Thin Line between Love and Hate

From: Kmnellist_at_aol.com
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 18:15:39 EST

Alexandre writes:
<< Once I'd have liked to add a character in my campaign who embodied the  dichotomy death/sex but I was stopped from doing so by runic determinism: if  Uleria personifies Love and Love is the expression of Fertility and  Fertility is opposed to Death and Death is expressed (also) by War, how  would such a character come to term with her two natures?
>>

I think that it is a mistake to think of "Life rune" and "Death Rune" as two opposing powers. As an analogy, it is difficult for Lies ("Illusion Rune")to exist without some sort of Truth. The old "thin line between love and hate" also springs to mind. Think of the number of murders inspired by "love" (motive, my dear Watson). The 'love" that launched a thousand ships and a long siege.

Despite this, I do not see Uleria as any sort of martial deity. A possible indirect cause of war, of bloodshed and violence. But not an actual warrior in that conflict. Possibly a camp follower or prostitute to the soldiers, but not a soldier herself.

Incidentally, for a Ulerian IMG, I used assorted Motown/60's Soul lyrics as sacred liturgy and as the answer to certain divinations:

Stop! in the name of Love.
Love don't Love nobody
When a man loves a woman
Try a little tenderness
Guess Who

and countless others. It is a bit of a cheap gag, but I like it.

Keith N

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