<< Can anyone think of any myths that link Xiola Umbar and the Orlanth pantheon? There is an XU enlo in the game that I'm in that wants to become an Uz, but he's been hanging around a load of Orlanthi a lot (one of the hazards of being a PC) and is angling for some kind of excuse for this disgraceful un-Uz behaviour.>>
XU, like her brother, seems fairly well disposed towards humans - at least in so far as any uz deity is. Her entry in troll gods says 'she is... worshipped by many humans throughout the world'. So dealing with humans may not be so bad, so long as they aren't Yelmalions or some such. OTOH, I don't know of any actual myths that link her with Orlanth, and she isn't mentioned in KoS at all. So, from the XU point of view, I'd say mixing with humans is weird but not disgraceful - unfortunately, its the Kyger Litor priestesses he has to convince...
Anyway, IMG I've decided that some of the 'many humans' are Torkani, which nicely offsets them from other Orlanthi for game purposes. Besides which, I feel XU healers make better PCs than CA ones, although they don't get so much respect from 'normal' Orlanthi. It has bugger all to do with Philip's question, but here's a short story about the difference between XU and CA healers:
HOW I TREAT UNGRATEFUL PATIENTS
It happened that one time I had to travel to Jonstown, where the
large market is, at which one can buy all kinds of things that one cannot
find at home on the stead. Hrothgar the Humakti lead our group, although, as
usual, Enjoss, who is a trader, was forever trying to tell the rest of us
what to do and was full of his own importance. Hrothgar and the other
warriors just ignored him, although I suspect his egotism must have gotten on
their nerves a little, for all that they tried not to show it. As usual,
nobody talked to me much, except for Harolin the tracker, who wishes to share
my bed, but never will.
So, once we had arrived in the city, I had little to do, except for avoiding Harolin. Enjoss and Kinella were at the market, bargaining all day, the warriors were either watching them or else spending time at the tavern - why I cannot imagine, for the Jonstowners cannot brew ale or mead as well as our own clan. And Genrik the smith was at his temple, discussing whatever it is that smiths discuss when they get together. I almost wondered why they had brought me along, although I suppose a healer is always useful to have nearby. But at any rate, I became bored and so I decided to visit the Chalana Arroy temple and see what I could do to help out.
The other healers were glad to see me, for our profession is not a very numerous one in times such as these when everyone wants to take up arms against the Lunars and would sooner wield a sword than a poultice. There were a number of patients in the temple, recovering from those wounds which are too serious for simple magic to heal straight away, or else from the diseases that foul Malia sends to taunt and weaken us. I helped out, lending magic, replacing bandages and preparing ungents as I could. But it seemed that the service for which the other healers were most grateful was that I would stay by the ward through the night, in case anyone needed my services in a hurry. I have never had trouble staying awake through the night, which is, I think, a peaceful time when one can feel more at one with the world than one can in the harsh light of day. But, of course, that is not so uncommon among people of my tribe!
Things went as quietly as could be expected, until the last night we were due to stay in the town. Lightfore had just passed its zenith, I think, when I heard a sound in the dormitory. I looked across, with little curiousity at first, until I realised that what I had heard was a man trying to move stealthily, so as not to wake the others; and no doubt he though that I too, was asleep. It was a dark night, somewhat cloudy and with a new moon as I recall, but my eyesight is keener than most, especially at night, so I could make out the shape of a man creeping from pallet to pallet.
Now, I knew this could be no intruder, for the only entrance to the room lay right at my side, and I would have heard anyone enter, and the windows were mere slits, high in the wall, and I doubted anyone could have climbed silently through them. I kept quiet, wondering what this person could be doing so furtively, and not wanting to give away that I was awake and had seen him. My patience was rewarded for then it became clear what he was doing - - he was stealing small items from the other patients! Oh, he was careful, for none of them woke and I confess that he was so quiet I had been lucky to hear him myself in the beginning.
Filled with anger, I leapt to my feet straight away and strode straight over to him. At that point, I recognised him; he was a man with a broken arm who had come in the day before, although we had not had the magic to spare to heal him entirely of his injury, which he claimed had been caused by the kick of a horse. He started as I approached, and made as if to run, but then a smile spread across his face.
"Oh, its you, healer," he said, "You made me jump. You shouldn't do that to people under your care," and he smiled again. "Unlucky for me, I suppose, but what are you going to do? Put me to sleep with your magic? I can resist that kind of thing, you know, and I know you can't harm me on account of your goddess won't let you. Tough for you, ain't it?"
Then I hit him across the head with my quarterstaff and watched him collapse to the ground. "Wrong goddess," I muttered under my breath as he made a satisfying thud on the earthen floor.
One of the patients murmered and wakened, obviously having heard the sound, but I assured him nothing was amiss, and he probably couldn't see what had happened in the dark. I waited until I was sure he had gone to sleep again and then hoisted him over my shoulder and carried him out of the temple.
I laid him down in one of the rougher parts of town, stripped to his loincloth, although I threw his clothes and gear into a garbage heap nearby in case he had the brains to look for them, and other ruffians had not stolen them first. Then I went back to the temple and spend the rest of the night peacefully. In the morning I told the other healers that he had left our care, which was not so far from the truth. Those who abuse out trust do not deserve our help or healing, and only the soft-hearted followers of Chalana Arroy are foolish enough to believe otherwise. Let the unworthy suffer for all I care; Xiola Umbar teaches us to use our gifts wisely, and not all her followers are trolls.
That is how I deal with ungrateful patients.
(c) Jamie 'Trotsky Revell, 1999
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