Orlanthi & bows; Yelmies can be fun from Pam Carlson on 1998-09-29 (Glorantha Digest Vol 06)

From: Pam Carlson <carlsonp_at_wolfenet.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 00:05:50 -0700

Call me unconventional, but why do the Orlanthi need a patron deity of archery? Individual clans could have minor hero cults that emphasize archery, but that is only likely if they had an ancestor famous for it. All Orlanthi can use bows; anyone can. Those with appropriate hero cults will use them better.

Gloranthans with ties to Sky will use them best of all, and have more cool bow magics. If you like, perhaps there are mystical disciplines one can go through to achieve mastery with the bow, and these are the sort practiced by Pentans, Grazers, Dara Happans, etc. Orlanthi are more likely to get all mystical over swords, especially because they have a well known god of swords.

> Unless I'm misremembering my RQ history, Elmal
> hadn't been invented when RoC was written, had he?

Correct. Elmal really made his debut in 1993/94, I think.

If you want a mythic reason for Vinga to use a bow, perhaps Elmal taught her after she bested him somehow. Or perhaps he taught her to help her defend Orlanth's Stead.

THe line between hero and god is blurry. Hyalor may be a hero to modern Orlanthi, but he is a deity to the Grazers, and seemed to be a deity to the ancient "Hyalorings" who ruled Dara Happa before the Pentans (pre dawn). Myth being what it is, I think you could make a case for Vinga learning to ride from whomever you like. Perhaps she's the one who defeated Kargzant, tied him down and out a bit in his mouth? (an act attributed to Oralantus in GROY, but what do the solars know?)
>

Jane writes:
> Of course, Yelmies have problems: but Yelmies *deserve* problems!

Imagine my dismay at encountering such a negative blanket statement about the followers of the Almighty Godfather Yelm, Protector of the World, Emperor of the Universe, Keeper and Source of all Justice! One could get the impression that Jane DISLIKES Yelmies... But really, they're oodles of fun!

In our admittedly dusty Alkoth game, the Dara Happan House (ie, clan/family) was led by a Yelmie, (Tomastus, or "Big Tom"), who appeared to be an absolute ruler. But the household itself was ruled by his wife, who also handled the finances and made most of the House's important trade decisions. Her sons acted as her external arms. They left the house and made the contacts, travelled upriver into barbarian lands, and hung out on the docks with the riff-raff. The House's women also arranged the marraiges and conducted much of the inter-house politics. The House's men, like most male birds, helped gather food, protected the nest from predators, made elaborate displays to warn off other males, and tried their best to look attractive!

Pam