Raven, Trickster

From: Stephen P Martin <ilium_at_juno.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 20:54:35 EST

James Frusetta <gerakkag_at_wam.umd.edu> Rawking Ravens, Coyote?, Name that Uz Trickster
>
>And interestingly enough, if he's a primarily a Darkness spirit, why no
>association with the Darkness rune? (Tales #14) And if he's not
associated
>with ravens, why the Beast rune?
>

According to Chuck Huber, author of the Caladra and Aurelion cult, in notes on his writing of the cult, Raven was originally "the darkness aspect" of the trickster. I take this now to mean that Raven is the form taken by Eurmal when he want into the Underworld to free Orlanth from captivity by the Only Old One, and to gain fire from the chained fire spirit, Caladril.

Somewhere along the way, Greg apparently rejected the direct association of Raven with darkness. This was added back into Nomad Gods by me, mostly based on the need for Darkness Spirits after Malia was made purely into chaos. But it does seem to fit. Still, the association is very loose, hence no possession even of the Shadow rune (which would be my vote). Since he is a thief, and hides treasure, he does have some darkness aspects.

>IMO: Raven was the God of Ravens who said phooey on the dignity and
proper
>ettiquete of Yelm's domain (read: bor-ing), and went off and had a fine
>time indeed.

>Because of this rank naughtiness,
>Yelm stripped him of his "title" as God of the Ravens, which might be
why
>he's no longer associated with the title

Since the Praxians don't believe in Yelm, I would have to reject this line of thought. We need two separate myths (at least) -- one for the Praxians, one for the Dara Happans. Note that the Raven is one of the constellations recognized by the Dara Happans.

><Shrug> I doubt the Praxians really think about it, myself. They're more
>interested in keeping the ravens from stealing or destroying stuff (the
>clever little monsters).
>

As with Brother Dog, I think Raven is pretty much without followers in this, his "native" land. There are no native dogs in Prax, or very few IMO. I really can't see ravens as thriving in the Wastes....

>I like Simon Phipp and Tim Ellis' suggestions that there are a number of
>"tricksters" in Uz society, but no unified Trickster
>
>Which actually suggests something on the Name that Troll Trickster
thread:
>maybe there are a number of different names for Trickster(s) in
>Darktongue, all beginning with a common Romo- or Roko- prefix. So you
>might have _dozens_ of different names. Zorak Zoran isn't RomoZoZo* any
>more because he "broke away" and became a War god. Once the influence
of
>Eurmal came along (from human refugees to the Darkness) the trolls sort
of
>loosely grouped all their tricksters together (thus, the Romo-/Roko-
>prefix) but never unified them. 'd be a nice trick, and would allow for
>local variation on Trickster's name between stories.
>

This has a nice feel to it. Except that some of those I recognize as tricksters, such as Eristi the Doubter and Jongale the Silent, don't fit this pattern. Perhaps this is the way only of the Great Imp?
>

Stephen Martin
ilium_at_juno.com

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