>Among the more or less
>rural orlanthi in DP there is no great need of a specific merchant god.
What do they do with agricultural surpluses then? Do they give them to the cities for free? (for the remainder of this, we shall assume that the surpluses are after tax)
>It
>is but a minor aspect of the Speaking God. In more urbanized areas,
>with lots of trading going on, there definitely is a greater demand for the
>merchant aspect. But that does not change the fact (aarrgh! I said the
>forbidden word) that Issaries Merchant is a secondary to Issaries
>Traveller and Speaker.
If by Issaries the Merchant, you mean Garzeen Middleman, then that's fine. However belonging to Harst Sparegrain ('First Son of Issaries') carries a useful advantage in that Issaries Merchants are ritually sworn to give fellow worshippers a fair deal. But since his worship requirements is pretty lax, Harst doesn't make much of an impact on the religious scene.
>The development of the masks of Issaries as I see it should go
>something like this: Speaker (Poet, Skald) - Herald (Messenger)
>- Traveller - Trader.
I think Issaries upsurped the position of Skald from Orlanth Goodvoice at some point during the Grey Age (He was a better speaker). The Heortlings already had a trading god during this time: Harst Sparegrain. Harst was later absorbed into the Issaries Cult (I'll spare you the details - - Sandy and Joerg thrashed it out a few months back). Of course making Harst to be sufficiently distinct from Issaries in the rural areas of Dragon Pass (they would still be associated gods) is perfectly fine by me.
>The development could be read backwards and still be somewhat valid,
>but it doesn't make much sense to me if Issaries is an original god of
>the storm pantheon. If he was an import it would be more acceptable,
>but in my eyes he isn't.
In KoS, when Orlanth goes on the Lightbringer's Quest, he doesn't meet up with Issaries (and Lhankor Mhy) until the lightless forest. This implies (although other myths do contradict) that Issaries wasn't part of Orlanth's Household at first.
>I don't think the rural orlanthi have much use of the merchant aspect of
>the Speaking God, except in the big cities. Trading is a spinoff from
>travelling (this statement is arguable, I know), and thus secondary
>(even if very important in the major trading centres). Rurally he has
>IMO a much more important position as Skald, Herald, Psychopomp
>and Traveller.
I just find a little flaw in your treatment of trade in the rural sector as being of little consequence. Given that on an average year, farmers generally produce more than they need. Now the towns and cities need food and are willing to pay for it in items (like weapons, pottery, baubles and so on). Thus the average rural clan is likely to be engaging in trade with the towns.
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