> The only other cultural role for a male homosexual would a Heleri, who
> is culturally male, which means that the marriage rules remain unchanged.
A Helering is indeed a man from the legal, religious and ritual POVs.
> Since in the myths Heler commits adultery without being punished for it,
> apparently,
Orlanth turns a blind eye because Heler is actually his Fertility
Are you jealous of your, er, whatsit ?
> perhaps gay Heleri are allowed to have a male 'concubine'
> alongside their wife.
Helerings function outside the rules for basically cosmological reasons. Heler is the Fertility of Orlanth, without social bounds but including an ambiguity of gender. This is actually VERY complex.
Pragmatically, Helerings have a devil-may-care pansexuality (although virtually all of them are normal hetero Orlanthi ).
One aspect of Heler's pansexuality is that both men and women can join his cult.
Another is that people assume that they're inverts.
But Heler is a male god, and he is unable to take on the magical, physical, or social attributes of a woman.
> Marriage to another man is out for a Heleri unless
> the other man is a Nandani.
Orlanthi can belong to two cults, and among the Nandani the favourite second cult is probably Heler.
But very few devotees of Heler feel a need to go Nandanic IMO ; at least, no more than other Orlanthi.
> A gay Orlanthi would have to marry a woman, but
> might be allowed a non-marital relationship with a Heleri?
Yes.
Julian Lord
PS : Quo patrilinearity in Nandanic weddings ?
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