Re: Great Gods

From: Joerg Baumgartner <joe_at_toppoint.de>
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 23:57:14 +0000


Peter Metcalfe
>>> I have yet to see any example of a new aspect for a pre-existing
>>> great god coming into existence in historical times.  The aspects
>>> of Orlanth are the same as they were in the God Learner times for
>>> example.

>>True, if you take Orlanth Rex as a development unrelated to the GLs.

> Orlanth Rex is a subcult, not an aspect.

It is listed under "Special Orlanth Aspects", and belonging to neither of the three common aspects. I yield that as a "single subcult aspect" it isn't that great a deal (yet?), but still it is a new facet of Great Orlanth which wasn't evident (to the Heortlings at least) before.

Which is why I find it unreasonable to deny any deity a hidden potential for becoming a Great God. As soon as the deity is recognized as such, the recognition will have become unevitable.

>>The change in Great God status I mentioned above was aimed at Sedenya.
>>And yes, it takes measures the size of the Battle at Castle Blue and 27
>>years of preliminary questing.

> I do not believe that Sedenya's Greatness was caused by human
> questers or even herself in human form. IMO it was inherent in
> the very nature of the Goddess from the very beginning (not 1220
> ST but in the Godtime). That's why her victory was inevitable
> at Castle Blue. Her birth in Torang was a small event that
> triggered massive cosmic changes that had been waiting to happen.

Yes. Her Orogeria or Gerran etc. worshippers were unaware of the Great Goddess status (IIRC some Orogerians still are) until then, though, weren't they?

>>I wonder whether Nysalor was anywhere near FoHD status (as far as >>that's possible for mystical deities).

> I think Nysalor is not because the force that he represents is
> not a fundamental force.

It's the force which triggered the Unholy Trio's actions and thereby birthed Chaos. I don't quite buy the subsumption of Nysalora (or Rashoran(a)) simply as one of the aspects of Sedenya, unless this is the Fundamental force.

This question arose from the consideration that the question of Greatness and Predominance seems to be at the core of the hexacentennial cataclysms which affect Glorantha.


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