I'd concur with that, though (probably rather less often) some people are 'called' to a particular way of life (or by a particular god -- six and half a dozen, really). Very few people would have the luxury of musing, dilettante-like, about what they'll do with their lives...
> The 15% of people who follow unusual deities are all those that follow
> anyone but Orlanth and Ernalda. Thus, that 15% consisits of all the
> Humakti, Issaries types (many of which are women), Lankhor Mhy sages,
> Babeester Gori, etc.
When Greg says things like "15% of Orlanthi follow non-standard gender roles"; or "15% of Orlanthi follow anyone but Orlanth and Ernalda" (and he's said both) one should bear in mind any number of caveats about Greg, off the top of the head numbers, percentages, and the like. I'd take the numbers as being consumately non-definitive, but the sentiment as being 'a small but significant minority', in either case.
> Eurmali are feared and despised because they
> live outside the law, but they are often needed as literal scapegoats.
And here I thought the literal scapegoats of Orlanthi society were... the goats.
> Ernalda is the spiritual earth, the source of life, the mystery of
> womanhood. ALL woman initiate to Ernalda (or their local equivalent) -
> that's what makes them adult women. (They may also initiate to other
> deities - like Issaries.)
Where this gets even more confusing, though, is trying to work out whether these 'initiations' are of a similar character or not. As I understand Current Thinking (which may be scarcely at all -- take this impression with quantities of salt to taste), one's adulthood initiation is into the 'pantheon', or approx. one half thereof, by gender role; subsequent initiations are matters of devotion to a particular god (such as Issaries) or aspect of the appropriate cultural deity: Orlanth the Farmer, etc.
Cheers,
Alex.
End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #88
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