While trying to find sleep last night, many things were going through my head...some of them quite heretical, or at the very least, opinionated.
Immortality, or least the revivification of the soul, seem to be important themes in Lunar religion. This seems to be because of an obvious influence from the Yelmic experience. Likewise, punishment or entrapment (and escape) from Hell (utter Darkness?) (the process of revivification?) are highly regarded.
Yelmgatha heroquests as Yelm, dies, but manages to resurrect himself. In doing so, he seems able to capture essential pre-Darkness Yelmishness for himself. Did the Red Emperor follow Yelmgatha's example? Their closeness seems to indicate this was possible. Did Sheng Seleris? I think he must have. Did the Pharaoh? Yes, but he misunderstood something or forgot something or wrote it down wrong for his followers, because he hasn't made it back yet. I've heard three different versions of this ("He's in Hell (with Sheng Seleris or is Sheng in his own private little hell?)" "He's *gone*." "He's hiding" (a tactic the Red Emperor claims to use himself.)
But is the Red Emperor really immortal? Well, I suppose you could look at it that way. I think a more correct word would be "perpetual." Obviously, each Red Emperor is different. I don't think they even begin as the Red Emperor, but take him on or become him in part...exactly(?) the same way that Yelmgatha became Yelm. He has not achieved immortality, but a sort of spotty continuity which allows each new Emperor to manifest something of the original (Yelmic?) character of the Emperor.
What path did the Red Goddess follow to become herself? Was it completely original, or merely a subtle change? How did Yelmgatha figure in? It's clear that he supported her, but did he worship her? Did he teach her? Did he provide helpful hints?
Isn't the Red Goddess' ascendancy simply a correction against the strongly unbalanced patriarchal Yelmic religion which may (did?) overturned/overruled/conquered an older, primitive, darker matriarchal religion (Earth cult, Dendara/Entekos?) At the end of the Entekosiad, the author inserts "Our Red Goddess is not Entekos." But...isn't she? Or wasn't she? Or didn't she take something from Entekos? Did the author realize that, indeed, the Red Goddess is Entekos, but was so frightened by the thought that he denied it? Surely the Emperor was going to read the book, so best be sure about these things...
What, precisely is the relationship between the following people: Yelmgatha<->Red Emperor<->Sheng Seleris<->The Pharaoh. Is it the shadow metaphor - that thing which is you but not you, which is connected to you at all times, but only seen in the light? The Red Emperor is Yelmgatha's Shadow. Sheng Seleris is the Red Emperor's Other or Shadow. Who's the Pharaoh? He fits in somewhere, I sense it, but cannot place him.
Sincerely,
Clay, working on my advanced degree of Tangential Mythologistics at the Reformed School of God Learnerism, 31 Mudwallow Street, Corflu. It's not a big school, but the students mean well.
Clay Luther
clay_at_incite.com
Hello, hello! This is Monkey Wrench calling Bunny Hutch Headquarters...
End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #60
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