Galana Horsequeen, sometimes called Hippoi, is neither the oldest goddess nor the bringer of all life. However, she is the mother of horses, and therefore the mother of all true people. That is what makes her the most glorious and highest of goddesses, the wife of Yu-Kargzant and mistress of his camp. She is the Khatun of the Herd, and may only be gainsayed by the orders of Kargzant or Yu-Kargzant themselves. She bows to no others.
All people love Galana Horsequeen, for without her they would not exist. She is there at the birth of every foal and every human child. She is what guides the two halves of the soul to each other. All of the birds are her nieces and nephews, but only Gamara was her special child, born long before Galana met and married Yu-Kargzant. Some say the father was named Hykim, some that he was the Universe Dragon, some that there was no father.
Galana led the Herds, as mother of all horses. She was the glory of wealth, sutained by the light of Yu-Kargzant and the bounty of her sisters, who were of the Earth and took on its impurity to bring forth life. All gods looked upon her and desired her, for to be wedded to her would be to hold the glory of the Herd.
Galana and Yu-Kargzant were introduced by Lozarl, Yelm’s brother and husband to Galana’s sister. Each loved the other at sight, for in Yu-Kargzant, Galana saw life, and in Galana, Yu-Kargzant saw truth, but each knew that love without trust was meaningless. They needed to understand each other’s power, each other’s family, and most of all, needed proof that they would be the best of all the many suitors each had. Thus were the Marriage Contests held. This is why to this day, any Pentan man or woman can demand that those seeking marriage accomplish a task or contest to earn the right, and also why the Pentans sing songs of bragging at contests of any sort.
Yu-Kargzant proved himself by being the finest archer among the men and winning every race. Galana proved herself by flying higher than any other and winning every race. Both sang the greatest songs explaining why they should win, and were supported by the best singers. Their marriage proved fruitful, with many sons and daughters.
Galana oversaw the camp of Yu-Kargzant when he died. It was Galana who judged the worth of all those who would lead the Herd while Yu-Kargzant was in the Underworld. Her tests were strict. Indeed, they were impossible, for she demanded deeds equal to those of Yu-Kargzant. This could not be done, but she chose Kargzant to lead until Yu-Kargzant returned after he performed the best of any who came before her. While she knelt to him then, she retained command of the household of Yu-Kargzant, and Kargzant seldom ignored her advice or countermanded her.
When Yu-Kargzant returned, Galana tested him, fearing an imposter as so many had tried before. He passed all of her tests, as he had done at the Marriage Contest, and she declared that the Sky Khagan had returned. She accepted his appointing Kargzant to rule under him, but only after Yu-Kargzant agreed to test Kargzant again, for the Herd must remain strong, led by the strong and the righteous. This is why all who would be khan must be tested by the priestesses of Galana before they can be considered worthy.
There is no woman’s cult that holds more power in Pent than that of the Horsequeen. Only women may join it, for it is the cult of motherhood as well as of the herds. Galana’s priestesses bless and attend the birth of foals and infants and oversee the roles of women in Pentan society. Wives, like Galana, are considered to rule the household while their husband is not present or is busy with his own tasks of warfare or leadership. In this way, the priestesses of Galana, as the most high-ranking women, are considered to outrank anyone else in the tribe except their own husband, higher ranking members of the cult, the tribal khan, or priests of Yu-Kargzant. They are considered to be equal in rank to their own husband, unless he is the tribal khan or a priest of Yu-Kargzant.
Galana is depicted as a white, winged mare with golden mane, tail and eyes in her Mount Aspect, Hippoi. She is unmarred in all respects and never shod. In her rider aspect, she is a woman with golden eyes, dark skin and white hair, clad in gold and silver. She is often depicted pregnant or accompanied by children or foals, and she generally wears a tall and impressive hat and carries a lasso pole. Sometimes, her head is that of a horse.
Galana is associated with the Life, Beast, Harmony and Light Runes. She is a creature of the air and sky, the mother of all horses. Some fools believe horses are like other animals of the land, but in truth, they are the greatest of the aerial creatures, containing within them the power of the sky and wind alike. She is the mother of humans as well, bearer of the twin souls that exist in every Pentan. Lastly, she is the peacebringer and queen of the camp, whose word ends disputes and commands respect and calm.
