Back at Convulsion '94, I was sat beneath a bush with John Quaife and Greg Stafford. Greg was avoiding the masses, John and I were too drunk to move (or in John's case remember). As happens at conventions we all got talking about the most esoteric sections of Glorantha. I had flattered Greg's ego until it fell out of the bushes and he was willing to answer a few questions.
These are some of those statements he said regarding Heler;
Heler is a deity of role reversal for the Orlanthi, just as Vinga lets a woman become a warrior, Heler lets a man do a woman's duties. He is also regarded as the patron of Homosexuality amongst the Orlanthi, but this is not shouted about.
Surprisingly Greg actually supported his statements! Greg said that Heler takes on the classical role of the "Damsel in Distress", especially of note in the Aroka heroquest, where he is rescued by Orlanth from the belly of a Dragon. The entity rescued is sometimes called Heler, but is at other times called Blue Woman, both can be the same deity. He did explain further, but my mind was fogged by rum.
All the above is Orlanthi Truth, All the Information is three years old and a trickster told it to me so it might get Gregged.
Simon Bray.
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