I'm really quite unsure of the sequence of mythic events and the worship rituals associated with them. Can anyone tell me why it is that you've all been talking about the I Fought We Won as post-Light Bringers' Quest? The cosmology in Lords of Terror has the Final Battle of Mortality (ie IFWW) before the LBQ. It occured to me that perhaps IFWW was related to the final battle of the gods against chaos at the Ritual of the Net leading to the Great Compromise. (See below)
LBQ in Sacred Time vs HHD
Simon Phipp asked where it was quoted that the LBQ was a sacred time ritual:
In the River of Cradles Orlanth write-up, the mythos section says: "The Lightbringers Quest is the single greatest undertaking of the Godtime. It unified all other cosmic events and brought about the resurrection of a dead world. Many other deities had struggled as mightily and suffered as much ... but the LBQ was unique in that it moved through the realms, binding them and making importnat links in a world fallen apart."
Then in the Cult Ecology: HHD(Wind/Movement/Storm) is when all worshippers celebrate the birth of Orlanth. Two weeks of celebrations precede windsday of Sacred Time when they start the long and most holy ceremonies of Orlanth's descent into Darkness and Chaos in search of light.
Still, I kind of think that Orlanth's HHD should be a little more
significant than merely celebrating his birth, significant though that was
(Yelm groans loudly). As perhaps the most holy part of Storm Season, it
should celebrate Orlanth's greatest deeds. Storm Season as the battle of
storm and air against Darkness and chaos, is a lead up to Sacred Time.*
Chaos is battled by the dominant air gods (and so are the trolls, who are
also still fighting chaos bitterly) but to get a proper healing of the
world, everyone needs to pitch in - hence Sacred Time. I think that, given
that Orlanth's HHD is only two-three weeks before the first windsday of
Sacred Time, it may herald the beginning of the LBQ, or at least, as the
cult write-up says, the preparation for it. After all else has failed
(earlier in Storm Season), Orlanth undertakes the LBQ to put things right.
*The progression of the seasons clearly parallels Orlanthi mythology: Starting at Fire Season, we have the Golden reign of unchanging Yelm. Then, as Orlanth woos away Ernalda and slays Yelm, we have the onset of a fertile time of change and growth for Orlanthi, (Earth Season), the Lesser Darkness as it is known. Then chaos seeps in without Yelm's light, and the Greater Darkness, a time of woe, cold and lighlessness, sets in (Dark Season). The gods struggle against this (storm Season) but in the end, Orlanth realises that something new is needed and he must undertake to fix his mistake. All struggle mightily in support of Orlanth as he undertakes his quest (Sacred Time), and success is greeted by the dawning of a new age (Spring Season).
Pax Vobiscum
Mr. Saravan Peacock (saravan_at_perth.dialix.oz.au)
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