Somebody asked for ideas of how communities would alocate resources for healers - frex, why wouldn't an Orlanthi clan spend 10% of its wealth supporting healers, because we in the RW 1st world countries do? (f we do, I'm not sure.)
I think that in the 1st world, we have huge amounts of surplus wealth and time, not to mention a very high proprtion of elderly people, who receive the lion's share of our health care energies. This is not true of most Gloranthan cultures.
It seems to me that the greatest concentration of high-powered healers would be found where the concentrations of wealth, power and learning are the greatest - just like in the RW. THerefore, a tribal king might have a CA healer, or Boldhome, Karse, several in Nochet, many cities throughout Peloria (probably called "Erissans"), and possibly in Seshnela. These communities have the physical and magical surplus resources to spare to support these people.
Rural and poorer folks everywhere would rely largely on local healers; probably people who worship the local earth deities, and may even have a simple shrine to Chalanna/Erissa. These folk can have access to all kinds of healing skillls and magics: (in RQ III terms:)
SKILLS
Treat Poison
Treat Disease
Plant Lore
First Aid
Physician (surgery)
Chiurgery (PenDragonPass)
SPELLS
Heal
Heal Wound
Heal Body
Restore (stat)
Mystic Vision (for spirits)
Soul Sight (for spirits)
Second Sight (for spirits)
Sprit Block, Spirit Screen, Sprit Binding rituals, etc
Formset Bone
Formset Flesh
Project Sight & Cast Light (for looking about inside bodies)
Diminish Siz (for tumors)
So, except for Resurrection and Sleep spells, other deities can provide most of CA's benefits. That's how a community can have decent healing abilities without a lot of CA acolyes and priest-types running around. And since they are also initiates of Ernalda, Yelm, etc, they can have other useful skills (ie, "day jobs as farmers"), as well.
EXAMPLE
In our Varmandi Clan in 1360, we had several Ernaldans - with good
Chiurgery and First Aid skills, and Second Sight, Spirit Block, Heal and
Heal Body spells. These women served as midwives, treated the sick and
injured, drove away evil spirits, and even went along on battles and raids
to heal combat wounds. When not healing, they would manage their steads
and keep busy in clan politics. One women, Honey Elena, was an Ernaldan
with a CA bent, and I think she had a small shrine. She was always a voice
for peace, but few listened to her. CA is a minor spirit in the Orlanth
Pantheon; Ernalda is as important as Orlanth.
The women of the clan knew several paths to healing magics. Honey Elena learned her heal spells from a CA spirit in her shrine, and presumeably kept to certain traditions to enable her to access that spirit. The Ernaldans learned their heal magic from Ernalda shrines. Same magic, diffferent paths.
The Varmandi managed quite well without Resurrection. I think they would have found the idea repulsive, frankly. They were fearful enough of disenterring ancestors to create a new shrine, of Dead Sister, and the underworld segments of the women's initiation rights. Hanging out with someone who had actually been dead and brought back would bother them a lot, I think.
All IMO, but illustrative of Life Without Chalana Arroy -
Pam
BTW - as an afterthought, perhaps CA is worshipped more in urban areas, because the earth goddesses are less pervasive there.
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