Secrets/Lokamayadon/Dragon Claw

From: SimonPhipp_at_aol.com
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 20:12:52 -0400


Hiya All

Have looked at some of the stuff on Secrets in Gloranthan cults and, as always, have something to add.

Most of the things that we see in Cult Writeups are not secrets. They are common knowledge, or at least are known by lay members or initiates of associated cults. The things which are secrets are HeroQuest Myths. These are extensions of the things that everyone knows - for instance, everyone knows that Orlanth killed the Blue Dragon, but who knows how he did the deed? Also, secrets are the hidden meanings behind the myth. Most myths have several meanings, first there is the actual events, then there is the meaning of those events, or how the events can affect normal day-=to-day life. These are taught in Temples to initiates.

In a Real World example, many of the Biblical Stories have secondary or tertiary meanings which become obvious if pointed out but are not at all clear when read for the first time. These meanings can enrich understanding of the texts and can help in normal life.

Many insights actually come about either by study or through instruction or simply by thinking about the subjects involved. In Glorantha, such insights may come through HeroQuesting, Temple Rituals or whatever.

Lokamayadon


For a good coverage of this chap, see Wyrms Footprints p 30 or the Broken Council guidebook.

Festivals


Michael Raaterova says:
> Why _celebrate_ something that threatens to kill you and yours? Sure, tests
> of manhood and endurance by withstanding the powers of winter could be
> common, but i sincerely doubt that sane people would _like_ it.
> Propitiatory rituals to fight winter, sure, but no celebrations.

The Orlanthi culture recognises Valind as Orlanth's brother and a part of the Storm Pantheon. Many Orlanthi actively court the god of Winter in order to strike at their foes, whether they be Lunars, Dara Happans, Pentians or whatever.

Orlanthi would not celebrate the Solar Myths, but would include those parts which coincided with their own myths - The Emperor, Orlanth slaying Yelm, Evil Kalikos fighting Valind and so on.

Paul Edson mentions several things:

Eurmal - there is a cult written up in Questlines.

The Coders - these are very good. When I was playing RQ, I played a Lunar-hating Wind Lord and a Dara Happan hating Centaur Light Son, I thought that the Empire was a Bad Thing. When I started GMing full time, my opinions changed and I saw the Lunars as the way forward. The Coders are what the Lunars would show to the provinces so they knew how good the Empire was.

Dragon Claw Miniatures


Someone asked about Dragon Claw Miniatures, as seen at Convulsions.

They can be contacted at

Dragonclaw Miniatures
1 Kenilworth Avenue
Stretton
Burton on Trent
Staffordshire
UK
DE13 0WB

There is now a Dragon Claw Miniatures page on my Web Site, with rumours and news at
http://users.aol.com/simonphipp/dragon1.html


End of Glorantha Digest V3 #78


WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html

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