Resurrection and Nysalor from Chris Bell on 1998-06-20 (Glorantha Digest Vol 05)

From: Chris Bell <argrath_at_ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 10:35:10 -0400

If memory serves correctly, wasn't the god project an attempt to resurrect Rashoran, the last of the Burtae to have been born? If I remember my COT, Rashoran was killed by Ragnaglar as soon as he learned from Rashoran the secrets of what Chaos was, and then kiiled him, so that none other would gain his special knowledge (which is, presumably, Illumination, and the knowledge that Chaos simply is, and it is not to be feared.) I would presume that this is what drove Ragnaglar mad, and turned him from being simply a brutal child of Umath's brood to the insane god who brought Wakboth into the world. From my understanding, the Nysalor experiment was an attempt to bring the kind and gentle god Rashoran who would teach the world not to fear anymore and provide the wisdom that was Illumination.

As for Resurrection being inherently Chaotic, I think that the opposite is true. The victory of the Seven Lightbringers was the ultimate defeat of Chaos, the world, through compromise, resurrecting itself against all odds...from an Orlanthi POV, anyway. I'm sure that the self-resurrection of Yelm parallels this.

In terms of a resurrectee being afflicted somehow by Chaos after resurrection, I definitely think that resurrection rituals like the LBQ are by no means a sure thing, and that there are certain times when the victory is not complete (the LBQ wasn't, since Chaos is still in the world.) A botched LBQ ritual can perhaps allow the body of .the resurrectee to be inhabited by an evil Ghost, or perhaps by an ancestor of the resurrectee, if the casters of the rite mess up at some stage. Think of how hard it must be for a clansman to have to put down the
*thing* that wears the body of his brother! Or, if the soul is that of
an ancestor (not necessarily an important one), the resurrectee would perhaps considered to be a totally new person (perhaps Orlanth wishes to send back a soul that has unfinished business, and must complete his or her wyrd, or that perhaps didn't have a chance to live fully, like a child slain before his or her time. Or perhaps a soul is sent back, whom may not be a hero, but who's skills and knowledge will be of great use to the Clan in the struggle against the damnable Lunars, etc.) In RQ3 terms, this can explain perhaps stat differences that are cause by resurrection deterioration - The old soul likes it in Orlanth's stead, and another of Orlanth's own wants to return to seek just vengeance/stop the lunars/protect the Clan/whatever, and would rather not wait in the halls of Ty Kora Tek or whatever to be reborn as a babe. Off he or she goes! Think of the RP and MGF opportunities, where the character can be totally new, except for appearance! Talk about identity issues! Maybe
*this* is where all those Grim Humakti come from?

Aloha,

Chris Bell
argrath_at_ix.netcom.com
sartar18_at_hotmail.com

End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #662