Yet another source of procrastination - the Kitori

From: Jeff Richard <jrichard_at_cnw.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 14:49:43 -0800


Have you ever noticed that it is easier to contribute to the digest when there is something else ya ought to be doing? Hmmm.

I just wanted to add my support to David Cake's Kitori comments and throw my little twist on it. David wrote:

>My current thoughts on Kitori religion (influenced by long ago
>suggestions from Alex Ferguson) is that the Kitori worship an ancestor
>called Kitor, who is probably Voraz Kitor. This ancestor is now treated as
>an Argan Argar hero, but was originally probably associated with the cult
>of Zolan Zubar. Both the humans and trolls worship Kitor through ancestor
>worship, but to the trolls the ancestor worship is indistinguishable from
>Kygor Litor worship, while to the humans ancestor worship is most
>definately NOT KL worship, at least according to the standard KL writeup
>(IE the humans do not all go through the ritual of trollification).

In my opinion the primary men's cults for Kitori are Argan Argar (in a leadership/ tribal patron role), Voraz Kitor (who shares the cultural hero role with AA) and the Thunderer (Orlanth). At least during the 1350s (which is usually my POV for Glorantha), I think that there is also Barntar worship (although maybe that is through Voraz Kitor) since I don't view the Kitori as wild hunting savages. If anything, I borrowed a bit of Iroqouis society for my conception of the Kitori.

For the women, well there is still quite a bit of mystery. I think that the Kitori women are more "darkness-associated" then the men. I like the idea of something akin to shamanistic Kyger Litor worship being practiced amongst the Kitori "wise women" - although I do not think the Kitori women hold KL to be their ancestor. I certainly think Ernalda is worshipped (although somewhat differently from the way the Heortlings worship her) and there must be numerous land and darkness spirits in the Troll Woods and the foothills of the Storm Mountains.

In game play, when Theya Two-Mothers and her kin travelled through Kitoriland, my conception of the Kitori was that they knew the Greeting, their culture was recognizable to the Heortlings, they held Argan Argar to be King of the Gods, they had fearsome Uz allies (which terrified the players) and much of their ritual life oriented around placating their fearsome dark "kinfolk". Their women are reknowned in ToDP for having powerful magics and knowing many spirits. Oh yes, their cuisine is appalling to most Heortlings.

Yours truly,

Jeff


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