Re: A little Elmal question

From: simon_hibbs2 <simon.hibbs_at_...>
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 11:41:25 -0000


Charles says :

>I think that Greg meant that, in the Orlanthi Mythology at the
>Dawn, Orlanth killed the Evil Emperor and the Evil Emperor was
>not the Sun.

I am perfectly aware of that, it's crystal clear in my conciousness and has been for at least a decade, hence the carefull wording. However I could swear that in the old Orlanthi myths, the Evil Emperor is the king of the fire tribe. It's entirely possible I'm wrong on that, and if so I stand corrected.

> >that to mean that he was a light in the
> >darkness,
>
> Yes, Elmal was in the sky, atop Kero Fin, glowing dimly.
> At the same time he rode around his lord's stead, loyal retainer
warrior
> that he is, to drive off the demons and dead who would have hurt
his wards.

So far, so much perfect agreement.

> >and so even though he is the sun and descends into
> >the underworld at night, he must still light the darkness
> >somehow.
>
> Is the night entirely dark? That is the light of Elmal.
> Are the hearts of men without hope? That is the light of Elmal.
> Do fires dim to darkness when the Sun leaves its upper border? That
is the
> light of Elmal.

Fine, even more that we are perfectly agreed on.

> Is your understanding increased to remember that Elmal is a god,
and that
> most of the gods can bi- or tri- or multi-locate at will?

I know that, we're talking at cross purposes. When I suggested that Lightfore might be Elmal's sheild which he loaned to Orlanth, I take it as a given that Elmal's shield is one of his powers, it's part of him. What the Orlanthi believe about lighfore isn't realy the point, the point is Elmal lights the surface world while he is also the sun travelling through the underworld.

Simon Hibbs

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