What's so great about Vinga?

From: Donald R. Oddy <donald_at_grove.demon.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2001 22:22:08 GMT



>
>From: Peter Larsen <plarsen_at_mail.utexas.edu>
>
> 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.

I can imagine a clan based around Vinga and Barntar with Barntar taking over many of Ernalda's roles (e.g. childcare and fertility) and leaving Ernalda the mother as a specialist concentrating on pregnancy and birth. If such a clan exists it would be isolated from mainstream heortling clans and probably has other odd features as well - maybe it is cursed to have few sons.

I'm a bit fuzzy on this 'Great God' idea anyway. Some such as Orlanth, The Red Moon and Aldrya seem to be a collection of gods each with individual functions which together provide help with all the functions of the society. Others such as Yelm appear to be single gods with plenty of worshippers and authority over other gods. Presumably if a great god lost worshippers to the extent of being weakened another god could take their place.

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