rmv1_at_... wrote:
>
> [Wulf Corbett replies to some clarifications provided by Greg
> Stafford. Spoilers for King of Dragon Pass, if you play that...]
> animism, with the class of spirits being Wind Spirits? Since, by the
> context of the computer game, you seem to be offering them
> sacrificial worship as opposed to the ecstatic variety, the first
> would seem to be the case.
Orlanthi only offer sacrifice -- its what they do. Kolatings will do the estatic thing but that's why they are such freeeeeeky strange people (though we love them like kinfolk, just not so close please).
> > So, basically, a theist can, possibly, get a successful
> > reply from a spirit just from theistic, sacrificial worship,
> > without a known form of worship (for that spirit). You just
> > have to wait until the spirit notices someone knocking on
> > it's Otherworld 'back door'
> So, back to my King of Dragon Pass example, Tarard Riel would be an
> example of a strange spirit that you give sacrificial worship to in
> order to get his aid. You have no idea what aid that may be: he's not
Yes.
> a member of the storm tribe, being a 'foreign' daimones. You
Or something. You might know he's a spirit, but since we don't do the estatic thing, we sacrifice to it. Its just not something that the spirit (for example) likes. But its like wanting steak and being offered hamburger when you're starving... A minor god or spirit takes what it can get.
> sacrifice some sheep to him every year to keep him awake, but for the
> most part, his minor 'cult' has no worshippers; I imagine no one
Probably true -- especially if the worship is propitiary (please, mr. rock, just be friendly to us and don't roll down down the hill and land on Speed Bump Stead, crushing it utterly)
> learns an affinity or feats from him, only going to the godi when
> they need his special powers. Just the sort of entity the God-
> Learners combined in order to screw up the world...
Um, no. Its like the cousin you hve who knows how to tell gold from dross. You don't call him (other htan sending him a propitiary Christmas Card every year) until you have some rock that you think might have gold in it....
I should know... I only get calls from certain relatives when they need some geological expertise. Funny that. =)
> So, if Tarard Riel seems to offer a highly useful power, like
> Watchfulness, you might have some Orlanth initiates who initiate
> there as well? I imagine part of the deal the godi might strike would
> not onlyspecify annual sheep sacrifices, but also make it possible
> for Tarard Riel to 'call' some of the clan to his worship, but I
> can't see anyone dedicating himself entirely to the worship of
> a 'foreign' spirit...
It becomes a petty cult, yeah. Missapplied worship. But we can always say its a part of our local Storm Tribe, if it seems to fit.
Probably not going to see folks dedicated to it, but folks tend to learn useful things if thye need them. Of course, someone born with the proper sort of soul (espeically now that we're worshipping this rock) might be drawn to it and make more of this little cult than anyone else (but we always knew he was weird).
Hope this helps,
Jeff
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