I don't have a particularly strong opinion on this issue, so it's not to disagree with your basic argument, but I would note that Greg actually wrote about a shrine needing 100 *worshippers* rather than initiates. This makes it a bit less specific and problematic, and to me suggests that the cows vs congregation dichotomy may be less important than could appear.
What this means is not necesarily a dedicated body of initiates channelling significant chunks of their time and energy into the shrine, but a sufficient constituency of people who think the shrine and its patron deity are Good Things. They will do a bit of worship (usually when they want something from the god), but they are also the people whose personal donations and whose voices in the moots will ensure that the clan's cattle go to build and decorate the shrine, attract and retain a godi, etc. After all, outside games of KoDP, the governance of an Orlanthi clan depends not only a single controlling mind but on this rather rowdy form of participatory democracy to make decisions about clan assets or at least legitimise decisions made by the ring.
Thus, 300 clan members does not = 3 shrines or 1 temple or whatever, as they may each support the maintenance of several shrines. So in this respect, a shrine is likely to need the support of at least a decent-sized constituency within the clan (although there will always be exceptions, such as if a few especially powerful or rich individuals have a say), but the number and type of working religious institutions a clan can support is determined by wealth - cows.
All the best
Mark
Mark Galeotti
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