LIFE: Initiates of Galana wield the Life Rune in her role as the Mother of the Herd. Her command of it is more narrow than her sister, Oria, but this is because she is a higher and more pure being, whose gift is reserved for the highest life: people and horses. Among other abilities, Initiates of Galana can use the Life Rune to aid childbirth, bless fertility, strengthen people or horses, bless children, heal wounds, make good food, protect the young, accelerate the growth of horses, restore youth to people or horses, restore vigor and fatigue, or sense the strength and power someone possesses. The Life Rune aspect of Galana is sometimes called Mother Galana, and those strong in the rune are maternal, active, and protective.
BEAST: Initiates of Galana wield the Beast Rune in her role as the Horsequeen. She has the strongest and purest connection to horses of all of the gods of Pent. While her power is limited to horses, within that area she is able to do nearly anything. An incomplete list of abilities Galana’s initiates may use the Beast Rune for include strengthening horses, training horses, riding horses, taking on the traits of horses, cursing horses, improving horse breeds, flying (while riding a horse), fighting on horseback, summoning horses or horse spirits, awakening horses, or transforming people (including themselves) to or from horses. The Beast Rune aspect of Galana is known as Horsequeen, and those strong in the rune are quick-witted, somewhat skittish, and proud.
HARMONY: Galana is one of the major sources of Harmony for the Pentans, though she lacks the breadth of healing offered by her daughter, Erissa. Harmony Rune Affinity has allowed Galanans to, among other things, bind marriages or the joinings of things, heal living things, heal relationships, end arguments, create alliances, quell disputes, bring good cheer, negotiate with others, test the worthiness of others to lead, bring peace, or mediate between people. The Harmony Rune aspect of Galana is called Galana Khatun or Queen of the Camp, and Galanans strong in the Harmony Rune are peaceful, just, and forgiving.
LIGHT: Galana bears the light of the sky within her, having helped to carry and spread Yu-Kargzant’s light and having kept the stars’ hopes during the Darkness, when Yu-Kargzant was dead. It also represents her power to test khans and her pure nature. This is not her strongest aspect, but the Light Rune has given Galanans the power to judge purity, preserve light in darkness, test the values of others, shoot bows, lead people in the absence of a khan, fly, see far distances, or summon and command lesser sky gods. The Light Rune aspect of Galana is known as Galana the Judge, and those strong in the Light Rune are wise, discerning, and judgmental.
Galana is in conflict with runes of Chaos, Darkness, Disorder and Death.
Galana is the wife of Yu-Kargzant and the bearer of his authority at home. She chooses khans, and so she is the judge between Kargzant and West King Wind much of the time. She is sister to Oria and Gor Gorma, and through them has connects to the earth, and she commands the camp gods who protect the hearth and home.
Galana is the mother of many gods and goddesses - most notably Gamari, who discovered the true nature of the Two Souls, but also all of the children of Yu-Kargzant, including Erissa and Golden Bow.
Galana has few actual enemies, though many sought to possess her and Gamari. Kargzant’s son Samnal sought to enslave Gamari, and Galana has never forgiven him for this. Argan Argar sought to trick her into friendship so he could eat her. Indeed, many of the troll gods are enemies of Galana, if not personally, for threatening her children.
In the future, Galana’s sister, Gor Gorma, will be deceived and tricked into betraying her by the Moonson, and this will birth Galana’s greatest and most hated enemy, the Horse-Eater Moon, Yara Arannis. Priestesses of Galana will oppose her and her cult at every opportunity, no matter how great the risk to themselves.
Every tribe maintains its own independent cult of Galana, and there are occasionally multiple competing cults within a tribe in periods of political conflict. Worshippers from different tribes can easily worship at each others’ camps and often do when visiting, though politics can make this dangerous. Tribes occasionally fight over control of important holy sites, as well.
Each tribe tends to have its own slightly different understanding of Galana’s priesthood, and maintains its own rites and requirements for investiture. Some tribes only have a handful, while others initiate all women into the Galana cult and encourage them to take up the priesthood. Others require priestesses to have given birth a healthy child, or to spend time devoted to a subcult to prove worthiness. One thing that tends to be universal, however, is that age and rank are correlated. It is not a perfect correlation, but elder priestesses tend to be considered higher rank within their tribe. Priestesses of Galana also always hold great social power and high social rank, though in tribes where the rights and position of women are less respected, this is somewhat lessened.
