Pam Carlson and Jane Williams have presented some views that possibly could help to turn Uleria from a non-chaotic "Moral Safety Valve"-cult into something much more interesting. I won't repeat all they said, but I still have some comments.
I'm not into turning Orlanthi into a pre-Christian paradise but the ideas that Uleria would offer advise (in addition to some sexual services) fits into my view of a priesthood as a "primitive psychotherapists" (for lack of any better terminology).
Pam
>(This doesn't mean that there aren't women in Glorantha who use men to
>their own advantage - but I don't think that Uleria is the cult for them=
-
I think that they could fit Uleria very nicely, but they would follow only the letter of the cult's tenets, not the spirit. Everywhere there is influence of any kind, there is abuse of that influence.
>Ulerians might run hospices for the dying or aged, orphanages,
>even animal shelters.
This is precisely the view I am trying to support - that temples have other, socially important purpose than the "place where we go to purchace Ignite X or Heal Wounds Y". However, I think that orphanages would be Ernalda's territory, Chalana Arroy takes care of the animals and dying would go to Ty Kora Tek. They are not merely undertakers (thought I could not find what "saattohoito" is in English - not exactly being a psycopomp).
Lady Jane writes
>"Fertility": presumably this is human fertility, rather than that of the
>crops or herds? (Since other deities have those in their care, rather
>than because Uleria isn't capable of it). So this is for barren women,
>sterile men, couples who can't quite get it together - maybe also women
>who want a kid but don't want a husband?
That makes sense; Anyone remember an issue of ElfQuest (I think it was one of the sequels) where Leetah (the healer) "fertilizes" the otherwise barren couple ? Does resemble the effects of the Reproduce spell to me.
I still think that Orlanthi would frown upon single mothers with unknown fathers but matchmaking makes perfect sense.
> Sartar himself
>came from Heortland, which from the little I know of the place doesn't
>sound promising as a source. He was widely traveled, though, and was a
>native of the Holy Country as a whole: how about Esrolia as a source of
>inspiration?
AFAIK Sartar was supposed to be an Esrolian thought majority
of Orlanthi 'arriving before him were from Heortland. I wish I=B4d rememb=
er
the source where I got that...
Vesa "Aku" Lehtinen
End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #360
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