with guests and allows more feasts

The treasure Braid of Ernalda increases Fields magic if an Ernalda devotee is on the ring during Sacred Time. Other treasures related to the goddess include Ernalda's Comb, Ernalda's Needle, Ernalda's Seeds and, presumably, the Bridal Mirror.

A random event may have vestigial magic from Ernalda's temble improve the clan's fields, leading to the announcing noble remarking that she must be sleeping and not dead for such an event to occur.

### Lore

Though dying at some point in the game's prologue, your clan ring in *Lights Going Out* has the following to say of Ernalda:

* "The lord of the talokans is the Chaos god Nontraya, the wolf-riding beast who slew Ernalda."
* "Nontraya slew Ernalda and has earned my hate."
* "Ernalda is the earth—she must be alive somewhere, in some sense."
* "When Beren married Redalda, Orlanth and Ernalda joined Elmal as our main deities."
* "Through Redalda, [Beren] joined Ernalda's many grooms."
* "When we were still Riders, we used to worship Ernalda under the title Nyalda."
* "When Ernalda died, the plant folk, who depended on earth to live, withered where they stood."
* "Grain goddesses such as Pela Barley, Usara Oat, and Fresala Wheat became ghosts when Ernalda died."
* "Ernalda can no longer command the earth to soak up rain."
* "Another of Ernalda's bloodline vanishes from this earth."
* "When Ernalda died, Elmal found seeds she left behind. 'Put these in all her temples,' he said."
* "Thunder lizards serve Maran Gor the Earth Shaker, sister to Ernalda."
* "Ernalda is grandmother to the elves."

### Myths & Rituals

Since her death, Ernalda can not be contacted through normal rituals. However, over the course of the game, it is possible to perform a special ritual in which you visit her and Orlanth's wedding.

Her rescue by the storm gods from Yelm's sky court is a big part of the myth Ages of Glorantha.

She is also briefly mentioned in the myth Unholy Trio.

## Other Stories

Ernalda appears prominently in many other stories of Glorantha.

* Ernalda on the King of Dragon Pass wiki
* Ernalda on the Glorantha wiki

## Images

Ernalda battles iron trees.Redalda approaches the goddess Ernalda.Ernalda (seated) with Issaries, Uralda, and Lhankor Mhy in the background.The marriage between Orlanth and Ernalda.