Orlanth, et cetera.

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_cs.ucc.ie>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 01:35:27 +0100 (BST)


Jeff Richard sez, amid an attack of the "Marcel Marceau's":

> Ultimately, only Orlanth provides Thundering to the Orlanthi. Some gods
> that are essentially little more than approachable aspects of Orlanth (take
> the Thunder Brothers - the sons of Orlanth) may also provide the "storm"
> package, complete with the feat of thunder, but that does not contradict the
> truism - only Orlanth Thunders.

OK. Obvious follow-up -- is separate initiation into (say) Hedkoranth possible, thereby being able to invoke Orlanth's Thunder "indirectly"? You seem to hint at this, at least.

> Finally, Heler is not seen as a "homo".

I think "borderline pan-sexual" might be a better construction. Heler is the role-model for promiscious sexual behaviour, I think this is clear, and I believe that the Orlanthi probably see the "active" (and hence "male") participant in a homosexual liaison in a not-very different light than someone is simply not-very-discriminating in his sexual activities generally. (I hope that does not sound offensive to anyone. I'm trying to give a feel for what I apprehend Orlanthi attitudes to be, not to speak of them overly-approvingly, or worse, smirkingly.)

Heler is certainly not the role model for "passive" homosexuality, though. (Which would be Nandan, obviously.)

> He is a rather impressive martial
> diety who once conquered the sky and terrorized Glorantha.

I thought the official take was "sometimes a martial deity, but rarely an effective one"? (To quote or paraphrase, depending how close I got.)

> In theory, any stranger can participate in the adulthood
> initiation rites and anyone can offer worship to Orlanth. Or Ernalda for
> that matter. Anyone who wants to be an Orlanthi man can learn Orlanth's
> secrets, anyone who wants to be an Orlanthi woman can learn Ernalda's
> mysteries.

That's certainly at least half-right. Anyone who wants to become an Orlanthi woman can learn Ernalda's mysteries -- even if they start out as "apparently male". But is the reverse true? (I realise this may be tangential to the point (I think) you were making.)

Slainte,
Alex.


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