Oh no! It's Yelmalio!

From: Argrath_at_aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Dec 1994 10:33:53 -0500


Alex the Scots (stands for "Southern Culture On The Skids") says:
>The Rice Mother is just a Quaint Superstition to the townies,
>while for the peasants, she's the goddess who "invented" rice,
>taught women how to plant it, thought up the Six hundred and
>Sixty Six Sacred Serving Suggestions, ...

Laughing out loud!
I can't say I've been following the great Rice (goddess) debate, but I did notice someone pointing out some of the various varieties of rice. There are lots. And I don't know about 666 sacred 'n' savory serving suggestions, but there are probably 100 different ways to cook the couple dozen varieties of rice.

As for what style of RQ I play, I GM a Borderlands campaign using RQ 3.5 (or maybe 3.2): RQ 3 rules generally, but with RQ 4 character creation and fatigue rules.

Hey, does anybody have any quick thoughts on the following, which will be going into Codex #3? Sorry to revive this thread, but...

     The elves of central Genertela clearly worship a god whom all agree is the same as Yelmalio, although the elves have a different name for him: Hurril. Hurril teaches the Sunripen divine spell (as per Yelm). Hurril's associates are Aldrya, Arroin, Flamal (Bear Fruit), Vrimak, and Yelm (who provides Fight Disease). Hurril's gifts are oriented toward elvish skills and needs. His geases relate to symbolic avoidances (such as not drinking Calfonilla tea) and relations with humans and animals. Hurril does not have any geases relating to eating meat, celibacy, or relations with elves, dwarves, horses, or trolls.

     Some people have speculated that Antirius is Yelmalio, based on the shared Hill of Gold story. Real World myths about any particular god show the same inconsistencies as Antirius's myths have with Yelmalio's, so we should feel safe in drawing game conclusions. However, individual Antirius cultists might disagree, and it would add to Maximum Gloranthan Fun to have a schism in the Antirius cult over the question.

     For game purposes, though, I suggest using the Yelm cult as a model for Antirius, rather than the Yelmalio cult. This has mythical justification from Antirius' supposed origin in the disintegration of Yelm. Rather than Resurrect, Antirius provides the spell of Divine Justice. This spell is similar to divination, except that it gives the caster not only the correct finding but also the appropriate judgment to be made. It requires an ordeal of hot coals held in the hand by the accused or plaintiff.

     The Khelmal cult of Imther is clearly a Yelmalio variant, but places the god at the center of a thoroughly-developed mythic landscape. The cult has different spells, associates, sub-cults, and gifts and geases. Nevertheless, the identity of Khelmal and Yelmalio is recognized wherever members of the two cults meet. A Khelmal cultist must go through a short initiation ceremony (without sacrificing a point of POW) to worship at a Yelmalio temple, and vice versa.

     The Waha style Yelmalio cult is like the version in Sun County, with some exceptions. ... They call their god Surio. Their gifts are like the normal Yelmalio cult's, substituting the tribal animal for horse. Their geases are generally the same as Yelmalio's, again substituting the tribal animal for horse.

I expect the above statements to attract some flames, because Eiritha beasts aren't sun-connected, unlike horses. Tough. Geases are local and (at least should be) symbolic. They're the pebble in your shoe to develop your faith.

     The Ostrich Riders have their own traditions, but the Sun Dome cult has influenced them. ... They have different gifts relating to their cultural weapons and Ostrich riding. Their geases are symbolic (though just as restrictive as the Sun Domers' geases). An example of an Ostrich Rider geas is "do not eat in sunlight." ... They have their own liturgy and their own name for Yelmalio: Khin.

     Attitudes toward heretics differ among the various Sun Domers. The Praxians say that different people have different names and rituals, but there is only one sun. In their world view, there is no distinction between the sun and the sun god. When they talk to Yelm cultists, some are puzzled, some are awed, and some are annoyed at the Yelmists' claim of exclusive worship of the sun. Khelmali are more likely to shrug their shoulders. Hurrili accept all sun and sun dome worshipers without regard to doctrine, but only if the worshiper is an elf-friend.

     --Martin


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