Hyalor

Hyalor was born a human man, but through his invention of riding and his role in founding Hyaloring culture, he became a god upon his death. Hyalor married and outlived seven human women during his mortal life, including Bayya, Shileva, Zervu, and, lastly, Vashya. Hyalor's children by them formed the ancestral lines of the Rider clans. He is now one of the most important Rider gods, although the Wheels disdain and despise his worship.

Hyalor is close to Gamari, was a mentor to Osara, and his household took in Zarlen as a child. However, Hyalor, by then old and weary of outliving people, had little to do with the boy, leaving him to be raised by his wife, Vashya. Samnal, god of the Wheels, is his rival. His father was Yamsur the Shining, a now-dead solar god. As his last act before ascending to the Sky Court as a god, he fathered a daughter, Cenala, by the elf goddess Aldrya.

After he left his people, he left many secrets for them to find later, as they explored the world. If you're lucky you may find some of them.

Ride Like the Wind[]

The last of Hyalor's wives, Vashya, was the mother of Basikan, the ancestor of your clan.

Over the course of Ride Like the Wind, you will hear of Hyalor's half-elf daughter, Cenala. It's up to you whether your clan accepts this revelation or denounces it as heresy.

Worship[]

You can build a shrine or a temple to Hyalor. His blessings are:

Horsebreaker: Allows taming wild horses.
Horsefriend: Prolongs the life of our horses.
Law: Keeps unresolved disputes from souring clan mood.

Additionally, if you accept Cenala as his daughter and have built a shrine to Hyalor, vines will grow on the shrine and impart a Wilds blessing as long as it stands. Note that if you lose the shrine (or temple) for whatever reason, you will not be able to regain the vines and their blessing, even if you build a new shrine.

The Ring of Hyalor treasure grants divine blessing to worshipers of Hyalor. Other treasure associated with Hyalor are the Emblem of Hyalor, which increases your wealth when your people embrace change; and the Shield of Tablets, an artifact holy to Hyalor that increases magnitude of victory when attacking with survival in mind.

On the Circle[]

Having a worshiper of Hyalor on the clan circle allows you to put an extra point of magic in both Harmony and Diplomacy at Sacred Time.

Members of Hyalor's cult are all male. In noble selection screens, his worshipers' portraits are marked with the Mastery Rune.

Lore[]

Naturally enough, your people have a great deal to say about their god-hero:

"Don’t take this wrong, but sometimes I think Riders make such a huge fuss over Hyalor because he’s the god who separates you from the Wheels."
"Elmal taught us to feast together. Gamari gave us her milk, and Hyalor showed us how to ferment it."
"In Nivorah every noble house owned slaves. We gave up this practice when Hyalor and Gamari showed us the freedom of the trail."
"Hyalor never told us to have kings, so we must solve disputes by feuds and parleys."
"Hyalor said our elders should solve disputes, so that clan members would not raise their hands against one another."
"Hyalor said, 'Here's a tablet with the rules on it. You see that I left it blank.'"
"Hyalor said, 'Whatever rules you write on your tablets, remember you are still one people.'"
"Hyalor saved Gamari by changing the rules that governed her existence."
"Hyalor refashioned us twice: when he saved Gamari, and when he helped us flee Nivorah."
"Hyalor told Osara, 'When you are right, argue. When you are wrong, throw a feast.'"
"Hyalor took Raven in. In exchange, Raven said she would perform harsh but necessary acts, preserving Hyalor’s divine purity."
"Hyalor would still embrace Gamari, if she became Hippogriff again."
"Hyalor’s mother did not need to be married to give birth to a man of divine destiny."
"The first stories came about long before Hyalor was born. But he made sure we took some with us on the exodus."
"The Wheels accept Hyalor as a hero who learned horse secrets, but deny that he ascended to the sky as a god."
"This would surprise Hyalor, but unlike other gods he likes surprises."
"Trolls beset Hippogriff, devouring her wings. Hyalor came to her when she was wounded, and led her to a people in need."
"Wheels portray Hyalor as a mortal who sped the Golden City's doom with radical changes."
"When Hyalor captured the Law Beast, he put it on a leash, so it would serve without biting."
"When Hyalor gave us the blank gold tablets, he said, 'Let this be your only emperor.'"
"When Hyalor was still a man, his renown grew, and all learned to call on him for aid."
"When Gamari lost her wings, Hyalor adopted her into his clan."
"When Samnal denied Hyalor’s holy blood, Hyalor held his tongue, for the good of the city."
"When we asked Hyalor whether we should keep slaves in the wilderness, he said, 'Only you can decide that.'"
"When we declined to enslave the goat herders, Hyalor held up his tablet, and we saw ourselves reflected in it."

Myths & Rituals[]

Hyalor's main myth is the Tablets of Hyalor, which is the basis of his ritual, Hyalor Tablet Maker. Depending on your choices, you may discover an additional myth about him, Hyalor's Long Ride.

He also appears in Raven and Hyalor, Hippogriff Reborn, Ekarna's Four Trades, and Zarlen's First Wander. And although the myth of Nyalda's Bride Price does not involve him, he appears in the ritual Nyalda Marriage Maker as one of Elmal's kinsmen. He also makes a minor appearance in the ritual Ekarna Four Trader.

Lights Going Out[]

Due to his prohibition against kings, by the time of Lights Going Out, your clan had to give up their worship of Hyalor to crown Beren and become the royal clan of the Berenethtelli tribe. They even melted down their copy of Hyalor's Tablet into the Crown of Beren.

Over the course of the game, it is possible for Hyalor to visit the valley and gift those clans who remember the prohibition against kings a gift of magic. Curiously, despite your clan no longer worshiping Hyalor and, at least nominally, being ruled by a king, he will bless your clan as well. The message may look as follows:

“	The great hero Hyalor rode down from the sky, to bless those who remembered his message that his people should not have kings. Too many of us have forgotten this, but he still granted us magic before returning to the sky.	”
— Six Ages: Lights Going Out

You will then receive a small amount of clan magic.

Similarly, yours is the only Ram clan to benefit from the possession of the Tablet of Hyalor treasure.

Lore[]

Despite no longer worshiping Hyalor, your clan ring in Lights Going Out still has quite a few things to say about him:

"Beren's law code harmonized the traditions of Hyalor and Vingkot."
"Hyalor died as a man but remains as a god. A Rider could explain it better."
"Hyalor disapproved of kings and that would go double for regalia."
"Hyalor disdained kings, and has been justly left behind."
"Hyalor, guardian hero of early Riders, taught them that kings were unnecessary. To have an Elmali king, we had to become Rams."
"Hyalor said, 'Choose your enemies carefully.'"
"Hyalor said, 'Choose your foes with care.'"
"Hyalor said we should not have kings. We had to give up his tablet when Beren was crowned."
"Hyalor said we should not have kings. We melted down his tablet to make Beren's crown."
"Hyalor urged the Riders to seek balance in all things."
"Hyalor was a mortal man when he taught the Riders to survive. When he died he became a god."
"Hyalor's horse goddess was First Horse, a role Redalda performed for us."
"No other Ram clan, and no Wheel clan, will gain magic from a Hyalor tablet. All Rider clans already have one."
"Like ancient Hyalor, we must travel far, seeking the change brings survival."
"Some say that Hyalor adopted Gamari. Others say that she adopted our Rider ancestors as her kin."
"When Hyalor First Rider healed Horse Mother, the Wheels tried to chain and enslave her."
"When Hyalor First-Rider went to Samnal to show him his horse, Samnal reached for his chains."
"Both Hyalor and Vingkot let clans pick their own chiefs."