Orlanth Worship and Pelorian Arts

From: Peter Metcalfe <P.Metcalfe_at_student.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 1996 21:13:12 +1200


Saravan Peacock:

>How exactly does the Lunar ban on worship of Orlanth work, in Sartar and
>elsewhere?

The key concept is that the Lunars are trying to destroy the influence of Orlanth in the Social Order. The ban on worship ceremonies primarily affects large-scale gatherings involving clans and tribes. The chief effect this will have is that magics which are normally invoked at such gatherings can not be cast in the New Order: ie blessings of victory in combat for the current year.

The Orlanthi clans will then be under pressure from neighbouring clans who do not invoke Orlanth as their patron for they will not have the clan magic backing that the others do because of the prohibition of Orlanthi worship. The Orlanthi clans can choose to overcome their disadvantage by revolting (which rarely works) or by choosing some other god (such as the Red Moon [Colymar], Yelm [Aldachur] and Humakt [Malani]) as their patron. Once a different god is chosen, people are more likely to forsake their old ties with Orlanth to align themselves with the new patron to get into positions of political power within the clan. And the worship of Orlanth falls as a result.

Anthony Bushell:


> The fighting style of Peloria I have envisioned as being something
>akin to the Pankration art of ancient Greece. This was a fast-paced and
>brutal art involving wrestling as well punching and kicking. Essentially,
>anything was permissible in a bout.

Not quite. Biting and eye-gouging were prohibited. There was a wrestler known as 'Fingers' for his quirk of breaking his opponent's fingers in a bout to force him to submit. Spartans refused to participate in this sport for the Olympics because there were no draws, the loser either submitted or died. The Spartans thought that the sight of a Spartan submitting was too shameful whereas dying was too wasteful.

However I don't think the Pankration is the Pelorian Martial Arts alluded to in Sun County and Glorantha Bestairy despite the habit of fighting with no clothes on. I believe that it is a cross between Yoga and Martial Arts and was taught in Alkoth. Pankration seems to me to be covered quite easily within the skills of boxing, kicking, grappling and headbutts and there is no record of Pankration Masters achieving mystical powers through mastery of their art...

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