Yes, and I'm not convinced by the viewpoint that Heortlings have a relaxed attitude to sexual relations equating with no prostitution in their culture
Whilst I do agree that such things may have increased since the arrival of the Lunars, they would also have increased with urbanisation.
>
> >> - - they provide some kind of magic which is occasionally useful to the
> >> community
> > Duplicated, for the most part, by acceptable gods, of which Ernalda, the
> > Queen of the Storm Pantheon, is the most prominant.
> But by this argument, there is little reason to worship most Orlanthi
> gods, since their magic can largely be duplicated by subcults of Orlanth or
> Ernalda. In particular, the Ernaldan healer subcults do most of what
> Chalana Arroy can do (exception resurrection, which can't be that common
> anyway). Orlanth the Lawspeak seems to duplicate much of Lhankor Mhy's
> function in Orlanthi society, and so on. But these gods are still
> worshipped because as specialists they can do a small number of things
> better. And Uleria does some things better than Ernalda. Besides, Uleria
> represents a basic human drive, one which cannot be suppressed even in
> strict societies, so I suspect that part of her cult's nature is that it
> springs up everywhere to some extent, even where society may not entirely
> like it.
Couldn't <snip> this
I think it's brilliantly put. Nice one!
>>Having the Plague Spirit protect
> > your town would be a great way to cut down the urban death rate. Nobody
> > does it though.
> Yes, but Malia is also associated with explicitly Chaotic forces, and
> was instrumental in the birth of the Devil. Uleria is not associated with
> Chaotic powers, and given that she rules one of the fundimental principles
> of the universe, almost by definition she can't be chaotic.
One of the funamental 'life affirming' principles too
So, yes a different barrel of ducks altogether
>As a goddess of love, Uleria has enormous ability to
> :disrupt regular relationships, so imagine what an irate Uleria could do
> :to a tribe that offended her. Cause a "plague of love" to sweep the
> :tribe, making its members fall in love with inappropriate people? Wither
> :the love-relationships of married couples? Bring fertility to the wrong
> :people? All of these look like good reasons to not offend her.
I can see these sorts of things happening but only as very isolated
incidents.
Although, drawing on the Larnste comparison again, heortlings living in the
community around an Uleria temple might behave somewhat differently to
other heortlings
> I think Peter is (rather aggressively) defending a rather extreme view of
> Uleria. She is raw power, and can be somewhat disruptive. She is still the
> primal force of love, and not a monster of the predark, or an enemy
> goddess.
Also, little has been said about her possible role as raw ecstatic worship
focus. Once again drawing on my hazy recollections of Bacchanalian rites.
The sacred Prostitute, the taking of natural drugs (presumably early
versions of something like ecstacy without the drawback of it being
manufactured by backyard chemists). The essence of it is/was
approaching the divine through ecstatic dancing and love-making. This was
a powerful part of some very ancient cultures, and I can't think of a more
likely place for it in Glorantha than in Uleria Holy Day rites.
(And no, I don't envision just 'anyone' would get in)
>
>how many fire-and-brimstone preachers in real-world
>Western Christian society have denounced prostitutes as servants of
>the Devil, and proclaimed that those who visit them are endangering
>their immortal souls?
Good point regarding demonic reference in TR
>Incidentally: Heortlings are not allowed to marry members of their
>own clan, correct? Does the same prohibition apply to non-marital
>sex? If it does, then having a casual affair with anybody from the
>same village as you will count as incest. The only way for young
>Orlanthi to indulge in sexual experimentation will be to sneak off to
>another clan's tula - 20 miles away. In such a situation, Uleria
>cultists might have a major social role to play, especially if as
>worshippers of a "demon" they are treated as beyond the laws of kin,
>like Tricksters, and sleeping with one doesn't count as incest...
I await the discussion of this social behavioral possibility with interest.
I think a lot depends on their access to natural fertility protection, which
did/does exist in some native cultures.
If pregnancy is not an issue, then I don't think casual sex within the clan
would be totally forbidden, just looked down upon perhaps.
Which is a shame, as otherwise it was a good argument for Uleria temples
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