Re: magical resources

From: Peter Larsen <plarsen_at__u9gz7CiACVHkgby8nB1tQZh23Bc-0tFRiijR1b2Q2bbESFwWs__rCL9w6_1XlbXKR4p>
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 10:41:34 -0600


At 1:10 PM -0800 2/23/02, John Hughes wrote:
>Shrines -
>
>In addition, perhaps an open air hilltop above the main stead with a few
>standing stones - a natural holy place where family ceremonies are
>occassionally held.

Some thoughts about magical resources:

        As I said in an earlier post, I think about 10% of Heortlings are magical specialists -- godar, priests, devotees, spirit-talkers, and other "holy people." Obviously, most of these do other things, too-- a priest may be full-time, but the Barntar godi plows the fields and is just like every other farmer (well, better than most). I also think (but I may be wrong) that all godar are associated with shrines (and temples). So:

        All normal stead have two godar -- one for Orlanth and the men's gods, and one for Ernalda and the women's deities. Together they maintain a shrine to the Storm Tribe. Optimally, this is a separate building (perhaps made to look like a small version of Karulinoran, with clan and regional variations), but small or poor steads may make do with an alcove in the main house. In this space are images of Orlanth and Ernalda, images of the ancestors, and images that depict the storm tribe generally. If there is a god that is exceptionally important to the stead, there will be a separate image, otherwise, there will be as many images of separate gods as the stead has space and resources for. These images may be large and richly decorated or small and plain. Mr. Bray's art from TR and ST is a good example of panel designs (although I notice that this style dates from Tarkalor's time; well established steads may have other styles). I also imagine that wooden (large and small) and clay (small) or even metal (small and rare) statues are popular. Some gods may be depicted by objects instead of images -- a real sword for Humakt, a sheaf of wheat for Harst, a model of a plow for Barntar, and so on. These are the sacred images; I image that everyday images of gods, heroes, and monsters are painted and carved on everything in the stead. Additionally, the stead shrine will hold any necessary ritual implements and magic tools. If the stead has a wyter, it would be kept here. (I imagine that stead wyters are always portable; the chief can reassign steads as necessary -- you wouldn't want to lose your wyter (who might be an ancestor) because of politics....

        Additionally, all steads will have special places for women's and men's rites. Optimally, for women, this will be the Loom House -- a separate building. In poor or new steads, there may be a curtained-off section of the main hall or even a tent. Women weave here as well as perform their rituals, so establishing this space is doubly important. The men's space is probably outdoors and is used for rituals only. It's probably on a rise (up in the air) and marked by a tree (oak or ash, maybe), standing stone, or some other thing (any ideas?).

        Other magical specialists will be less noticable. They will mostly be devotees of aspects of O and E -- most steads are not going to support a Humakti or Mhyite, and Issariens will be travelling more than they stay at home. Elmali, Vingans, Heleri, Yinkini, Barntari, Minlisteri, all are possible. Most other specialists will gravitate to the Chief, I think. The stead's devotees will probably keep an altar for their own use and be called on during the stead's ceremonies that involve their god or similar ones, but pretty much they will just do their work and be exemplary models of their profession. If any of the devotees is also a godi/gyrda, I believe there should be a shrine to that god on or near the stead. The shrine is not necessarily a building; it may be a holy place that the godi tends (and probably lives near). Most godi also do other things -- the Hedkoranth godi farms and helps build/repair things just like everyone else.

        Only the rarest steads will have more than one shrine (other than the Storm Tribe one); most specialist worship is done with the rest of the clan, although obviously you can't completely abandon your stead on every one of the 28 days (and probably part of the day before and after for travelling) or you wouldn't get anything done. It could be 10-15 miles to the Chief's stead; that's a good portion of a day's travel for a large group. Maybe only part of the stead travels to rituals, and the rest stay at home and participate there. Which would mean that the O and E godar would have to stay home, which doesn't seem right.... By the way, I think steads are abandoned (or largely so) during Sacred Time; you really need the whole clan then.

        Whew. I'd like to see the stead design reflect this.

Peter Larsen            

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