> Plentonius describes Yelm's Illumination as experiencing the impossible
> and knowing the
> Other. Now Yelm (according to Plentonius) experiences this insight
> while being among
> the Many in Hell. So the original path towards Illumination might be a
> destitute lifestyle.
Teasing this one out here for the pure mythographic elements.
We know that among the Lightbringers the core myth revolves around taking responsibility for suffering -- primarily of others -- and working to make things right.
The Dara Happan side of the story is still less fully documented, possibly because the question of who actually worships Yelm (and not an intermediary) has shifted over the years.
For most Dara Happans throughout most of history, I would expect that the betrayal, death and resurrection of God is vicarious. You hear about how the rebels converged to wreck the world for everyone. You hear about how God confounded the Many and returned. But you are not invited to participate as the central figure in quite the same way that Orlanthi are encouraged to imitate their god's exploits.
People who identify with Yelm can experience his "dark night of the soul" personally and acquire special consciousness. As far as I know this has almost never been encouraged even for emperors, much less mere lo-people. Much like the full Lightbringers Quest, it only really seems to happen when every other alternative available in Dara Happan culture has been exhausted. When you need to rekindle a sun. When you need to rebuild after an Arkat. When you need to kill a dragon or drive out the Carmanians.
Sometimes these people withdraw from Dara Happan society entirely and go into the wilderness of the many. Sometimes parts of what we currently call the Yelmalio religion are called "the forest sun," for example. This part redacted to avoid gift carriers.
If they stay in Dara Happa (or come back) odds are good the establishment has a fight on its hands. "Every Man a Sun" is probably right out. Send that guy to a Sun Dome quick or sentence him as a blasphemer. (Or bring him in under cover of some cult like Arraz, Dayzatar, Antirius, Spear Man.)
With no sanctioned path to follow before the Goddess came, I suspect Pelorian heroquesters got lost a lot. Someone might identify with Yelm at his nadir, learn too much about Bijiif instead. Rites of Ovosto, always proscribed. The trash at the bottom of the Gods Wall has probably tempted a lot of people away from the sun over the centuries. Black Pelorian Magic. Wing of bat and shadows out of Spol. Blue potatoes and what they drink.
"Yelm is a black god. And his portions are grisly."
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