Wannabe helerites - that's hilarous, considering the implications of the cult (ambivalent sexuality, tranformative properties, etc)
> ST says that the Water Tribe sees Heler as a traitor, the apostate
> who changed side to join Orlanth. The consequence being that any
Water
> Tribe member considers Helerites as ennemies...
The Helerites are cut off from the flow of water of rain -> stream -> river -> sea -> ocean -> rain. As the Sea Tribe goes, Heler is horribly alone. (This is my interpretation and I could be wrong)
> Well, since it would be difficult for a Heler-worshipping hero to
avoid
> bodies of water or to ask forgivance to any river before crossing
it, I'm
I'd just make crossing any water that could be hostile have an automatic augment against his efforts - and the occasional attack by watery daimonies/essences/spirits when he gets too close. The bigger the water, the greater the opposing force (a stream might be a -1 penalty but a river might be -5 and a bay could be a -20... and of course the difficulty is greater with the increasing size anyways. It creates a nice little feedback loop of difficulty for a Helerite.)
> wondering about the presence of the Water Tribe in Dragon Pass and
Maniria.
The cult is stronger in Manirira but the Helerites were pretty much obliteratated by Chaos during the Darkness. There's a few sacred places but not many.
> My current PoV is that the real enmity would be between saltwater
(bay,
> sea, ocean ?) entities and Helerites (and even so, there may be
still some
This is a reasonable assumption.
> sea-dwelling helerings in the South Coast of Maniria). Is freshwater
part
> of the Water Tribe (I do not need or want 'cosmic' answers, just the
Heortling
> ones) ? In Dragon Pass, it seems many rivers or lakes are in fact
friendly
> toward the Storm Tribe : Engizi, his sons or brothers, Blue Lake (of
course)
> in Maniria or even Choralinthor him/herself.
The rivers in Dragon Pass are more 'tame' than they might be otherwise. Certainly Engizi and his lot would be friendly(-er).
> I'm mistaken in deciding that a Rain Lord (or whatever title Heler
devotees
> decide to have) is in no danger if he tries to swim or cross by boat
a
> lake, stream or river in this region ? I know Heler is mostly
associated
> with rainwater, but I see helerites as also having a strong
relationship
> with water in general. They may swim more regularly that
'traditional'
> Orlanthi, for example (for whom swift rivers are almost another
realm).
They used to be mighty sailors and boaters but I think that the hatred of the Deep Water has driven them from the seas more or less. I could be wrong. I sspect a Helering would know how to swim from sheer self defence...! (
orlanthi: I just waded across the stream, what's wrong with you? helering: glub! Its a lot deeper than it looks!
> What would be a Gloranthan explanation ?
Glorantha doesn't have laws of physics. It has magical laws. Probably somethign to do with the conflict in Water's need to flow over things and Water's obligation to plug the big hole in the world. Eventually, it all comes down to water has to keep Churning.
> There is a friendly cloud/fog/mist goddess associated with
Choralinthor
> Bay (I don't remember its name), who is supposed to be one of
Heler's lovers.
> Ithas ? Not Iphara the Murder Fog, but another associated with the
bay,
> I think. Not the Uraya Fog Spirit also...
> Could it be that this goddess rises up, meets Heler (clouds above
Choralinthor).
A good myth. I like it.
> From ther union come the many herds of sky sheeps, which live above
Dragon
> Pass. Quite a beautiful sight for a Helering. There, from time to
time, they
> lose their wool and it rains (what's the English verb for cutting
the wool from
> sheeps ? to shear ?). Bountiful Earth is fertilized by the rain, but
a part
> flows away and forms rivers.
> These rivers flow downhill, feeling the call of Magasta across the
> many miles of sea. Does that mean they are already subject to the
Great
> Mover ?
Definitely a good myth. I may use it myself. =) Water is subject to the Churner but Heler always retains his identity - that's his curse.
> Another explanation could be that after their defeat (thrinbarri ?),
> the Sea Gods were forced to regularly send hostages to the Storm
Tribe.
> Elmal heats the sea (collects the hostages, as little daimones of
water),
> Heler the Traitor gathers them into clouds, and release them some
time
> later, where they joyfully escape their slavery and flow back
towards the
Another good myth. In my Glroantha, I would say BOTH are true. And tribes freverently believe either case or both. Remember, Heler is an incredibly ambigiuous god(dess)
> sea ... Certainly, seeing Heler as a collector of slaves may be a
good
> reason to hate him.
I don't think he's into slavery as much.
> And finally, about the Syphon River... Where does it flow into ? I
mean, is
> there a hole in the ground (or cosmos) somewhere in the Print, from
which it can
> reach the Underworld (or somewhere else) ?
It flows into the depths of the earth - there's a hole into the Underworld in the Print that the river flows into.
Its also a rather Chaotic river, if I recall.
> Is that the reason I have this impression that no Heortlander will
use a boat on
> it ? This old mad warrior may be a bit too 'rough' or even plain
dangerous,
> subject to fits of temper, changing from placid river to raging
maelstrom in a
Its just plain wrong. You don't want to be on a river that's wrong. And you don't want to get swept INTO the Chaos Forest or worse, into the Underworld where the river comes out. That would be bad.
> moment as it senses Chaos nearby ? Can no propitiation calms it ?
May it be to
> mad to be reached or appeased (I quite like the idea of a river seen
as a
> dangerous beast)
>
>
> Philippe
I don't think it could be apeased. And if it started flowing 'right' then just imagine what would be flowing out of the Footprint on it. That would be bad, I think.
Hope this helps,
Jeff
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