The holy sites of Galana are those areas which are blessed with good grazing that does not wither, and certain locations associated with her myths. In particular, there is a hill in eastern Pent known as Galaneyrie that is said to be the first land that Galana settled on when the waters of the Flood began to recede. Galana has no permanent temples, but tribes with large priesthoods carry mobile temples with them, setting up holy yurts at the most fertile grazelands in the area in which the tribe settles. Shrines to Galana can be found in areas known for good grazing, made from piled stone adorned with streamers and horsehair banners.
Every Fireday is a minor holy day of Galana, and all initiates of the cult attend services. The priestesses and devotees engage in sacrifice for the entire day, broken only to tend to herd needs.
The second Fireday of every season is a holy day celebrating any births in the last season, both human and equine. These children and foals are presented to the priestesses for formal naming, and a celebratory feast is held to offer them protection in their youth. These days are also used to petition Galana for auguries and foretellings of the coming season.
Herd Day, on Fireday, Stasis Week of Earth Season, celebrates the marriage of Yu- Kargzant and Galana. It is the most boisterous day of Yu-Kargzant, celebrated with horse races and archery contests. It is the favored day for weddings among Pure Horse Tribes, which often perform large, multi-family marriage ceremonies overseen by the Sun Lama. By the standards of other celebratory feasts of the Pentans, it is restrained, however, with no wrestling contests and strict rules on acceptable behavior, as only those in a state of purity may attend the festival.
Lastly, the High Holy Day of Galana is the first Fireday of Earth Season. Communal rites celebrate the herds and the birth of new life, often alongside Oria’s harvest rites. Private rituals are held to commune with the Horsequeen and receive her divine wisdom, celebrating her as the Khatun of Heaven and Mother of People.
On all holy days, initiates must ritually purify themselves before any services, and priestesses must re-purify themselves at noon and at dusk, even if they have not become impure.
Galana loves horses above all else, and all sacrifices to her begin with an offering of horse milk. She also looks favorably on crafts of gold, silver and horsehair, and on the purified ghee that is the favorite food of all gods. She will never accept sacrifices of horses, unlike many of the Pentan gods, but accepts other animals as gifts to her glory. She is also honored with sacrifices of grain from the river farms, though most tribes do not have as much as of this to spare.
All initiates of Galana must have an affinity with either the Beast or Light rune. The Harmony Rune and Life Rune are also important paths for them. All initiates must be women, save through the subcult of Samporzan Gelding, which enables a man to take on the social roles and rituals of women through the Gelding Rite. It has never been especially popular, however. Of note, gelded men are not trans women. Trans women do not require any special aid to join women’s cults.
There are many Galanan subcults, and many have only a few hundred members across all of Pent or are confined to a single tribe. Many of these are hero cults that focus on an ancestral priestess or heroine within the tribe, or else focus on a specific aspect or manifestation of Galana and combine that worship with the main worship of the cult.
Mother Galana (HARMONY): Mother Galana is the subcult that embraces Galana’s role as family-queen and mother of children. She unites the tribes and the herd in her loving embrace, rejecting none - not even the half-men, who do not ride. Her worshippers use the Harmony Rune Affinity to unite communities and bring different kinds of people together peacefully.
Farseer (LIGHT): Galana flew higher than any other. Farseer is her shining vision, and the name of her star. She is the vision which looks down upon the world and sees trouble coming, who reveals the consequences of deeds and interprets omens. Her followers can use the Light Rune Affinity to see visions of the future. She offers the Horsewing Feat.
Soultamer (BEAST HARMONY): The wild horses have not yet found the other halves of their souls, but they remain the children of Galana. Likewise, young children have not found their way and met the soul which matches them on four legs. Soultamer is Galana’s far-riding daughter, who brings the wild horses into the herd and matches them to children. Her followers can use the Beast or Harmony rune to tame wild horses or to teach children to ride. She offers the New Herd Feat.
Samporzan Gelding (HARMONY): Samporzan is Galana’s favorite son. He wished to be like her, but could not be a mother. Therefore she took him to her sister, the dread Gor Gorma, who offered him a choice: he could learn all of Galana’s secrets except for giving birth, but he would need take some of the pain of birth into himself. Samporzan agreed, and he became the first gelding and the caretaker of children without mothers. This is the only path for men to join the cult of Galana, and they may never become priests. Women who join the subcult of Samporzan do so because he is the patron of orphans, adoptees and freed slaves as well. Samporzan’s followers can use the Harmony rune to perform adoption rites, protect orphans, and help slaves to escape.
