THE WORD Runequest Campaign
Gloriana

Written by: Gary Norton. Gloriana also became known as Corona Stargazer.

Gloriana's father, Damasus, is a native Dara Happan. He is a member of a noble house from the city of Elz Hast (one of the Tripolis). He joined the Yelm cult at a young age.

Damasus was an active adventurer for a while. Something happened that brought him into conflict with the Lunar Government. Following this, he left the Empire. He eventually came to the Sun Dome Temple in Sartar and became a priest. he briefly fought the Empire during their initial invasion of Sartar in Y1591. However, his Dara Happan roots were suspect to many of the Sartarites. He chose to retire rather than fight the Lunars and the Sartarites.

Gloriana's mother, Carolyn, was born into a noble family of Esrolia. As with most women of Esrolia, she joined an Earth Cult at a young age. She joined the Cult of Ernalda. When the Lunars invaded Sartar, she was sent to the Sun Dome Temple to represent Esrolian interests.

Carolyn and Damasus met during their time at the Sun Dome Temple. Carolyn was both attracted to and repulsed by Damasus' patriarchal attitudes. Nevertheless, they fell in love and were married in New Crystal City in Y1593.

They had several children in the succeeding years. Carolyn gave birth to four sons before giving birth to a daughter, Gloriana, in Y1604.

The older brothers were prepared through the years to fight against the Lunar Empire. Damasus taught them the ways of Yelm and Yelmalio. As they reached the age of maturity, they went to the Sun Dome Temple to become mercenaries.

Gloriana's parents did not want her to follow the mercenary path. As sole heir to the family (the brothers, being male, are ineligible to inherit in Esrolia), she had to be prepared to rule the house. However, she preferred to spend time around her brothers. They taught her how to fight, which she loved to do. That was much more exciting to her than playing politics.

As she reached maturity in Y1620, decisions had to be made. Boys were never attracted to her because of her plain looks and gruff manners. Because of this and the influence of her brothers, she was never attracted to the Earth Cults in general. The only cult that interested her at all was Babeester Gor, the fighting cult. Her brothers encouraged her interest in Yelmalio. Finally, her parents relented and sent her to the Sun Dome Temple.

Unknown to Gloriana, her father sent instructions to the elders at the Temple. He requested that they do whatever they must to discourage her from joining any Yelimic cult.

At the temple, Gloriana learned first-hand about the patriarchal attitudes of the Yelmalians. She didn't give up and began to associate with the Unicorn Riders of the Temple. It took over three years for her to finally be accepted into the Cult of Yelorna as a Lay Member. The priestess of Yelorna, having received instructions from the Temple hierarchy that Gloriana should be discouraged from joining, finally relented on Gloriana's fourth annual attempt to join. The priestess never did allow her to become an initiate however. Gloriana finally became an initiate at East town in Y1626.

Gloriana returned to New Crystal City shortly after leaving mercenary duty, after meeting Sunray. During Sacred Time of Y1625, she approached her father and demanded to be allowed to become a member of Yelm the Youth. Damasus had no choice but to allow her to join, since she met all of the requirements. However, he did try quite hard to discourage her. Both parents tried to get her to quit adventuring and to settle down in New Crystal City. However, she had just returned from battle against the Lunars and was inspired to adventure and perhaps one day to help defeat the Empire.

Upon Gloriana's return to New Crystal City from Seshnela in Y1629, she initially expected to retire due to a corruption of her spirit which had occured during her tributlations in the West. Her parents were quite pleased. However, she just couldn't settle down. She realized that it would be years before her mother died and she inherited the house-rulership. Further, she realized that he corrupted soul would eventually hurt her rulership. Eventually, Sunray broke down her resistance and she journeyed to Arkat's Hold to join the Humakti.

Lord Kiri's planned trip to the Lunar Empire gave her the opportunity to visit the land of her father, to learn more about the LUnars, and to continue her search for Illumination.

Gloriana is a mixture of Dara Happan and Esrolian physical features. She strongly favours her Esrolian heritage. However, she has enough Dara Happan in her blood so that people who are familiar with Dara Happans will recognize her heritage.

Gloriana's parents remain in New Crystal City. Carolyn is active in city government. Damasus uses his knowledge to help his wife, from behind the scenes.

Gloriana's brothers have continued to adventure or have left New Crystal City to make lives elsewhere. They all seek to obtain a status that, as males, they could never achieve while in New Crystal City.

Lady Gloriana of New Crystal is her birth name and proper title. Lady Corona Stargazer is the name she used from the time she became a Lay member of Yelorna until she asked for release from her Yelornan cult vows. Eliza the Silent is the name that she used during her mission into the Lunar Empire. This was a part of her overall disguise. She pretended to be a woman from Seshnela. Her story was that she was of strong body, while the nobility of Seshnela emphasize strength of mind. She hired onto the caravan of Eerick (a disguised Lord Kiri) and is keeping a diary in Seshnelan.

 

Return to the Runequest Player-Originated Materials Page.