As I see it, the "Compromise" is an Orlanthi myth to explain their world - - to explain why Orlanthi doesn't just pop down to the moot and solve everybody's problems, or smite those foul Orlevings in the next valley. Other cultures have their own myths explaining the same phenomenon: the world is too polluted for Yelm, God is Invisible, etc. As Peter Metcalfe pointed out, the Pelorians have a long tradition of "the gods among us", which has never gone away, and the RG fits right in. But the Pelorian dieties-on-earth still act through humans, demons, spirits, elements, etc. I think the difference is still one of cultural POV more than anything.
The greater deities - Yelm, Orlanth, Ernalda - have so many people following their paths that they become fixed and hard to change. Thus they are "bound". Smaller deities can interact more directly because there is less difference between the deity and their controlled spirits, or their worshippers. The bigger the deity gets, the more fixed it becomes.
This is one reason why small cults are popular and keep popping up - a more personal feel, and perhaps it's easier to get a spell or a DI - though it will be less powerful. Even greater dieties can be worshipped this way through subcults.
So much for my wild theory of the day.
I am not convinced that women cannot be citizens in Dara Happa. (They may make an exeption for Dendarans or Ouranians.) I doubt they could in ancient times - at least up to Plentonius. I think women could be citizens in the old Pelandan city states. Perhaps the Lunars have changed the legal status of women in Dara Happa. Certainly a woman can be a citizen of the Lunar Empire. Could this lead to a woman being a citizen of the Empire, but not of Yuthuppa?
DavidHenderson:
>I reckon the major cause of the Orlanthi/Lunar friction, and probably the
whole Castle Blue fracas, was territory. Ignoring the mundane threat to
Orlanthi lands posed by the Empire, the Red Goddess was muscling in on
somewhere already spoken for in the Compromise, the Middle Air.
Think Pelorian. Middle Air was fully covered by the Good Goddess Entekos and the Wrathful Father, Shargash. The RG was quite welcome in the Middle Air over Peloria. (Well, Shargash made an initial gripe or two, but that was a cultural thing; and even he came around eventually). IMO, the Middle Air argument is a red herring.
I think that puts us back to the territory squabble and the chaos issue. Mostly, the RG offers a whole new way to view Life, the Universe, and Everything. This is always threatening to those on top of the Old Way - particularly to Orlanth, King of the Gods. Rufelza has simply turned the tables on the Kingslayer.
Pam
Powered by hypermail