Vadeli origin myth from Nick Brooke on 1996-08-16 (Glorantha Digest Vol 03)

From: Nick Brooke <100270.337_at_CompuServe.COM>
Date: 16 Aug 96 03:55:57 EDT

John wrote:

> I'd like to give kudos to Nick Brooke for his explanation of Ginna Jar.

Thanks, mate, but I'll have to pass: that was a verbatim copy of what it says about Flesh Man and Ginna Jar in "Cults of Prax". I *am* glad this was useful, though.

Nils adds:

> My theory is that the Brithini hate the Vadeli so much because they are
> more like themselves than any other people.

I'd say they were as closely related, and as far back, as Cain and Abel. And got on about as well, too. One of the myths I've never quite finished would be a piece of Malkioni scripture, similar to Abraham and Isaac, but with both Malkion and Vadel receiving the Creator's order to sacrifice their firstborn child - and, for whatever reason, the Vadeli *do* murder the kid. (Also explains why there are four Malkioni castes but only three Vadeli ones: the caste-founders being the first generation descendents of the Founders).

*Maybe* Vadel spied on or overheard the Creator's instruction to his beloved Malkion, and thought he could pip Malkion at the post and win the Creator's favour by killing his own son first. Of course, Creator did not intervene with that accursed sacrifice, and Vadel not only slew his infant child but also earned the odium of all good Brithini (and, later, Malkioni) for futilely trying to steal their Prophet's place in the Creator's good books.

Richard Melvin wrote interesting stuff about a Vadeli progression from Brown to Red to Blue. Now, this ties in *beautifully* with another old thot of mine: that the original Vadeli of Godtime were caste-bound (just like the Brithini), but that some modern Vadeli have learned the dire secret of upward progression through the castes. This could have been something they learned from the Prophet Hrestol when he dwelt among them (as Judge of the Vadeli) in the early years after the Dawn of Time. Or (IMHO more likely) they learned *something* from Hrestol then (cf. my "good Vadeli" post a few days ago), and learned that these secrets could be *twisted* into caste progression from contact with the Hrestoli Idealist kingdom of Loskalm, who have similarly taken the ancient message of the Prophet Hrestol and transformed it to allow all men to progress upwards through the "castes" (now classes, in Loskalm).

This would mean we have at least *four* types of Vadeli:

(1)	Vadeli Isles caste-bound Browns (and possibly a handful of Reds/Blues)
	most of whom (like the ancient Brithini, Mostali, etc.) have been around
	forever, and who secretly run the Vadeli world from behind the scenes
	(these would be the "Elders of Vadel" who control the ghettoes, the great
	trading families, etc.)

(2)	New Vadeli Isles caste-bound Browns, a religious minority of "Good
	Vadeli" who accept Prince Hrestol's teachings of Solace in Glory and
	the Joy of the Heart. They do not live any longer than you or I, and
	raise happy families so their seed will be perpetuated. The Evil Vadeli
	keep these jokers around because it's convenient to have some nice guys
	"in the family" - when some Vadeli appear to live normal human lives,
	it distracts outsiders' attention from the truly monstrous nature of
	the Vadeli race...

(3)	Red Vadeli Isles caste-bound Reds, a monstrous mono-caste colony of
	warriors discovered c.40 years ago when Dormal sidestepped the Closing.
	IMG these are *not* fervent allies of the Brown Vadeli, though the two
	sides can cooperate - in the absence of Blues, the two races lack the
	necessary leadership to live together and jointly direct their efforts.

(4)	"Neo-Vadeli" Browns, who since contact with Loskalm c.40 years ago and
	the Vadeli theft of Hrestoli Idealist teachings have learnt ways to
	progress through the caste system. It is *possible* that these have yet
	to succeed, or that there are several Brown Vadeli out there each trying
	to become the first New Blue (and, therefore, to rule the Vadeli race).
	Certainly, the Browns who follow this path are a destabilising factor in
	Vadeli society.

Anyone else got thoughts on this (perhaps unnecessarily complex) structure?

Nick