Re: Odayla and the "mountain men"

From: John Hughes <nysalor_at_...>
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 11:54:54 +1000

Not being familiar with 'mountain men' in their native context, Jeff's latest post has helped me understand some of the symbolism. I can better appreciate some of the romance that inspired Jeff and no doubt others.

By way of my own digression, White Australia's contact with wilderness has been of an entirely different order. The environment was harsher, flora and fauna completely alien, and the indigenes lives too leisured and philosophical-religious to be comprehended by a C18 European mindset. (Flannery, author of 'The Eternal Frontier' is an Australian, and did a similar ecohistory for the Antipodes in 'The Future Eaters'). Perhaps that is part is why I didn't comprehend the mountain man mythos, despite a youth spent devoted to 'The Bush" that still shapes both my thinking and my spirituality.

>They may not

> prefer their stead-dwelling kinfolk, but those farmers are THEIR larger
> community. Whether they like it or not (similar conflicted opinions
> probably exist for most followers of "odd" gods like Humakt or whatever).

I started by arguing this very point, even though the writeup depicts them as almost completely asocial, rarely bothering even to marry. That's why I mentioned the Desert Fathers - not the most obvious analogy for a hunting cult.

> No, but they probably trade furs for *stuff*. I think you are overstating
> things when you say that Odaylans (in general) have "no concern for
material
> possessions." I think they have little concern for herds and land, but
some
> may well have ambitions of having a fine hall, a nimble horse, or nifty
> weapons. They just aren't that likely to ever collect enough furs to
> achieve those ambitions. Others may be in some sort of spiritual balance
> with nature. It just depends on the Odalyan, I would guess.

Yes, I guess I'm ascribing too monolithic a worldview and dedication to the cult. Obviously, there will be mixes and varying degrees of asociality and commitment.

We use the fur and amber analogy: how compelling it is depends on how much your own campaign emphasises markets and extended barter. I guess the coming of the Lunars could have dramatically increased the demand for 'barbarian novelty' items, to the extent that men are entering the wilderness simply to trap and hunt. A bit like... American mountain men. :) But the Sartarite hunters are in the position of being *both* resource-aware Indians and small scale entrepreneurs hoping to make a (literal) killing, which means (again) cult clashes and internal divisions. It's same old story..

John