OK... while reading the Issaries write-up in River of Cradles, I was struck
by a very strange thought. Recent discussions on this list have, or at
least appear to have, come to a general consensus that Tradetalk is
obviously a God Learner construct. Given that it is the cult language of
Issaries, and that Issaries is the most widely worshipped god in Glorantha
(according to the description in RoC), is it just possible that the Jrusteli
took the final step in their exploitation of the universe and became a god
themselves? Perhaps they transformed their entire culture into the cult of
Issaries. And perhaps they were so successful that even *they* did not
remember the truth afterwards. They even went so far as to insert their
constructed cult into cultural memories and myths (i.e. Issaries
participation in the Lightbringer's Quest). If they could pull off the
Goddess Switch then something like this would be peanuts IMHO.
It's an easy theory to shoot holes in, of course. But does anyone (an
individual or culture) have first hand knowledge of the destruction of the
Jrusteli by the Gift Carriers of the Sending Gods? Did they actually
witness it and live to tell about it, or did they just witness what appeared
to be the end result (the disappearance of the Jrusteli) and infer the
details of what "must" have happened?
Of course, I don't know if I believe it or not, but it makes for interesting
speculation.
Brian