Re: Hon-eel Maize Quest vs Miller Quest

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_...>
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 12:04:57 -0000

I recently ran an episode for our group, which involved the HonEel corn rites. I decided to modify the supposition that Alanthore is the *victim' in the rights and made Sinodal the victim. Why? Sinodal is the elf-god lover of HonEel. Sinodal gives HonEel a bag of maize seeds. Alanthore then kills Sinodal. The death in the myth is that of Sinodal, not Alanthore. Sinodal dies, but HonEel has corn and this, IMO makes Sinodal a far better model for the sacrificial king. I don't believe that this is any way contradicts Greg's assertion on the digest that a large number of Gloranthan cults, such as the Blood Sun and HonEel, are all worshipping the same god, Alanthore, without being aware of it.

IMG the sacrifices, including the heroes, were `king for a day'. The night before the sacrifices there is an orgy, where the HonEel priestesses attempt to seduce the victims. Those who are seduced add to the power of the next day's ritual by being Sinodal (note there are also parallels to be drawn here with the seduction and sacrifice of Pyjeemsab, the last king of Old Tarsh by HonEel and her Lunarisation of Tarsh's Sorana Tor rights for Kingship). The next day, the victims are tossed into the arena (including everyone who was not seduced, not as good, but still able to play Sinodal for today), built on the cornfields, to meet Alanthore in single combat, turning the ritual into a gladiatorial game. (My assumption is that the Emperor is playing Sinodal when he is sacrificed, whether he is aware of the nature of the orgy he attends the night before is another matter).

I submitted the completed episode to Issaries, so you never know, it might see print, in some form, with Issaries modification no doubt, at some time. (How's that for a conditional sentence).

Feel free to contact me off list if you have any more complex questions.

Ian Cooper