A Galana initiate may utterly dedicate themself and become a devotee. This option is even open to men initiated through Samporzan Gelding, though they remain unable to be priests. The practice is largely found among priestesses, however. Devotees must renounce initiate status in any other cult and may belong to only one subcult - with the exception of Samporzan Gelding, who does not count against this limit for men or women.
Devotees receive a new name that honors their connection to Galana. This name can be new or inherited from a past bearer. Only one person can bear an inherited name at a time, for they are said to be the reincarnation of the past bearer, though obviously there is still sometimes overlap - multiple people can be and have been named the same thing while being different people. Devotees are honored with the title Horse Mother, even if they are male.
Horsewing (LIGHT): Galana Horsequeen can fly higher than any other. She has ritually purified herself and is seated upon her horse-self, whose wings burst forth in glory. She may fly as fast as the wind and higher than any bird, and her eyes can see further and clearer than even an eagle’s. She is glorious in her flight, and even Yu-Kargzant was arrested by the beauty of her motions. She does not touch the earth nor the blood of any creature, for once she does, she is rendered impure and must be cleansed before she can fly again.
New Herd (BEAST): Galana is the Mother of Two Souls, who unites the halves of a person to create a greater whole. Soultamer is the means by which this is achieved. She rides among wild horses and they follow her and obey her implicitly while she is in a state of ritual purity. When she passes among those who have no horse for any reason, she can tell which horse holds the other half of their soul and may connect them, rendering them full people. She rides without saddle or stirrup and never harms anyone. She speaks the tongue of horses as easily as she does the tongues of men, and no natural harm will touch her when she is in a Pentan camp.
Judge of Khans (LIGHT): Galana Judge-of-Khans is the respected elder woman, the keeper of the camp when there is no khan. Her orders are obeyed without question as regards the camp, and only those whom she says are worthy may even challenge for the right to lead. She is honest and fair in her judgments, and whatever task she sets will show the worthiest of all seeking leadership. All who seek power must abide by her rulings, and while she sits in judgment, she fairly mediates any disputes between different factions within the tribe. While she maintains her ritual purity and sits in peaceful judgment, no force may physically harm her. She cannot ignore any tribe member in need and always ensures that a khan is chosen as efficiently as possible.
Herd Mother (LIFE): The Herd Mother is the protector of the herd and the bringer of new life. She is tireless in caring for horses and children, and any birth she aids goes smoothly. Children and horses in her care recover quickly from any sickness and heal quickly from injury. While she is in a state of ritual purity, any horse she rides does not tire and runs fast as the wind. Riders who follow her will not be stymied by anything her own horse can get past in this state, as well. While she is pure, she can fight with the strength of the greatest warrior to protect children and horses, and she is not rendered impure by the blood of enemies as long as there are still children and horses to protect. She denies her aid and wisdom to no one within her tribe, and prepares food and space for all within the tribe that need it.
As the wife of Yu-Kargzant and master of his camp, Galana is permitted to call upon the aid of the Certami. She has less authority over them than her husband, but not by much. She is also able to command the horse spirits of the world, all of whom bow to her. These are known as the Gamarae, after her daughter Gamara.
Certami are known as the Golden Ones, the Sky People or the Lux. They are the people of Yu-Kargzant’s younger brother, ArZaz, and look like winged riders clad in gold or winged golden horses. Most are simply people in the Sky World, but those summoned to the lower world are generally warriors, armored with fiery spears, maces or bows.
The Gamarae are the Horse Spirits. They are a mix of sky, motion and wind spirits that favor horses and take their form, racing across the landscape. In the spirit world, they appear as beautiful horses of many colors. Those associated with the Sky Rune often have wings, while those associated with the Wind Rune sometimes have curled horns like a ram or unicorn. Those associated with the Motion rune have neither, but are faster than any other. While Galana has no shamans, she can dispatch horse spirits to aid her worshipers or bind them into horses to awaken them.
The greatest spirit of reprisal belonging to Galana is her angriest son, Nergu Horsefire, who visits disease and pain upon any follower of Galana who kills a child or a foal. They are marked by red, burning rashes on their face in the shape of a hoof, for all to know their crime.
Followers of Galana who betray their oaths to her by betrayal of their husband or family are punished by the Horsefly Spirit, who is given permission to bite at anyone around them, causing irritation and anger to be directed at the oathbreaker.
Lastly, any Galanan priestess who denies a candidate she believes worthy or allows a candidate she believes unworthy to attempt the tests of the khan is punished directly by Galana, who withdraws her magical gifts and curses the priestess to be unable to be ritually purified until she atones to her community.