Uleria

From: Olli Kantola <nysalor_at_...>
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 11:28:57 +0200


On Mon, 19 Feb 2001, Peter Metcalfe wrote:
> >KoS:
> That is a Prosopaedia created by a 4th age author. Uleria does not
> appear anywhere else in KoS which one would expect if the Heortlings
> acknowledged her as a love goddess.

She appeared twice. In the prosopaedia and creation myth. The creation myth seems important. If you admit that Uleria is the source of love for Heortlings, then you could argue that she is present in any myth that deals with love.

I am not claiming that she is a major player in Orlanthi myths(though she can been seen as such since she is love), but how many of the gods/goddesses from the extra 15% are brought up more than once or twice in it? How many of those left marginalized are important? It is a rather small collection of myths IMO.

> >I admit that Heortlings could think that she is the Goddess of Lust instead,
> >but then I'd have to figure out a reason for that.
>
> Why do you need a reason? Uleria's not worshipped by them, she's
> known to be worshipped by prostitutes, ergo she is a lust goddess.
> You could say the same about any peaceful Lunar Goddess...

Wait a minute. Isn't Uleria supposed to be in the Orlanthi paentheon? Besides she isn't a Lunar Goddess per se, btu rather central Genetarelan Goddess. (IMHO) You stated that the Orlanthi think that she is the Goddess of Love, that it is an Orlanthi belief, did you not? So I will restate my question. Why would other Orlanthi identify her with love and Heortling with lust and whoring?

> >Why would the Heortlings think otherwise. Dara Happan influence?
> >No appreciation for love?
>
> I don't see how this follows. Merely because they don't worship
> Uleria does not mean they abjure love.

I could perhaps been more clearer. I don't think that Orlanthi are apt to adopt Dara Happan morals or that they abjure love. The whole idea is ludicurous.

> >Or is Orlanth/Ernalda the only bond that they will tolerate in
> >their society? I don't think so.
>
> Breaking this bond is adultery and grounds for outlawry. Failure
> to punish adultery means the clan will be punished by the Gods.

As the Goddess of Love (source of it and other neat stuff) Ulerians are propably the first to honor the sanctity of love and divine union between men and women (marriage). Orlanth and Ernalda married and supled the model, presumably Heort codified it's laws and Uleria was the source of the power of marriage (divine bond). Since sex is easy, I don't think that Orlanthi frown upon prostitutes. Marriage is hard and I don't think that Ulerian prostitutes would be willing to break its sanctity!

Besides, breaking a bond isn't another kind of bond between men and women.

(There is no crime in living together with an unmarried men or flirting with "singles". Friends can sleep around with each other as long as no-one is married, etc. Sex is easy and unfrowned upon. (Or so I've heard.) Helerings, Urox&Eiritha and such tell me that there must be other types of bonds between mortals and immortals alike than the one between Orlanth and Ernalda. They weren't the first ones to do it, or the last. Just the norm.)

Olli Kantola

-- 
It's lovely to watch colorful shadows in the planets of the eternal light.
-The Master

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