Perhaps the godi skills should read: initiate to pantheon, initiate to <your god>, lead prayers.
This would more clearly express that any god talker can initiate someone into communal worship, and in addition could initiate to their god, with perhaps the understanding that they would take improvisation modifiers for initiating to sub-cults and/or aspects other than their own.
It would also show that the other skill is about leading group prayers, not praying yourself (which is normally covered under the worship relationship I'd think).
Is it also fair to assume that any devotee can initiate someone to
their god using their mythology of <that god> skill at some fair
penalty (perhaps around -5). This would reflect that they may know
the initiation myths but they've not routinely introduced them to
others.
>
> That is, the godi are responsible for making/helping the most
general and
> widespread functions of leading social sacrifices and making
children into
> adults.
I hate to question the person who mostly defines this world for us, but.....
Surely the function of godi is something along the lines of forming a bridge between their god and their people? For god talkers of majority gods (Orlanth and Ernalda in particular, Elmal and even Redalda occasionally) the biggest part of their bridge function is indeed bringing "the people" to the pantheon, since most people in their clan deal with the pantheon through their god.
For godi of more specialized deities I would think that this is a
lesser portion of their function. Presumably the prime function of a
god-talker of, for example, Issaries is to be a bridge between the
people and Issaries. Certainly Issaries is part of of the Storm
Tribe, and this is important, but I'd think that his god-talkers
would be more focussed on helping the people understand Issaries and
bringing Issaries blessings to the people.
>
> BUT I think that every Orlanthi godi has varying commitments and
puts his
> attention (HPs) into whichever of those that he wants. Certainly the
> majority of people do what everyone does. And just as certainly, the
> characters in your story scenario are exceptions (both players and
Narrator
> characters.)
Does this imply that you'd expect that a god-talker would choose between initiate to Orlanth and Ernalda, initiate to Orlanth Adventurous and initiate to Finnovan?
(aside to Jeff K: I chose Finnovan because I figured most people would recall him without checking their books. My actual sub-cults of concern were in fact Tatouth and Mastakos).
> Finally, in my game if someone wanted to use his Mythology of Elmal
> specialty in some non-Elmal story I would certainly allow it, with
> modifiers. Remember that the Elmali (and everyone) spends plenty of
time in
> the communal ceremonies, and if he is active may be playing out his
deity's
> own part in those stories (even if he is just one of the many
unnamed
> followers or thunder followers.) I would allow the skill to be used
even
> when leading pantheon-related sacrifices. He would do "the Elmal
version"
> of the sacrifice.
Of course, for Elmal those may not vary much from the usual, after all there was a time when he had to stand in for most everything. Now, if an Odaylan ends up leading things they get really weird....*grin*
Thank you very much for your feedback, as always it has helped me understand a little more about the Heortlings.
--Bryan
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