Hi all,
The following is a summary of postings about Chalana Arroy and resurrection and includes my own thoughts on resurrection as being different to resuscitation. To find the authors of the original posts I'm afraid you will have to go back to the original digest as this summary doesn't include them.
It has been stated that resurrection in Glorantha is quite (very) rare, and only doable by a dangerous and difficult Heroquest/ritual. In runequest by contrast, there is the spell Resurrection, the 3 point rune spell, (reusable for Chalana Arroy, but non reusable for others).
For Chalana Arroy, I would think it "reasonable", if a heroquest it must be for resurrection, that it use some of her actions in the Lightbringers quest (LBQ). I have never been comfortable in roleplaying games about lack of distinction between resurrection and resuscitation and in the following I do treat them as distinct. YGMV. (if this topic interests you then there is the remainder of this post for my reasons on this).
The following list are the previous discussions I found on the digest on this topic. I've tried to include what I think most relevant to the resurrection of the dead (recent or not so recent), but they are not necessarily a summary of the posts.
The Glorantha Digests V8 #465 - #474 have some talk on resurrection and the LBQ. Other posts are in Volume 08 : #386 - #389 which mostly refer to its rarity, and V8 #330 about Chalana knowing how to resurrect in the LBQ, and Orlanth joining her!. V7 #839. V7 #657 has details on CA heroquesting., Volume 07 : Number 232, V7 #234 about the killer taking part in the ceremony (making the resurrection attempt easier). V7 #230 advises that a resurrection heroquest had been written (a public thankyou to Ian for supplying me a copy even though I would describe this as a short LBQ).
>>
#470, #472
>> The more I think about it, the more I think the LBQ isn't
about
>>resurrection at all. It's the source of CA's resurrection powers,
>Not exactly so. CA's own previous mythology of resurrection provided
>critical parts of the LBQ.
As I understand it, Chalana Arroy knows how to heal mortal wounds. Within 7 days of death, the soul of the deceased stays connected to the body. So if a healer heals the mortal wound, the body and soul can be re-integrated.
After 7 days the soul has been judged by Daka Fal and goes to the place of it's doom. At that point, the healer can't help. Orlanthi know how to go to the underworld and release the soul, so that a healer can heal the death wound.
So a Chalana Arroy resurection isn't realy a mini-LBQ.
#473
But prior to reaching the Court of Silence, the dead soul is still
in some other part of the underworld (the "upper underworld", as it
were). So the CA types would necessarily have some knowledge of
those areas, and both the LBQ, and CA resurrection require traversing
them. (Followed by some other minor details, in the case of the
LBQ...)
#474
According to the same 'Lords of Terror' account, nobody had ever been
resurrected *by mortals* previously. Gods had done it (Orlanth; Yelm;
presumably Chalana Arroy), but not living folk.
....
The distinction between "Harmast's Saga" (Lightbringer's Quest) and "Life of
Harmast" (initiation quest) is highly significant. Loose lips sink ships.
Don't be sold a pup.
....
<<
My thoughts.
The writeup of Chalana Arroy in Storm Tribe has only the sisters of Mercy subcult knowing the 'Secret: Resurrect Other ritual'. Also, it says the 'quest is part of the Lightbringers quest' which could imply either that resurrection is only possible during a light bringers quest, or that it uses the parts of the Lightbringers quest which are applicable to Chalana Arroy/resurrection. I prefer the latter better in that it applies to Chalana Arroys actions so that her followers - without recourse to others - can perform a resurrection quest.
Now the only version publicly published of which I am aware of the Lightbringers quest is that in the LARP 'Fall of the House of Malan' though there is also the short lightbringers pilgrimage in the King of Sartar - and neither have much information on Chalanas Arroys part.
But this led me to think, what would other healing deities do in respect of resurrection?. Or is this just yet another reason for the near universal reverence shown towards the worshippers of Chalana the Calmer. That her followers can overcome death. Awe, reverence then naturally follow... Chaos, on the other hand doesn't care, and trolls, well, they think differently on death, anyway. (In the Hero wars book, Deezola doesn't have resurrection, though Yanafil Tarnils has self resurrection. Hmmm...)
As for resurrection 'ease' between Chalana Arroy in the Lunar and Orlanthi societies, Chalana is also worshipped within the Sun pantheon... Chalana Arroy in RQ had resurrection 'easier' than other dieties (reusable versus non reusable rune spell). I would still have it being easier for her priestesses in Glorantha than any other cultists because of her secret resurrection knowledge.
But the above doesn't actually help in explaining what is involved in a resurrection. KoDP has the resurrection being performed at the Chalana Arroy temple/shrine, people willing to pay big time, and the attempt (successful or otherwise) costing lots of magic.
I also presume the 'breath of life' heroquest/ritual for the recently dead was available to Chalana Arroy before Harmasts LBQ. The LBQ seeking to achieve much more than _just_ bringing back to life of a recently dead individual.
I would actually prefer a distinction made between those resurrecting the recently dead, and those cosmic shaking long dead resurrections from the LBQ/Seven mothers ritual etc, though some of Chalanas actions in the LBQ may be the same as some of those in the resurrection heroquest.
In King of Sartar (in the Court of Silence) - 'your soul separates from your body. for seven days the soul lingers near the body, drifting further apart from it and developing spirit senses. It is like a yolk for the developing soul'.
My take on the 'breath of life' of Chalana Arroy is that it attempts to reintegrate and put the the spirit/breath back into the body, making whole again that what was broken (split).
If a heroquest is required for this, I think it may consist of 1) healing the body (which is available), 2) seeking the spirit, 3) calming then convincing the spirit to return to its body, 4) reconciliation of body and spirit and 5) the return of the CA. The more Chalana Arroy healers the better. The stronger the essence of the goddess, the more likely the resurrection is to succeed.
If you want part of the LBQ parallel, the head CA (of one or more CA) searches along the path of the dead, then contests with the spirit. ie a good Orlanthi is now going to Orlanths hall. What reasons would the Chalana Arroy give to get him to come back. Certainly not that he can go and slaughter more Lunars, but perhaps more to look after his/.her family. After the spirit returns, then it has to be re-integrated with the body. Then the CA has to fully return to Glorantha (having been somewhere inbetween the path of the dead and the living) and this return of the CA herself may not be straightforward (and best to have lots of other CAs nearby in case something does go wrong here).
I think any of the same actions would still be relevant if the spirit was still near the body and I would treat resuscitation (Eg CPR as a nice Arroin skill) being different and easier from resurrection (though in my concise Pocket Oxford dictionary their entries are one after the other) with a CA knowing the 'breath of life' being able to perform both. So with resuscitation being able to be performed within a certain time frame (perhaps 7 minutes - one minute for each of the light bringers) without needing a heroquest for a CA healer with knowledge of the 'breath of life'.
I include a couple of the possible resistance values for the attempt succeeding or failing. The amount of damage/mutilation taken to the body irrespective of the fact the body is fully healed at the start of the ritual. The reasons the Chalana Arroy and others have for the departed to return, and the reason the character or other things have for wanting them to remain dead. The length of time the CA takes to reach the spirit for her being able to return to Glorantha. And if the spirit didn't follow the normal path in death, then this ritual wouldn't be able to be performed.
Of course, if a character dies, and there isn't a CA around to resuscitate them or later resurrect them, the point is moot.
Opinions and thoughts welcomed.
Thanks
Brian
fantome_at_ozemail.com.au <SPACE RESERVED FOR RENT>
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