Re: The Glorantha Digest V7 #357

From: Groovydood <argrath_at_agoron.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2000 13:37:48 -0500

>
> Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 20:37:19 -0500
> From: Martin Laurie <MLaurie_at_compuserve.com>
> Subject: Some more Onslaughter - an explanation of heroes
>
> HUMAKTI HEROQUESTERS
>
> In my view, the Humakti reach the apogee of their cult when they go
"solo",
> for Humakt himself was solo for most of his greatest feats. It is my
> belief, having played Humakti and studied all the Humakt material and
> talked extensively with Greg on the subject for years now, that the only
> way to become a great Humakti hero is to be a wanderer.
>
> The HW rules back this up. To become a hero you effectively have to offer
> something more than your god, or there will not be enough reason to
worship
> you after you apotheosis and you will fade. Given the singular form of
> Humakt worship and the ties that bind them to huscarl or guard work and
> their inability to be very fertile, this means often abandoning the few
> people and contacts that keep you human, keep you social. The great HQers
> of Humakt like Makla Mann were wanderers, some crossing the whole
> continent. Likewise Humakt did this to find his sword and in many other
> feats, only part of his time was he with his kin.

This brings to my mind two social roles for Humakti, that are perhaps intertwined - Tribal Champion, and Hero, for Humakt.

in regards to the Lone Wanderer archetype of Humakti, I posit for you two 'social' roles for Humakti - The Champion, and the General. I'm interested in the role of the general, since Humakt seems to me one of the few Orlanth pantheon deities capable of organizing large bands of warriors and turning them into soldiers...complete with drill and file, complex tactics and logistics.

While it seems to have been generally stated that the Solar and Lunar cultures have better abilities to perform large-scale war magic of this kind, with deities like Polaris and Shargash, Humakt seems to ironically be the 'soldier's god' of Orlanthi society, a role also filled by Elmal, as opposed to Orlanth, who fufills the role of the bold, individualistic warrior. At some higher levels (Rune Level and above), the roles seem to become inversed, as the Orlanth Devotee gains the powers of Leadership of his namesake while the Humakti becomes the lone, grim strider, like Humakt.

Can those on the list point out examples of both Humakti myths and heroes that emphasize Humakt's skill as a general, and a leader of warriors? Would Humakt have these skills? Or would that be more Elmal or Orlanth's province?

Chris Bell
argrath_at_agoron.com

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