>Neither of these cultures was particularly pantheistic. They were
>both fairly polytheistic. The Orlanthi (re. current revision) appear
>to be para-polytheistic, almost moving towards monotheism, given how
>every deity seems to be folding into "Orlanth the Y" and "Ernalda the
>X". Eventually, they'll merge into "Orlalda". However, the
>possibility of religious warfare within whatever structure the
>Orlanthi already have does exist, considering Lokamaydon's antics.
I think this is overstating the case somewhat. I doubt (even given Agrath's apparent messing up of the divine) that Orlanth and Ernalda will ever merge or that O or E will merge with the gods adopted into the Storm Tribe. I suspect they are too alien on some level. The special qualities Elmal brings as a member of the Fire Tribe make it impossible for him to be just a face of Orlanth (Yavor was, of course, defeated and became a trophy). It's possible that, lacking Agrath (well, and the Lunars and the Hero Wars), the urbanization of Sartar would have resulted in a more uniform series of Heortling beliefs, but I imagine that the doctrinal conflicts would have been more with Tarsh and Esrolia than internal. But that's me.
meanwhile, Jeff Kyer says:
>Maybe. Maybe not. I'm just remembering the conflicts between priests
>between the Old Day traditionalists and the Dragon Priests of Orlanth in
>the EWF days. Alakoring had to come and settle those priests hash.
>
>And, just because they are Orlanthi doesn't mean we like them. Clearly,
>the myths of the Black Oaks are wrong. They must be closet baby-eaters
>and Meldeks. They're sacrificing _BLACK_ cows to Hedkoranth. Everyone
>knows Hedkoranth prefers the offering of white rams.
It seems to me that Orlanthi have a "live and let live" approach on religious matters. The big conflicts seem to errupt when someone attempts to enforce an orthodoxy. Normally, the Black Oaks' irregular worship patterns would be merely a source of derision and an excuse to punch them at the seasonal market, but if the Black Oaks tried to spread their worship of Ernalda the Oak (with the help of the Lunars, of course), it would be another matter. Nothing rankles Orlanthi as much as "This Is the Way It Must Be Done." In some ways, Orlanthi are the ultimate passive-agressives (with the accent on agressive). Nobody would have had a beef* with Tarumath if Lokamaydon hadn't insisted; the Lunar conversion is trying to move ahead by pursasion, not force, but it will take way too long.
Peter Larsen
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