>> The religion, remember, is a
>> series of celerations, rites and magic that are accessible to the
>> worshippers.
>
> And these practices differ from place to place rather than being
> word-perfect imitations of the canon of Hantrafal as taught by
> the Theyalan missionaries.
Actually, the Hantrafal practices are not the same as the Theyalan practices. But I shall consider your statement to be that the Ralian practices of the Orlanthi religion differ from those of the Theyalans. And I will reassert, that in the general sense and form, the Orlanthi practices are the same. Not exactly, of course, but one is based on the other.
> For example when the missionaries
> reached beyond Kerofin, who was it that suggested that Top of
> the World be venerated?
The use of Top of the World in place of Kero Fin is not a significent difference in the religion or practice. I can assure you, for instance, that no one believes that Top of the World is the mother of Orlanth.
> The wise all-seeing missionaries or
> the locals who had memories of praying to that mountain?
It is the practice of the Orlanthi to hold their ceremonies at the tops of holy heights of all altitudes. Clans use their nearby hill, the Hagolings use a mountain in the Yolp Mountains, etc.
That said, it is possible that Ralians remembered that their ancestors once prayed to the ToW.
>> These were learned by the Ralians from the Theyalan
>> missionaries. Pfrevious to this the survivors had no religion other
>> than a couple of ghosts, petty local spirits, etc., whose function was
>> bare survival.
>
> The Lendarshi had access to the priests of Turos without any
> intervention from the outside so I must reject this position of
> no sacrifice to the gods without contact from the Theyalan
> missionaries.
The Lendarshi were not educated by the Theyalans. Nor were the Turos-worshipping Pelandans.
Issaries, Inc.
c/o Greg Stafford
1942 Shattuck AVe, #204
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
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