Re: The Glorantha Digest V6 #268

From: bjm10_at_cornell.edu
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 18:28:58 -0400 (EDT)


Yeah, it's in the FAQ, but this one is so much FUN to play with.

> * Is Elmal another name for Yelmalio? From what I've seen they seem =
> to be very simular.

Yes, no, maybe, probably, or not.

> * Who did Orlanth beat up, Yelmalio or Elmal?

Exactly!

> *Do Elmal and Yelmalio get along?

Depends.

> *Whats the relationship of Orlanth to Elmal and Yelmalio? In the =

Ah!

> It seems that there is a lot of conflicting information about these =
> gods, unfortunatly I seem to be missing the peices that might put the =

Elmal is a manifestation of anti-Godlearnerism, one might say. It seems that Glorantha is not a nice, neat, pretty-wrapped package without any ambiguity nor contradictions. Elmal is an example of this. For the longest time, we only heard about "Yelmalio". Well, that's because, for the longest time, we only heard about Prax. Everything and everywhere else in Glorantha was pretty much of limited circulation.

All of a sudden, here comes "Elmal", from Greg Stafford, and everything is shaken up. It seems that Glorantha is (or at least was) not a nicely laid-out and pretty-printed cutout world. There *are* ambiguities and unanswered questions.

Here's the general skinny:

At some time or another, some sun-worshipping barbarians became or always were part of Orlanthi culture. Their patron was "Elmal", the Loyal Sun or the Loyal Thane. However, given Orlanthi mythology, they tended to get the down side in the local festivals, etc. Some of these Elmali encountered Solar folks who introduced them to "Yelmalio", a similar deity (or maybe not so similar at that time). A couple of hero-quest later and Hey-Presto! We're mythologically independent!

Of course, that's all a lie. The truth is that Yelmalio has always existed as he is known in Sun County and that Orlanthi troublemakers spread lies and substituted some nonentity of a Fire spirit named "Elmal" for him to dupe some Solar tribes into accepting their unjust leadership.

Of course, that's all a lie.

But, of course, that's all a lie, too...


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