I never did like the "Well, if Orlanth dies, obviously Ernalda does as well." I've seen versions of the Great Darkness myth where Ernalda sleeps first, then Orlanth goes into the Underworld. I've seen other where Orlanth goes first.
I think the real question is "What did the Lunars think they were doing?"
We've repeatedly seen the "Greater Darkness" parallel. If that's the case,
then what did the Lunars expect? Did they expect Orlanth, then Ernalda
sleeps and then the rest of the Orlanthi Pantheon dies out/weakens too?
(Seriously, if it's the Great Darkness, shouldn't LM magic stop, too? And
Issaries? Both of them go into the underworld with Orlanth, no?)
Were they going with some other defeat/death of Orlanth myth and didn't anticipate the Ernalda tag on?
Where they aiming at both? (It seems unlikely given how they have been able to suppress Orlanth in Tarsh without knocking Ernalda out.) Did they think they were getting the Greater Darkness? (and honestly, Orlanth isn't dead for that whole period, is he?)
OiD really gives no explanation of what they did or how they did it.
(Whitewall fell, Orlanth and Ernalda stop having magic work, that's it.)
I honestly don't think it gives much to decide whether or not the Lunars
expected Ernalda to conk out, either.
LC
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