Equal Rites.

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_cs.ucc.ie>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 03:51:25 +0100 (BST)

Jane Williams sayeth, in reply to me:
> > that "thundering" is seen as being more characteristicly "male"
than"fighting",
> > which seems initially odd, but is not unsustainable by any means.
> It sounds completely weird to me, since fighting requires abilities in which
men have
> an advantage (size, strength) but Thundering is straight magic. I can see the
Rain
> bit possibly being fertilisation of Ernalda's fields and hence male (then why
is Heler
> often seen as homo.?), but not the wind and thunder. Anyone want to explain?

You say "weird", the Orlanthi say "sacred mystery". (Personally, I'm with you, Jane.) But this is not unprecedented, by any means -- I'm informed that the Hercules cult is a reasonable analogue, in this respect.

> >My sense is that there will probably be quite big changes, but that Greg
> >will find a "way back", proving that any _major_ game-knackering apparent
> >contradictions are only that, "apparent".
> I hope so. I suspect a Way Back will only be found if we shout loudly enough.

Perhaps so. Count me in on the loud shouting, if necessary. And if all else fails, I'll force-feed FGS Scottish chip-shop deep-fried haggis until he submits.

> Even male Healers: Orlanth has a Healer aspect, after all. OK, so he usually
gets a
> friend to take the Test of Healing for him, but it's one of his tests.

Remind us, and/or tell us more...

> We now have Orlanth the Youth, who goes around making
> mistakes, blowing cats out of caves, picking fights, and chatting up anything
in a
> skirt. Likes challenging authority, but isn't very good at it yet.
> Orlanth Adventurous, similar but tougher (is the distinction perhaps that he's
nicked
> Death?), who ends up doing the LBQ and also beats up dragons, explores new
> paths, and is good at correcting the Youth's mistakes.

I think OA and OY is a non-distinction, really. Or at least, your description of OA certainly overlaps the "Lightbringer" aspect. (Which is not to rule either shade out.) I'd call the first "Adventurous", and the second "Lightbringer", myself. This is something of a non-point, though, since there are in reality as many different "aspects" of Orlanth as there are temples to him. So that's about 10,000 Orlanths, at a rough guess.

> If Future Glorantha has Orlanth as yet another authoritarian bigot and makes
official
> rules that 52% of the population can't be allowed to do anything fun, then
Future
> Glorantha and I will part company. Real Glorantha and I will carry on
together.

I'd misunderstood your statement too, so let me immediately say that a) I'm glad!, b) pardon my misapprehension, and I withdraw my (among other's) suggestion of an overreaction on your part, but c) -- please phrase your ultimata more clearly in future. ;-)

Anyway, welcome back (perhaps in more ways than one).

Slainte,
Alex.

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End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #205

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