>I can't see this, myself. Sure, they are both scary, both have
>Underworld/Hell powers and both command fire, all traits in common
>with Zorak Zoran, but that doesn't make them masks of Zorak Zoran, in
>my opinion. Shargash is a son of Yelm, or at least is counted as one,
>so that doesn't tie in with being Zorak Zoran.
I regard Genealogies as imperfect instruments for ruling out common identities. Shargash has three different genealogies in Peloria alone - son of Yelm, son of Murharzarum and son of Entekos. In Vithela, the same planet is regarded as being the son of the Sun and Night.
And another thing, what one culture can consider to be a genealogical relationship can be interpreted by another culture very differently. The Uz cannot accept Zorak's descent from a god of light so they interpret his fiery nature as being burned by Aether in some mythical conflict.
>[Monster Man] is also the god of
>downtrodden peasants and the god of Righteous Rebellion, neither of
>which fit well with Zorak Zoran.
I never believed the common identities should have near identical mythologies. For example if Zorak Zoran wore the mask of the downtrodden peasant and righteous rebellion with ease, then the peasants of Dara Happa would be worshipping him and not Monster Man. Zorak Zoran's inability to readily accept the attributes that the Pelorians confer upon a similar deity is the precisely the reason why Zorak and Monster Man are two different deities. On the other hand where Zorak Zoran has readily accepted the attributes of similar deities - Zolan Zubar for example - then the two deities become one.
--Peter Metcalfe
Powered by hypermail