spake against sorcerized divine cults by pointing out that there is a wide gap between sorcery and spirit magic in da roolz.
IMO there needs to be an intermediary stage (or range of such stages) between spirit magic and sorcery which depends on how 'logical' one is. Frex, in the more sophisticated theistic cults (not Malkionized), they wouldn't rely on spell spirits to learn spirit magic but instead meditate on an aspect of the God. Spell spirits is for backward heathens IMO.
>Where I definitely disagree
>with Peter is in any sort of mistaken identity between Chalana and
>Xemela: St. Xemela has a well-known historical backgrouns, which is
>rather hard, I would say impossible, to mistake for the Lightbringer
>Myth and Chalana. Or are you suggesting that Hrestol is Chalana's son?
>Yep, that would mean that in Otkorion he is in fact Arroin! Hard to
>believe, but intriguing...
They both wear white dresses and are healers. Suspicious don't you think? As for Hrestol being Arroin, I think that Arroin is not known of in Ralios. Or if a Henotheist did hear of Arroin, he'll assume that Arroin and Hrestol are different sons.
Confusing Xemala with Chalana would be a mark of grotesque ignorance in Safelster and this sort of belief would be a mark of how backward the Otkorioni are or even a slander to mock them.
Joerg Baumgartner:
JR>>I do have to agree with David Hall that Nick Effingham's "St.
>>Orlanth" looked more as Sartar with sorcery than the West.
>I find such an approach somewhat appropriate for northern Otkorion, which
>has more Lankst "tribe" inhabitants than it has Westerners.
I really think the Lanksti being Korioni have much more in common with the Safelstrans than do the East Wilds Orlanthi or Sartar. The Naskorioni are considered to be Orlanthi by the Safelstrans but are to be Sorcerers by the East Wilds folk.
>In Ralios, things are likely to have been different. Otkorion was
>part of the Korioni tribe of the Enerali, which IMO should find some echo in
>the cult description - maybe some obscure subcult, with holy places in
>bygone Galanini centres of power (Hrelar Amali, for instance).
This may be a good as time as any to introduce some notes of mine of how I feel the modern Safelstrans view their distant past. I must acknowledge some help from David Dunham.
SYNOPSIS OF SAFESLTRAN MYTH UP TO THE DARKNESS. The First Man is Eneral who is made by the Invisible God to be the Lord of Ralios. Eneral makes a garden east in Hrelar Amali. He names the animals and makes the Galanin the Horse the King of all Beasts subject only to him and his sons alone.
Eneral has four sons by his wife Ralia: Vustr, Fornao, Uton and Korion. After Eneral retires, his sons decided to have a contest to see whom would be lord, wizard, knight and peasant. Almost every Safelstran believes that Vustr lost the contest and was condemned to be the peasant to his brothers. He refused to accept this judgement and so fled to Vustria and mated with wild animals. The savages of the East Wilds are reckoned to be his offspring.
Nobody agrees who was lord (nor wizard nor knight for that matter). The Tanisoreans claim that Fornao, who was their ancestor, was chosen and that since his House became comingled with the House of Malkion, the Kings of Seshnela have a duty to rule all Ralios by Divine Mission (through descent from Malkion) *and* by inheritance (through descent from Fornao). The People of Korioni and Utoni do not agree and claim they should be lords. Arkat supposedly settled the question but the God Learners destroyed all knowledge of his solution.
Vivamort was the honoured guardian of the Stygian Vault where the Unbreakable Sword and other famous weapons were stored. He was charged by his master to let none set foot within the vault and espy his treasures. One day, Vivamort was mocked by a thief by the name of Eurmal who said that Vivamort guarded nothing of value. Vivamort took umbrage at this and forgot his oaths. He manhandled Eurmal and took him into the vault and showed him. Later Eurmal returned with a Vustrian Bandit by the name of Umath. They blackmailed Vivamort into showing them the vault again. Eurmal then stole the Unbreakable Sword from the Vault and gave it to Umath.
This caused Vivamort much shame and remorse and he ran off into the hills like a madman. Thereafter he developed numerous plots to revenge himself on Umath. To this day, no follower of Vivamort can bear the sight of the death rune for it reminds them of Vivamort's treachery. When Eneral discovered the theft, he pursued Umath who had the sword. They met and Eneral was slain. Thereafter Umath was known as Humakt which means Murderer.
The Lords of Hrelar Amali then held a contest to see who would marry Eneral's wife, Ralia. Ehilm, an exiled king from the Kingdom of Logic, was proved worthy and so he was chosen. He ruled wisely according to some and like a tyrant according to others.
Orlanth then challenged Ehilm for the hand of Ralia for he too wanted to be king. Although successful, Orlanth refused to let Ralia return to Hrela Amali to celebrate the rites of Spring for he feared that Ehilm would not let her return to his stead. This caused a famine in Ralios and Ehilm sent an army to Orlanth's stead to compel him to let Ralia go free. Orlanth however ambushed Ehilm's Army and Ehilm himself was slain. So began the Darkness.
The Tanisoreans say that Ehilm and Orlanth agreed to settled their differences on the Great Duelling Field of Kustria. Orlanth however 'borrowed' (with Eurmal's aid) the Unbreakable Sword. As he stepped into the arena, he drew his sword. Ehilm then recognized the weapon and raised a point of order and honor with the judges for the weapon was stolen and hence forbidden under the rules. Orlanth took this opportunity to stab Ehilm most brutally in the back and so began the Darkness.
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