IMO the cult of Invisible Orlanth is too minor to bother to eliminate it, one might as well ignore it if one stays away from Ajaak. It certainly is not an empire-wide affair, and even if the brother of the Count of Spol is its leader, I doubt that it has spread across all of the West Reaches.
The cult is somewhat popular with the soldiers under Count Kaufan Destrino. That's most of its importance, IMO, i.e. a base of maybe 2000 worshippers, including non-military people.
I don't know if it can be compared to the importance of the Cult of Mithras in 4th century Roman Germany, popular among the limes troops but of little impact on the general population.
> I had a difficult time coming up with anything logical too! Here's
> my idea for a cult that might be appealing or at least acceptable
> to Orlanthi within the Empire, Lunars, and Carmanians.
I feel your scope is too wide - restrict yourself to the Orlanth-friendly elements in Carmania, and the thing will work. Don't even try to appeal to the Brolians, they are savages unworthy of wisdom. And Tarshites? Who's that?
> The Invisible Orlanth cult teaches that the "true" Orlanth (whatever
> true is) is (or will become?) Illuminated, and will then "marry"
> (perhaps symbolically?) the Red Goddess.
I guess this is the doctrine.
> Somehow, this brings about the White Moon, either directly or
> through a child - they aren't very clear on this.
I think that the Invisible Orlanth cult has enough problems without inviting the White Moonies (a pacifist cult). It is a military cult. While the White Moon may be its mystical goal, that should be an inner cult secret.
> Carmanians like the fact that it brings back "balance", both
> cosmically and sexually, Dara Happans are happy that the Red Goddess
> will win a strong husband, Orlanthi can think that Orlanth will reign
> supreme in the new household, and Lunars know that it is actually the
> Red Goddess who will reign supreme and has tamed the barbarian
> chieftain.
Carmanian opinions are what matter most. Dara Happans are unimportant, they are higly unlikely to touch anything with the lable Orlanth except with a polearm. Lunars are unlikely to go for the lesser wisdom. Carmanian farmers might see a chance to advance in society, and embrace the cult, but since it is an aristocratic venture, I guess the cultists will have somewhat high requirements to join (like proof of proficiency with the sword, and explain how a loyal serf will have gotten this).
> Obviously, most Sartarite Orlanthi are repulsed by this cult, but they
> aren't the members!
They'll hardly have heard about it, unless a rare Carmanian knight taken from Bindle to Sartar overcomes his disdain for the savage Orlanth "temple" ("Outside? This can't be proper worship!") and decides to attend to a service there.
> Comments? What horrible flaws are there?
No horrible flaws, just a too wide scope IMO.
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #289
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