Re: Escape from Hell

From: Julian Lord <julian.lord_at_...>
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 12:08:57 +0200


Interesting thread !

Remember that almost every otherworld being was dead at the end of the Greater Darkness, and that nearly all of them have some means of Escape from Hell in their mythology. In many official write-ups, a nugget at least can be found.

Of the Orlanthi gods, for example, the list of the Survivors (who didn't die, go to Hell, and Escape) is _very_ short : Elmal, Voriof, Vinga, maybe Valind, Gagarth probably, a couple of the subcults (notably Vingkot), Babeester Gor, and very few others. Of these examples, only Voriof and Vingkot (and maybe Gagarth) can be safely said to have no Escape from Hell mythology whatsoever. Orlanth took Elmal's shield into Hell with him and out again (Elmal Shieldman subcult ?), Vinga ... well, it's a pretty safe bet that Vinga has some cool Escape from Hell myths, Valind maybe didn't go to the Underworld but the Underworld came to him in a manner of speaking, so he probably knows his ins and outs (or one/several of his subcults), Babeester Gor is in many ways the Underworld Daughter, etc.

For examples of non-Lightbringer Escape from Hell myths, look at the last paragraph of Yinkin's myth, ST 182 ; 2nd to last paragraph of Urox ST 154 ; Odayla, most of ST 141 ... there are many, many such myths (not just Heortling), several of which have been published by Chaosium, AH & Issaries over the years.

Julian Lord

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