Re: Humakt in risen from the dead shock

From: simonh_at_msi-uk.com
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 10:40:59 -0000


Peter Larsen :

> I disagree. I think part of being a greater god is having many
>aspects and being able to do many things -- Orlanth kills and heals,
herds
>and farms, dispenses justice and causes discord. Ernalda heals,
rules, and
>represents the wide functions of the Earth (as well as the changing
roles
>of females from birth to death). The Red Goddess has many faces, and
even
>Shargash represents both death and life. Humakt in contrast, only
separates
>(living and dead, truth and lies).

Isn't Yelm a greater god? I think Uleria is too. They aren't swiss-army-knife deities either.

> Additionally, to be a greater god, I think a significant
portion of
>a society must be focused on a diety.

I'm sure that is not true. The greater gods simply are what they are. Their status not merely a measure of the size of their congregations.

> Additionally, the Dawn was a special event. Many old laws were
>swept away, and new laws took their place. Humakt did not so much
return to
>life as He returned to his place -- separating the living and the
dead.
>Some gods remained "dead" because the Underworld is the only place
they
>belong (e.g. "Monster Man" who was overcome by Lodril and the non-
chaotic
>(if any) "Zombie Gods" Humakt fought). Other gods returned to "life"
>because they had places in the upper world (most of them, in fact).
Some
>gods (e.g. Kygor Litor) have a place in both worlds. Humakt is not
offended
>by Yelm's progression, because Yelm is true to his role and station
(Well,
>Carmanian Humakti -- the Orlanthi probably just ignore this -- Elmal
is
>their sun, and he doesn't die).

Gods, and indeed mortals, can be reborn. This is not a direct affront to
Humakt because he is not anti-life. Zombies and other undead are not alive. They have not been reborn and are still definitely dead, so their
proper place is in hell. I think that when Yelm rises in the morning he
is reborn. Each day is a new beginning for him, and hence for the world.
Humakt has no problem with that.

On the other hand, Humakti do not see resurrection - another form of rebirth - as being something they can participate in. It's something for other people. Humakt is the god of turning the living into the dead.
He has no power over, or understanding of the processes of resurrection
and rebirth.

Finally, with regard to Kyger Litor, and other troll or hell gods. I believe Kyger Litor is, by nature, exclusively a being of the underworld.

> I think you're off base here -- Humakt is a special case in
the
>sense that He is neither in the World, the Underworld, or the Other
Worlds,
>but between them. I think he can be called into any of them (by
Heroquests,
>chiefly), but this puts a strain on everything around it. Humakt is
the
>door; he's not "in" any room.

There is a difference between the power of death, which does manifest in the real world, and the person of Death himself. They are not the same thing. To summon Humakt personally into the world would be the death of everything. Just as the radiance of Yelm lights up the whole
world, and the winds of orlanth extend across the whole world, so the manifest force of death would slice through all life.

Humakt is manifest in hell. You can journey there and talk to him if you like. You can meet him there face to face.

Simon Hibbs


End of The Glorantha Digest V8 #490


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