I thought I'd make a handful of comments on a variety of subjects, before I run back to reading my exciting legal tomes.
Lightbringers Quest.
The best source, as several have commented, for the LBQ is KoS. Greg presents two variations of the myth. The first is a mythic narrative from apparently 18th Century Sartar (yes, fully a century later than most Gloranthan campaigns and a good three or four centuries after my own Taming of Dragon Pass campaign). The second is actually more interesting to me - it is a structural outline of the Short Lightbringers Pilgrimage - a grand fourteen day ceremony. The date given for it is also in the 18th century.
Argrath's Saga refers to the LBQ as requiring "sixteen successful magical ceremonies, each of which requires all 7 participants to perform flawlessly, and each of which includes at least one portion where the participants invoke their enemies to come inside their protective circle." However, the structural outline provides the 14 stages of the LBQ. For those of you who don't have KoS, I've given the short title of the stage:
1. Preparation 2. Departure 3. Westfaring 4. The Descent 5. The Obsidian Palace 6. Alone in Hell 7. Rest 8. Three Challenges 9. Presentation 10. Atonement 11. The Proof 12. Gift-Giving
I suspect that within the Heortling Cultures (Heortland, Sartar, Tarsh,
Aggar, Holay and Saird), there is remarkable variation within these
fourteen categories. It is entirely possible that different gods are
associated with different sections. Amongst the non-Heortling Orlanthi
(Esrolia, Ralios, Talastar, Sylilla, Fronela, and Wenelia) there is
probably much more variety.
Without a doubt, the LBQ is the Gloranthan myth that most resembles Joseph Campbell's "Hero of a Thousand Faces" and IMO it is Greg's best myth to date. The complexity of the myth - and its messianic message of hard-earned atonement and world-redemption betrays characterization of the Orlanthi as "ignorant barbarians".
As for Gina Jar and Flesh Man, I think the analysis of Nick Brooke and others was great. I'd only like to add that in clan rituals, anyone can be Flesh Man (something that Nick apparently used to great effect in the Rise of Ralios) and Gina Jar is the embodiment of the clan-as-a-whole (something Martin Laurie used to great perversity in the trial-run of the Fall of the House of Malan).
Babeester Gor and Vinga
Babeester Gor IS NOT the female warrior cult in Sartar IMO. Indeed the list of exotic dieties worshipped by the Orlanthi in KoS mentions Boneman the Smith and Kolating but not Babeestor Gor. I'm sure Pam Carlson has some strong opinions about the role of BG amongst Quivini women (her character sure does).
Vinga, on the other hand, IS Orlanth for women. IMO, outside of the
protection provided by Vinga, women cannot participate in the men's rites
(Orlanth). The cult of Vinga allows women to participate in direct Orlanth
worship. I personally am uncertain whether women can directly initiate into
the cult of Orlanth the Thunderer.
Yelmalio and geasa
Just one more reason why I hate the cult of Yelmalio outside of Vanch, Balazar and Sun County. Long live Elmal (with which I've pretty much replaced Yelmalio)!
Yours truly,
Jeff Richard
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