Hi everybody,
This is what I understood from the ongoing debate on Orlanth and Ernalda cult :
- There is a Pantheon initiation (very strong cultural part and a small divine
part)
that mark adulthood in Orlanthi society. It follow a different way for men and
women.
Those that refuse to pass it are renegade.
Those that can't pass are *children*.
It gives no *adventuring* magic power.
- There are Cult initiation for Orlanth, Ernalda, other Lightbringers and storm
deities.
- Those that don't have direct relation to gender are open to every initiate of
above.
- Those that have a relation to a gender role in society can be accessed by the
opposite gender from a divine point of view but there is a cultural bias against
it.
Ex woman warrior in Sartar or man warrior in Esrolia.
This cultural restriction can be bypassed by subcult that specialise in the role
inversion like Vinga.
- Subcults and aspect/magic of a general cult that have a direct relation to
fertility
can't be accessed by the other gender. This divine restriction can be bypassed
by subcult that specialise in the role inversion like Nandan.
It is more difficult to join this kind of subcult than the other (body
alteration ?).
Some of deities don't have such subcult because no hero created it yet. Example
BG
So :
Men and women join Issaries or Eurmal indifferently
Men join Chalanna Arroy through subcult for men healer (is there yet one ?)
Women join Lankhor My through subcult of women sage by wearing false beard.
A man join OA, everything is normal.
A woman join OA, get the magic (except the male fertility related) and a social
stigma
A woman join Vinga, get the magic (except the male fertility related) and is
*normal*.
A man join Vinga, get the magic, and a much stronger social stigma without any
advantage.
A man join Ernalda the Mother with Nandan subcult.
A woman join Orlanth the Father with a subcult to be created (and get
moustache).
Did I missed something ?
Cheers, Hervé