Material/Mundane/Knowable/Perishable
Cosmic/Divine/Cyclical/Eternal
Mystical/Transcendent/Unknowable
The Red Goddess is mistress of all three worlds. She participates in each. She can teach us everything about all of them. That's what makes her special. In order to comprehend the teachings of the Goddess, you must have participated in all three realms. That's why you have to be an Illuminate (Mystical) *and* a heavy-duty priest or magician (Divine) to be initiated into her cult. [But see my NOTE, below]
The Material World is ruled by Malkion (Malakinus), Lord of Measure. It is the world we live in, and is in some ways the least of the three. Its magic is Sorcerous.
The Divine World is ruled by Yelm, Emperor of the Universe -- just as the Dara Happans always knew it was. He still orders the Hundred Gods, smites Rebel Gods, etc., just as they always said. (And the Hundred Gods, Rebel Gods, etc. are still a shifting cast of characters as the Empire interacts with different outsiders). Its magic is Divine.
The Transcendent World is ruled by Nysalor. We can never know anything about this for sure, although our greatest mystics have made the attempt. Its magic is Mystical.
Following this scheme, traditional Yelmic (or other) patterns of worship can continue just as they always did. Like the Carmanians (one of the root cultures for the Lunar Way, remember), the Empire is happy to preserve knowledge of the great secret magics at its heart for the elite. (Among the Carmanians, this is the Magi and their special divinatory contact with Idovanus, "too good for the masses". Among the Lunars, this is the Cult of the Red Goddess). The populace can worship the gods they always did, the gods they want to worship; we need not rub their nose in the fact that *we* possess a transcendant Wisdom and Insight (through our direct communion with Cosmic Truths) which *they* may never know.
>From my article on the "Lunar Pantheon" (in the *wonderful* "Rough Guide to
Glamour", available now from David Hall and your local Megacorp rep):
THE OLD GODS AND THE LUNAR WAY The Red Goddess demands only that her freedom (and that of her worshippers) be recognised and respected by other living powers and gods. She does not reject their rights or powers, and she does not insist on changing their worship. Because her Lunar Cosmos encompasses the mortal and mystical realms as well as the divine realm within which the Old Gods exist, she knows their importance in the world and has no desire to interfere with their worship or power.
The Old Gods who preceded the Lunar Way still receive worship within the Empire. The Lunars accept Yelm as Emperor of the Cosmos, and Malkion as ruler of the Material World. Citizens in Dara Happa and Peloria worship Lodril, Dendara and Yelm; provincials in the highlands follow Ernalda, Barntar and the Seven Lightbringers; allies beyond the Glowline preserve their ancient tribal ways. All are welcome to participate more deeply in the rituals of the Lunar Way, and many choose to avail themselves of this opportunity, while remaining devout followers of their traditional rites.
ORLANTH
The Last Enemy
The only exception is Orlanth, the Last Rebel, eternal enemy of peace and
stability. Worship of this turbulent and barbaric deity is prohibited within
the Empire, and its campaigns of conquest have been intended to break his
power. Former worshippers of the Storm God are encouraged to worship tamer,
more palatable atmospheric deities, such as Molanni, a consort of Yelm, or
Entekos, goddess of Good Weather.
Orlanth was not chosen by the Red Goddess as her Last Enemy. Their hostility is a cosmic process, and inevitable. When Rufelza's cyclical revolution replaces Orlanth's turbulent rebellion as the motive principle of the Middle Air, then Orlanth will no longer have a place in Glorantha. The defeat of this troublesome and disobedient god will finalise Rufelza's integration into all Glorantha. Vast lands in the East, West, and South will not need to be conquered by the Lunar Empire to defeat Orlanth. Their ultimate acceptance of the Lunar Way will be inescapable after Orlanth's forthcoming demise.
For what it's worth, that passage was somewhat revised by Greg -- possibly more so than any other section of my article -- and thus probably faithfully represents his thoughts on the subject in the summer of '97. Only a couple of years ago, so possibly still true...
Cheers, Nick
NOTE: As an aside, it's possible that supernatural, mystical and meta-cosmic beings have to gain a *mundane* nature in order to join the Cult of the Red Goddess. (The rest of us have that part already). This explains:
They're all "grounding" themselves, so they don't float off to the Moon...
End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #20
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