Re: Re: Heroforming Vinga

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_...>
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 23:34:34 +0100 (BST)

Tim Ellis:
> More than the Orlanthi "All" Vingans do not try and
> Hero-form Vinga, not because the Rules say that only Heros can be
> Heroformed, but because that is not how it's done.

I think beyond the rules-speak, there's a significantly different difficulty in "heroforming" deities rather than actual "heroes"

• the latter have readily perceptible, known attributes that one can emulate, the better to self-identify with the object of the magic. Trying to do this with the much less reductible concept of a "whole deity" is that much more difficult, i not impossible
• while a deity might seem to possess certain attributes also, they wouldn't be thought of as being "limited to" those attributes in the same sense.

Many moons (and possibly several explicit disavowals) ago Greg described the Orlanthi magical method as being, in some ways less "purely theist" than the Yelmic method; I think heroforming (and perhaps devotion) were the sorts of things he had in mind. And I am still struck by apparent similarities between say hsunchenstyle  "integration by emulation", and the more overtly emulatory practices of Orlanthi, as opposed to the sacrificial aspects, which are obviously there too.  

> Kallyr may well be doing something that could be interpreted in
> Rules-speak as Hero-forming Vinga

Or possibly, heroforming an earlier Vingan heroine?

> although it may be interpreted as the Goddess choosing to act more
> directly through her (a sort of Sartarite Joan of Arc if you like)

I think the Pelorian perception of such events is along those lines: avatardom rather than heroforming. I suspect personally the two may be fundamentally similar though, just looked at "t'other way 'round".