Gods War

A rip in the world leading to the Other Side.

Through the Storm and Chaos Ages, the gods are at war. Their battles happen eternally: the tragedies of the past, the struggles of the future, and the heroic deeds of the present are equally without end. Humans can ride to the Gods War, also called the Otherworld or Other Side, to aid their gods and gain blessings to help their kin, though the risks are great.

This is how gods understand time, so that Buseryan can earnestly warn you of Emperor Yelm's impending murder—an event that took place millennia ago. Humans who briefly perceive time as the gods do tend to be overwhelmed by the experience, although sometimes they gain mystical insights.

All rituals take place in the Gods War. If you stray from a ritual path, you may find yourself elsewhere—still in the Gods War, but no longer treading a familiar path. And occasionally your explorers find themselves in the presence of gods, too...

Ride Like the Wind

The Gods War events in Ride Like The Wind occur when you stray from a ritual path. These events include:

• Gods War: Alien Gods Battle
• Gods War: Dwarves and Moon
• Gods War: Falling Dragon
• Gods War: Hero and Beast God
• Gods War: Imperials and Bird Riders

Lights Going Out

In contrast to the first game, in Lights Going Out, you can visit the fractured Otherworld directly by traveling to a rift leading to the Gods War. From there, you can choose which of two deities to approach; if you succeed in the Otherworld, you may gain a boon from this god, and if you fail but survive, you will see them again earning a small consolation prize from the more benevolent deities. Possible deities include:

• Other Side: Arroin's Wanderings can lead to:
  • Other Side: Arroin's Boon
  • Other Side: Arroin's Consolation
• Other Side: Balurga's Mound can lead to:
  • Other Side: Balurga's Price
  • Other Side: Balurga's Boon
  • Other Side: Balurga's Consolation
  • Other Side: Balurga's Disappointment
• Other Side: Beren's Court can lead to:
  • Other Side: Beren's Boon
  • Other Side: Beren's Consolation
• Other Side: Cragspider's Lair can lead to:
  • Other Side: Cragspider's Boon
  • Other Side: Cragspider's Disappointment
• Other Side: Dostal's Game can lead to:
  • Other Side: Dostal's Boon
  • Other Side: Dostal's Consolation
• Other Side: Elmal Guards Orlanthstead can lead to:
  • Other Side: Elmal's Boon
  • Other Side: Elmal's Consolation
• Other Side: Eurmal Up a Tree can lead to:
  • Other Side: Eurmal's Boon
  • Other Side: Eurmal's Consolation
• Other Side: Foragelands can lead to:
  • Other Side: Inilla's Boon
  • Other Side: Inilla's Consolation
• Other Side: Redalda's Address can lead to:
  • Other Side: Redalda's Boon
  • Other Side: Redalda's Consolation
• Other Side: Uralda's Trust can lead to:
  • Other Side: Uralda's Boon
  • Other Side: Uralda's Consolation
• Other Side: Urox's Smiting can lead to:
  • Other Side: Urox's Boon
  • Other Side: Urox's Consolation‎

Between your first meeting with a deity and returning to gather a reward, you will experience several other events, drawn from:

• Other Side: Antler Society
• Other Side: Broos Infestation
• Other Side: Chaos Beast Team-Up
• Other Side: Chaos Gods Encounter
• Other Side: Cold Sun Attack
• Other Side: Dwarf Accusation
• Other Side: First Horse
• Other Side: Heler Dragon Hostage
• Other Side: Malia's Contagion
• Other Side: Nontraya's Craft
• Other Side: Ompalam's Captives
• Other Side: Outlander Gods Battle
• Other Side: Primal Chaos Ooze
• Other Side: Samnal Chariot Maker
• Other Side: Seseine's Coercion
• Other Side: Shargash's Scorching
• Other Side: Tyram Sky Invasion
• Other Side: Wakboth River Bath
• Other Side: Water Warriors

Other Stories

See here or here on the Glorantha wiki for more on the Gods War and the Otherside, respectively.

Images

The river Arcos menaces Nivorah, the Golden city of your ancestors. The water dragon was defeated long ago, but heroes can still vie against it to tame rivers.

The former Hippogriff resists Hyalor's efforts to show her that she is now Gamari, goddess of horses. Though their friendship came to be close, this initial struggle is preserved forever in the Gods War.

Samnal, son of Elmal, refuses to acknowledge the fall of Nivorah—though he led the Wheels away from its ruins generations ago.

The Dara Happans conquered the Vrimaki; later, the Vrimaki usurped their empire. Both wars rage eternally.

A human hero fights the lion god Basmol. The legends of the future tell us how this fight will end... but your hero can tip the balance in the other direction.

Your people have legends of the moon, but not of the dwarves that picked over its fallen body. Perhaps your hero has fallen into a Mostali myth...

Many generations ago, Hippogriff helped Yamsur fight an enemy your people don't even remember in legend. Now Hippogriff is Gamari, but your explorers can still see her former self waging this battle...

The dragon may be wounded or dead; it may have been struck down in the past, present, or far future. In any case, you'll need the help of your gods to avoid being squished.

In the Gods War, the events of the future are as eternal as those of the past, and your people can see divine tragedies that have yet to truly play out...

Even events in living memory can take shape in the Gods War. The glacier that crushed old Nivorah flies to pieces, exposing the peoples of the hibernating Solar Empire to attack by the monsters of Chaos.

In the Otherworld, time is not as set as in the world of mortals and, with enough skill and endurance, even the marriage of dead gods can be visited.