>>> Given that the Ralians were largely hsunchen in the Darkness, most
>>> of these [initiation] rites are probably hsunchen in origin.
>> Even making allowances for the anachronistic usage of Hsunchen
>> (Hykimi would have been better to use), I have to disagree here.
>> Ralios is simply too big to be a land just for beast-worshippers.
>
> Are we talking at the Dawn? If I recall (and Greg can correct me),
> at the Dawn, pretty much all that was left of human cultures in
> Ralios were a bunch of beast-worshipping Hsunchen (or other beast-
> worshippers like the Galanini) and probably a few other fairly
> pathetic survivors.
All the suvivors outside of the few cultural zones, (Dragon Pass, Seshnela, etc.) were pathetic, including the hsunchen of Ralios.
There certainly were some non-hsunchen clans there. It is likely that some of these survived after adopting Orlanthi practices. It makes Ralios more interesting.
> When the Theyalan missionaries came to Ralios
> in 130, there was only one glimmer of civilization and that was
> about the Felster Lake. A religious organization known as the
> Dangan Confederacy had risen there, about the holy spot of Hrelar
> Amali, and it had helped the nearby people again see light after
> centuries of darkness.
Dang, but I will hae to rummage through my sources to find the earliest Dangans. But when the Lifebringers got to Ralios, the hsunchen weren't organized around the Felster or anywhere.
>> So to sum up, the lowlanders worship a God Learned version
>> of Orlanth that they believe dates back to the Storm Age
>> while the highlanders worship a "Heortling" version that
>> they believe has a similar ancient pedigree.
>
> I doubt it. Although the God Learners were familiar with Orlanth
> (as a result of interaction with the Ralian Orlanthi), I doubt they
> imposed a "God Learned version of Orlanth".
I know of no such thing as a "God Learner Orlanth" that is worhsipped anywhere.
> I think the Ralians
> received Orlanth worship from the Theyalan missionaries,
> enthusiastically embraced the religion and have been one of the
> central areas of the Orlanth religion since the First Age.
That is correct.
>> In any case, the modern cult of Humakt in Ralios is not
>> going to be the same as the Heortling cult but somewhat
>> different like the Carmanian cult.
Perhaps there is a minor, variant cult of Humakt in the Safelster that fits this category.
> As I understand it, the Ralian survivors adopted the Orlanth
> religion pretty much in its entirety - like the folk of Talastar. I
> suspect the cult of Humakt in Ralios would look extremely familiar
> to a Heortling.
Yes. The Orlanthi of norther Ralios would worship the "regular" gods of the Orlanthi pantheon.
Issaries, Inc.
c/o Greg Stafford
1942 Shattuck AVe, #204
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
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