Personal Orlanth.

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_interzone.ucc.ie>
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997 04:58:34 +0100 (BST)


RichO asketh:
> One question though, suppose a group of heroes hops onto the Godplane,
> and finds Orlanth, and says "hi". Is this even a possible situation?

Yes.

> Would they encounter a hero or Avatar of Orlanth?

Very possibly, yes (too). Not that we have Avatars in these parts

What's more, there's no real way to tell the difference between these two cases (it has so been Gregged, I believe). If you meet "someone" on the God Plane, he could be taking Orlanth's role in a myth, or Sigolf Cloudcrusher's, or Garunder's. Or simply acting as "himself". Or being himself, being Garunder, being Sigolf, being Orlanth. So which of these you perceive him as when you "meet" him isn't a simple question. Indeed, perhaps what happens is almost the reverse of this: you meet "who" the Path you're on requires you meet, and the actual "person" who ends up wearing the Sigolf Helmet (say) is determined by chance and circumstance.

Confused? If not, please explain it slowly to _me_. Extra credit obfuscation: it's also not uncommon while performing a HQ for god X (and so in sense, _being_ X), to _meet_ selfsame X at the climax of the quest. (Or a(nother) aspect/manifestation of, see previous caveats.)

For a high-end HQ perspective, have a look at the Orlanth Argrathi myth in KoS. I'll have whatever [class A substance] he's having, please.

> However, as much as we say that the gods don't have free will, they're
> not people, etc, would Gloranthans believe this?

Well, the generic Theyalan view is that the Gods _used_ to be freewilled  "People" but that the Compromise required them to cash in their Will (YOHQSMV), and hence their personalities are effectively submerged by it, and distanced from the mundane world. Once _you_ travel to the Divine World though (tickets available Windsday mornings, rates reasonable), it becomes once more apparent what a Personable guy Orlanth really is.

The Dara Happans imbue their gods with "personality traits" too, in many myths, but there's also a strain of thought in Peloria which is much more 'mystical'; gods as Masks, that typa thing. Myths of Yelm also often describe him as being effectively compelled to act in particular ways due to his "inherent nature" -- and this is during the Theyalan God Time, to boot.

Kralorela is a more marked instance of the same trend. "Gods? Big mistake." We needn't belabour the Westerners attitudes here... So all in all, you pays your money, and you takes your Hobson's Choice.

> Would the understanding that "Orlanth is not a person" be part of an
> initiation secret, or something revealed to acolytes/priest.

Well, the differences between a God and a Person are fairly evident; several myths also Explain them. I do think all but the most cynical and quasi-apostate of Orlanthi think of God as having a Personality, though. Wacky cults like Invisible Orlanth, though, may contain such Revelations.

> "Orlanth, how are you related to Elmals.." etc etc etc.
> (Questions that have no "right" answer.)

"Father-in-law, and Boss. Ask me a hard one!"

;-),
Alex.


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