Elmali myths

From: Jose Ramos <Jose.Ramos_at_univ-angers.fr>
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 11:09:48 +0000

        I have really liked the elmali mythology, but I am not sure where and when they are told. I hope all this has not been already talked to death while I slept.

        The identification Emperor-Sun was supposedly (according to the digest) made in the First Age, but solidified by GL intervention in the Second Age. I think that is the kind of stories to appear in thelayan territories close to Darra Happa (to remember all that solar business), who will see all that Emperor business first hand.

        Certainly that fits with other question. Where do the elmali in Dragon Pass come from? I do not know if it is clear for everybody, but (as everything)for me they come from Saird and Tarsh. I do not think they could be from Esrolia as the Quivini, and the power center in Northern Sartar would support a northern origin.

        So for me the Elmali are those barbarian clans who worshipped the sun in orlanthi fashion, and who are prosecuted strongly by the upright yelmites. So they are forced to turn south with the Lunar expansion.

        The Yelmalio incident can be also an attempt to gain legitimacy of sorts with the Solars (as they must be right as they show the true powers of the Sun). It is possible it began as a EWF experiment (explaining all those "old" references in Griffin Mountain and SC), partially abandoned with the fall of the EWF but for some isolated temples (Prax, Balazar), and rediscovered by the Lunars (exploitative heroquesters all). The Lunars helped the Sartarite Elmali "discover" their true origins, and help Tarkalor. We should remember that Sartar has traditionally being more anti-Tarsh than anti-Lunar, at least for most of its history.

        Everybody points to the GLs when some myth shows inconsistencies. Perhaps we should look at the one empire that resisted openly the god-learners as capable of similar feats in different ways.

        Let the sunshine in.

Jose


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