>>From: Stephen Tempest <e-g_at_...>
>>
>>But mixing religions was extremely common in more ancient times - it's
>>only really the Judaic tradition that insists on exclusive worship of
>>a single god.
>
>You must be assuming that magic works in the real world. Because otherwise
>what would it matter who worshipped what?
Um, actually I was assuming that Gloranthan myths drew their initial inspiration from our own world, so using real-world practices as a model for understanding Glorantha is at least a good starting point for discussion. But we can go your way if you prefer...
>Now, where those restrictions lie in the canon is even less well laid out.
>Do Erissa and Challana Arroy allow mutual worshippers? Or are they at odds
>with each other as enemy gods because they ally with different gods and
>compete to control the Aspect of Healing?
Maybe it's changed since the old days, but it used to be that the average Gloranthan god neither knew nor really cared what the mass of their worshippers got up to. Once you got to devotee (Rune) level, they started taking an interest, and their awareness extended to their own temples, worship ceremonies, and in a very abstract and general sense their area of responsibility - so Ernalda, for instance, was generally aware of anything that might affect the Earth. But they certainly weren't omniscient, nor could they see into their average worshipper's heart. At the unconcentrated, initiate or communal worshipper level, the bond between mortal and god simply isn't strong enough to matter. (Of course, someone whose soul is drawn to healing magic might find it uncomfortable, difficult or downright impossible to use death magic, quite apart from any communal or social restrictions).
>If somebody were to make up a chart with what they thought were the gods
>that allowed mutual worship, that would either be a great boon, or a great
>bane. I'm not sure which. :-)
Back in the Runequest 2 days, every second Chaosium publication contained just such a chart. :)
Stephen
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