Yelmalian cross-dressing

From: Michael Raaterova <michael.raaterova.7033_at_student.uu.se>
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 17:28:10 +0100


Ian commented on the Yelmalion ban on male cross-dressing and female Elmale:

>Male Elmale worshippers among the orlanthi would probably dress as
>women in some of their rituals, so the Sun County Yelmalions would want to
>distance themselves from that.

Thanks Ian. I didn't think of that myself, but it's a wonderful idea. I think it was Monrogh who created the ban on cross-dressing to cement that the new improved Sun God really was male, and that the female [or possibly androgyneous] Elmale was a false Sun, or that she was unworthy of worship from males.

I think Monrogh's general idea was to place a Sun God as chief god of his orlanthi society instead of Orlanth, and so he had to make a new myth where Elmal defeated or ousted Orlanth. But the improved version of Elmal had to be renamed, as the name Elmal was associated with being a loyal follower. So Elmal became Yelmalio.

Furthermore i do not think Yelmalions ban the worship of Orlanth. The Rain Maker is important to the yelmalian farmers, but he is considered a subservient god or spirit, propably a yelmalian farmer subcult providing Rain Song.

As Yelmalions are misogynistic, it is a grave affront to the Sun County people that the praxian orlanthi farmers not only say that the sun is subservient, but also a woman!

Some nasty Stormbullers say that yelmalions abhor cross-dressing because it reminds them that Yelmalio once served as a woman in Orlanth's court.

Is it still an Interesting Idea or have i degenerated into nonsense?

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