Re: Devotion to the Myth Cycle

From: Todd Gardiner <todd.gardiner_at_gC1n_lf86wqQv9IUn8B7aqo8ls5ZRqgq_OvqoMacGLTf5NWLyrVpuZmHs2gSK_>
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:24:24 -0800

It is my belief that the cult of the Seven Mothers is only aiming at getting the barbarians to become laymembers. It isn't too concerned with achieving a collection of initiates from these hinterlands. Just so long as we get them out of their "incorrect" ways, they will eventually learn to accept full worship of Sedenya.

For those that do initiate to the "Seven Mothers" cult, they are actually initiating to the Red Goddess, and possibly also into one of the seven sub-cults of this cult.

Just as Barntar is worshiped as an independent god in some locations, but usually as a subcult of Orlanth, the Seven Mothers are (in this case) merely sub-cults of the overall cult, which sacrifices to the Red Goddess.

--Todd

On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 12:18 AM, L C <lightcastle_at_CYZWz0hl009Ll0d57UY6e-ccluOf9oS_dszNYGWSs-CCp-TtDczRzDeE5m2XTyxfP1_imIMOrbc7L0VR.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

>
>
> Since it seems I'm going to be dealing with insomnia tonight, a
> barely-lucid thought springing from me getting more water in the fridge.
>
> Devotion to a myth-cycle instead of a God.
>
> I suspect this actually makes no sense, and I will want to throw it out
> in by sun-up.
>
> Riffing off of the idea of The Seven Mothers worshiped as a group -
> often described as a parallel to The Seven Lightbringers - I started
> wondering if you could worship the Lightbringers as a group.
> But gaining magic from a specific cult is very old Gloranthan lore.
> At the same time, RuneQuest had the whole "allied cults give you spells
> thing".
>
> So somewhere in here I still like the idea of magic from a groups of
> deities, all linked in some way. But Feats should come from a
> devotion-level commitment. So what if you could manifest the feats of
> multiple gods, but all through one major myth or myth cycle. Thus you
> gain some variety in power, but (as always) it is a tradeoff to
> limitations in other ways. So manifest feats from all Seven
> Lightbringers, but only feats from that story...
>
> One problem is I can't think (right now) of other groups with this kind
> of arching myth to bind them.
> Two it seems it might be a bit far afield for Orlanthi.
> Three it might just be unwieldy and kind of silly. :)
>
> Maybe it fits in some other Theist society if it does have some
> salvageable merit.
>
> Will try to go back to sleep now.
>
> LC
>
>

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