> I have some questions about the relationship between the Orlanthi,
hunter cult - Odayla and the Lunar, Moon Bear, hunter cult - UrruYoo.
>
> Is UrruYoo a clone of Odayla, absorbed into the Moon Bear cult, or
was UrruYoo there before? I ask because the two cults are very
similar - they share two affinities and many feats.
The Moon Bear is the 'clone' (or, to Lunars, awakened form) of the Star Bear, aka Odayla. In Sylila, where Odayla was traditionally a much more widely-worshipped deity who had taken on many of the miscellaneous manly/ruler roles of Orlanth, the cult has aspects. Although the Lunar phases do not always directly reflect Odaylan aspects, UrruYoo is the Lunar version of the hunter/wildman aspect of the Star Bear.
Shorter answer: no UrruYoo before Lunarisation, but there was a Star Hunter aspect of the Star Bear.
> The secondary question is this:
>
> If they are essentially clones then does the UrruYoo worshiper have
access to animal spirits in the same way Odayla does, via Kolatings?
No, that direct connection with the animal world was part of what they lost when the Star Bear was tamed and imbued with Lunar power; there are numerous common magic fraternities and sororities with aniumal-related feats, charms and talents, and Novitiates acquiring a Lunar Consort will typically see them in animal form.
> The authorities have been very succesful in switching worshipers
away from Odayla. This would suggest that there are few detrimental
effects of switching ie loss of accumulated spirit charms. The
swapping of a Hide affinity for Otherworld affinity would be a good
thing especially for Sylila hunters living close to Dorastor.
Absolutely; to be sure, there are still many Star Bear holdouts, especially among the Outliners and Kilts, but thanks to their Lunar schticks the Moon Bear followers can emulate many of their powers and much more. That said, just as the Star Bear was Lunarised, I don't see why Odaylan charms _already acquired_ could not likewise be converted. I think I'd pit some suitable ability (whether the convert's willpower or the power of a Lunar priest helping the convert make the change) against each of the charms' strength and those which are defeated are transformed (and become cyclical) and retained.
It is worth noting, btw, that relations between Moon and Star Bear worshippers tend to be quite friendly; they concentrate on their shared 'bearness' more than differences. Typically, the Moon Bear worshippers see the Odaylans as still 'hibernating' but soon to awaken to the reality of their god, while the Odaylans instead see the Moon Bear thing as an aberration but a temporary one -- again, they use the analogy of hibernation and expect some day to see them come back to their senses.
All the best
Mark
Powered by hypermail