To which the many people would answer that there is a cultural element to worship, and different cultures interpret the deistic powers and ideals somewhat differently.
Whether the gods are aware and independantly active beings or imporsonal forces with mythic resonances is a debate that can never be agreed on, and does not seem to be a worthwhile endevor.
Here is my model:
The gods are great forces. Their worshippers give them masks, and sometimes these masks are powerful enough to be aware and self-active. Each force tends toward certain powers and ideals, which may be emphasized or played down by different cultures.
FREX:
sun - forces: light, fire, fertility ideals: reliability,
obligation, central organization
storm - forces: wind, lightening, air ideals: freedom, recklessness,
independant organization
dark - forces: cold, dark, death ideals: concealment, and i dunno what
else
earth - forces: fertility, life, soil/ground ideals: generosity,
strength
And so on. Now, when the Heortlings worship the sun, they access the light and fertility aspect. Elamli clans are likely to have more central authority than an Orlanthi clan, but the difference would be barely perceptable to a Dara Happan. The Elmali do not follow the obligation aspect to the extreme, so could be why they lack the fire powers. (See Antirius at the HOG myth. Antirius didn't yield the fight to remain alive and stay with his people - he fought on and died, abandoning them. But he came back as good as new, and did not remain wounded.)
Likewise, when the Manirians worship storm they find Orlanth, Urox, Humakt, Vadrus, etc. The Dara Happans worship the same force and come up with Shargash and Entekos. These cults are likely to have a more decentralized hierarchy than other cults in Dara Happa, but nothing close to the Manirain pattern.
Does this make sense at all?
Pam
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