Re: Vorumai religion. from Sandy Petersen on 1995-12-13 (Glorantha Digest Vol 02)

From: Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 95 12:53:49 -0600

Tim Torres
>I'm trying to see how your description of the colors and their
>relation to their presiding deities differs from divine (runic)
>magic. Certainly some deities are sources of runes (Red Goddess?
>Humakt?) But are there not also deities who can only be said to be
>"pre-eminent users of a rune, and who teach its most effective use
>to others (Waha?)

The difference is that a theistic god is a master of his specialty. Storm Bull may not be the origin of death but he sure as hell is the origin of Righteous Wrath. Also, the theistic gods are worshiped as gods.

The Vorumai deities are not "worshiped", exactly. They are "honored" (except for some break-off sects). The Colors existed before the deity, and will exist after the deity's death. One could argue that the Vorumai gods are clearly much weaker than the theistic ones, but _who_ would argue this? The Theists, when they learn of the Vorumai deities, equate them with their own concepts. The Vorumai think that their gods are just as tough as any wimp liberal theistic pussy. Maybe the difference is that the Vorumai _Colors_ are like the gods of the west, except with no self-awareness.

Sandy P.