Baths of Nelat/Well of Daliath

From: joelsona_at_superman.cig.mot.com
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 08:07:19 -0600

Alex Ferguson:
Let me confess first of all: the Orlanth/Bath/Nelat-Quest -- I'm not sure what its usual title is, and nor can I recall if I've actually seen this myth in print -- I'm presuming it is indeed the myth where Mastakos is freed (or abducted) from Daliath's Well).

     Ummm, no. Sandy talked about this at GC IV, and Mastakos is one of the first 'obstacles' (should I say stations?) that you have to pass on the Quest of the Baths of Nelat. What you get at the end, if you succeed (and according to Sandy, no one has done it since Orlanth), is a drink form the Well of Daliath. This is analogous to Odin's sacrificing an eye for a drink from the Well of Mymir; it conveys Wisdom. In Orlanth's case, the inspiration to do the LBQ (as I beleive I said before).

Alex:
The connection is that the "Nelat Quest" indeed involves said Baths, and having survived them before is explicitly linked to having any chance of surviving the Flames of Ehilm in the Hall of the Dead section of the quest.

     Well, according to Sandy, Harmast attempted the Baths of Nelat in order to purify himself for the LBQ. He failed, and turned to the Fires of Ehilm for a purification rite that was actually doable by mere mortals.

     All of the discussion from which I am quoting will be in the GC IV Conpendium, if I ever manage to get it out... I wanted to be finished in time to have it out for RQDU, but here it is Febuary....

          Andrew Joelson
          Chairman  GC IV

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