What's so great about Vinga?

From: Peter Larsen <plarsen_at_mail.utexas.edu>
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 19:22:16 -0500


Chris Lemens says:

>Peter Larsen suggests in passing that Vinga might be a
>great god. I'll set aside the definitional issue of
>what makes a great god and use (a paraphrase) of Petr
>Larsen's definition: a great god is one that provides
>its followers all the major roles in a culture. By
>this definition, I don't think Vinga qualifies because
>she has no fertility/growth aspect. Her closest role
>is protectress of women in labor. I don't think that
>The fact that her followers can join any Orlanth
>sub-cults does not mean that she is providing the
>role; she just enables her followers to fulfill a role
>provided by Orlanth.

        Well, it doesn't seem likely, as there seem to be no clans, tribes, or cultures that rely (fairly) exclusively on Vinga. We know Ernalda, Orlanth, Heler, Yelm, Shargash, and the Red Goddess can provide that core for a society; others remain open to debate. Assuming of course that my definition is anything close to the truth.

        I guess the question is: could Vinga annex those functions of Orlanth, if Orlanth wasn't around (say in Tarsh or Saird)? Are there Vinga dominant clans in those areas? Can Vinga be the consort of Ernalda? Could she partner with Heler or Elmal and Ernalda somehow? If not, she an't be a great god, by my scale anyway.

Peter Larsen
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