Well, we know from the Goddess Switch (does that count as offensive new regime material?) that there is no simple answer to questions like that, whether they involve recently revealed deities like Elmal or not. Also from the introduction to the Entekosias, but I'm sure that is on the Not Objectively Correct list. Live with it - asking 'are these two deities the same?' does not have a clear answer in Glorantha - or at least its confusing enough that the God Leaners got thoroughly confused on the issue.
The real answer - What does being 'the same' mean? Obviously, at one level they are not the same. They have a different name, and a different attitude to Orlanth, and so are not identical. But then again, they do have a lot in common. We know from several Gloranthan sources that when two deities are very similar and have a related origin (true of Elmal and Yelmalio, but numerous other examples exist) that in some ways they can be treated as the same, and in other ways as not.
IMO the problem with Elmal is not the cults existence, or the wild gregging that ensued (though I can understand MOB being rather annoyed by it all), but that several questions are raised that have never been answered by Greg, so we have to ensure a regular Glorantha Digest ritual of someone giving a new explanation for the Original Yelmalio-like cults ever, attempting to explain the Sun Domers, and tryin their hand at a cult writeup, every few months.
But unfortunately 'Elmal: the answers to the questions you've been waiting for' has yet to see print, leaving the attempted revelation of the full truth of [Y]Elm[al] as a regular digest ritual.
Cheers
David
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