I see. Here the word avatar is actually used in GRoY (p 43). With the definition I tried to make, I think he is not an avatar though. Then again, Antirius might be an avatar of Yelm...
> > Hmm, quite an interesting issue. I'd say the effects are very
> > similar, but the method differs: heroforming is initiated by
> > the devotee, an avatar is sent by the deity. So, I think you
> > can say that the resulting entities are indistinguishable, but
> > they got there from opposite directions.
>
> Or are being looked at from different ends of the telescope, at
> least. Though the 'details' of the method are doubtless different,
> at least. (Or 'technique' as opposed to 'method', as we may or may
> not have previously agreed to say.)
Again with an eye on the Red Emperor debate, I think that if a mortal takes on aspects of a deity it's a case of heroforming, while a god who forms a body out of whole cloth makes an avatar.
> Different points of view on the same thing, if you ask me. Who
> says frantic politicking can't be the means of incarnation of an
> avatar?
If the politicking prompts the deity to create the avatar, sure, but as per above I'd call it more heroforming-like if a mortal with a past personal history provides the body and more avatarlike if the body is created from moon stuff and steps out of cave.
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