Re: Glorantha digest, Vol 10 #164 - 5 msgs

From: Julian Lord <jlord_at_free.fr>
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2004 14:05:42 +0200

Joerg and Peter :

(sorry to step in, but a couple of Ulerian quibbles here ... )

>>>>There isn't much mythical ground for Ernalda or other powers of the Earth
>>>>accepting Chaos.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>The Uleria myth in Wyrms Footprints p34 is sufficient.
>>>
>>>
>>Away from my sources: is this Uleria and the Boggles?
>>
>>
>No. It is about Uleria and Chaos.
>
>

IMO, we have to be very careful with these early Uleria myths for two reasons :

1. They were written up by God Learners
2. The Uleria of the Gloranthan Court is very different to the Uleria(e) of the current mythologies, even though they (all) happen to be the same entity, and despite the fact that the Uleria of the Gloranthan Court still exists

Whatever else, drawing conclusions about the Uleria(e) worshipped in Pelanda, Esrolia, Dragon Pass or elsewhere from information in those articles can be a pretty haphazard task ...

Anyway, the actions of that particular transcendental goddess of the Gloranthan Court can hardly be presented as credible proof of Ernalda or other *modernly worshipped* powers of the Earth accepting Chaos (anecdotally, perhaps there are some that *do* ; certainly NOT Ernalda though !). OTOH ALL of the Elder Gods and Powers are/were intimately linked with Chaos, including Mother Earth or Gata.

>>Uleria is not a power of the Earth
>>
>>
>Which is news to the Elves.
>
>

Uleria sometimes but not always has a strong link with the Earth (and/or Earth Rune). This is for mythic history reasons though, instead of being part of her deep nature. It is because the Grower grew to have a more powerful link with Earth than with any other Element or Form. Probably because Uleria endowed the Grower with the Life-giving Power to turn dead flesh, dead mud, and rotten mulch into new growth and new life from the Earth.

But Uleria is a separate entity from both the Earth and the Grower ! In her deeper nature, Uleria has a strong presence in all parts of Glorantha, with the general exception that she is cosmologically opposed to Death. Her mortal worshippers generally believe that she is opposed to Chaos in the same way, but this is not actual cosmological reality : just prejudice on their part ; except perhaps where the Unholy Trio and Wakboth are concerned. In fact, Uleria is just as much part of chaotic life as non-chaotic ; her opposition to entropy is merely part of the opposition of Creation as a whole to the forces attempting to destroy it.

>The Pelandans are not Naverians and the going-ons at Mount
>Jernotius is evidence that Natha was accepted by them. Given
>that the Pelandans worship Daxadarius (who was also involved
>at the Jernotian going ons) to this day, I find it hard to believe
>that the conflict is evidence that the Naverians sought to hinder
>the rise of the Red Moon and still seek to draw it down.
>
>

I have to agree with Peter here.
The High Gods of Pelanda are not a theogonic rubber-stamp committee ...

Julian Lord

-- 
__________________________________
"Hmmm, I've heard of other powers. 
Can you tell me about ...

... Real Life ?"



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