Re: Avatars

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_cs.ucc.ie>
Date: Thu, 4 May 2000 00:28:30 +0100 (BST)

Nils Weinander:
> I prefer to use avatar in a Gloranthan context to mean a
> partial manifestation of a deity, something done by a deity
> who, due to transcendent nature, restraint by the Compromise
> or otherwise is not able or willing to be immanent.

Interesting clause, that last! Mind you, one has to set the 'transcendence bar' pretty low for this to be strictly consistent with existing usage, vis frex Yelm/Antirius. (Emerson!)

How do people think the different forms of 'identification' differ from each other? Is heroforming vs. divine devotion vs 'avatarism' a different primarily in 'scale' of object, or is the distinction more a matter of Method?

Cheers,
Alex.

---