>To help set the record straight, Hero Wars does (last time I read the
draft)
>specifically state that the special requirement for joing the cult of
Orlanth,
>including its aspects (Adventurous, Rex, Thunderous, Urox) is "open to
>males only". Note that none of the other lightbringers have such a
restriction.
>This isn't by any means "fair" by modern standards, but does that really
matter?
Rick's comments are fine and I have no argument against them......BUT (you knew that was coming.....)
My intial arguements against Vinga and Orlanth's cult baring women have nothing to do with anti-sexist gaming. The place for anti-sexism is in the heads of the people playing the game not the game world. Glorantha is a 'realistic' world (Ducks etc apart) at least in its peoples basic motivations and behaviours, sexism will be around just as racism, war, plague and all the rest. We GM's use these as things for players to struggle against, overcome and generally HAVE FUN! Ricks example of the female Bishop is a perfect example of a great play moment that came out of conflict....but not combat. Good stuff and the type of thing that the best roleplaying is built on.
I just dont see WHY Orlanth's cult is barred to females! I could see Storm Bull being males only....Storm Bull is about as 'Male' as it gets, all testosterone and macismo, I could see Humakt being oposed to female cultists....women joing the cult losing their fertility and so on.
But Orlanth is the Cheiftan of his people and excludes no-one. I have been re-reading the stories and legends of Orlanth and I just cant make him out that way at all.
Babesta Gor bans males because she is overwelmingly female, the 'permamently
pre-menstrual axe wielding bitch on wheels' to quote one of my female Bab's
playing players.......if Orlanth was a overpoweringly male Iron Hans or Red
John sort of a figure.....the way Storm Bull might be portrayed...then I'd
turn no hair over his Cult being a male preserve. But Orlanth is, at least
in some of his aspects, a father figure. The Chieftan and ruler, stead
keeper and Husband.
Why should his entire cult be male only, aspects ok, but the whole thing?
Vinga's stories are well written and enjoyable, but I dont see her niche being big enough to form a wise spread cult. A hero figure and cult in a few clans possibly....
As RickM states if you dont like it change it.......so in my RQ3 game Vinga doesnt exist as a cult and Orlanth has female followers. When I finally get my hands on HW I'll probably play it the same way (assuming I like the system or can be bothered to convert my current house campaign).
DomT
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