Bryan pointed out a little while ago that:
> Now, my question is all about Yelmellian gifts and geas. They always
> struck me as a little odd, given the otherwise very standardized
> nature of the Yelmelian cult, or for that matter most solar cults.
> Additionally, now that we know about the Elmal/Yelmalia split we
> notice that there is nothing like it in the Elmal cult.
So, I have a little myth to explain why Elmal doesn't have any geases:
HOW EURMAL BROKE ELMAL'S GEAS
There came a day when raiders from the Fire Tribe attacked Orlanth's Stead.
Elmal, so brave on other occasions, did not join the fight on the walls. He did
not take up the Justice Spear to smite the raiders, he did not place his
Brilliant Shield in the shield wall, and he did not ride forth on his swift
horse to pursue them. And the Fire Tribe warriors showed no fear of him on this
day. It was only when one of the raiders seized Chalana Arroy and tried to
carry her off to slavery that Elmal charged into the fight, shining so bright
that none could face him.
But after the Fire Tribe had been driven off Elmal's light dimmed, so it was
little more than a candle. He gave a great cry and sank to the earth. His
comrades rushed to his side and called for healers. But Elmal stopped them.
"Brothers," he wept. "I faced a foe today against whom I could not win, and now
suffer a wound that cannot be healed."
The Thunder Brothers carried Elmal to Orlanth's Hall, where the Storm King
heard what had happened. "How can this be?" he asked. "You, brave Elmal, have
fought the Fire Tribe many times. How is it that you cannot fight them this
time?" And Elmal explained: "You all know I was once a warrior of the Fire
Tribe. This wound I now bear is an example of the injustice that made me leave
my former kin. When I was with the Fire Tribe, I was forced to swear an oath
that I would never fight on Clayday. Now, the geas I took dooms me to sicken
and die."
Orlanth's anger shook the air that day. But when he calmed down, he looked for
a way to avert this doom. He spoke to Lhankor Mhy, but the knowing god's
library only confirmed that Elmal had broken his geas and must now pay the
price. He spoke to Humakt, but Humakt was busy sharpening his sword for Elmal
and could not help. He spoke to Issaries, but there is no negotiating with an
oath.
Even more angry than ever, Orlanth vented his frustration on Eurmal. "If I can
come up with a way to help Elmal," asked the fool. "Will you stop kicking me?"
Orlanth agreed that he would. Eurmal stood upright and dusted himself off.
"Very well," he said. "I will do my best."
Eurmal went to Chalana Arroy's hospital, where Elmal lay injured. And he looked
at him long and hard, first with one eye closed, then with the other closed.
And then he stood on one leg for a time while he thought as hard as he could.
"I will need to borrow three things from you, Elmal," he said.
Eurmal asked for Elmal's Brilliant Shield, and Elmal agreed to lend it to him.
Eurmal asked for Elmal's Sun Torch. Elmal thought about this and then agreed to
lend it to him.
Eurmal asked for Elmal's Justice Spear. Elmal thought twice about this, and
would not lend it to the fool.
"No matter," shrugged Elmal. "I'll just use my stick instead." So Eurmal took
up the Brilliant Shield, and the Sun Torch and his own stick, which he thought
looked like the Justice Spear from quite a long way off. He dressed himself up
as if he was Elmal and insisted that everyone pretend that he was Elmal and
call him "Hearthguard".
By the time Clayday came around again, everyone was thoroughly sick of Eurmal.
But he stood on the rampart like a warrior, and when he saw a stranger coming,
he ran up and hit him with his stick. Elmal's geas was fooled, and came rushing
to Eurmal to make him sicken and die. But Eurmal was expecting this, and he
began to run as fast as he could, all around Orlanth's Stead.
Eurmal ran right through the middle of Uralda's field, scattering her cattle so
that they ran, mooing in alarm, in all directions.
He ran right through the middle of Redalda's paddock, scattering her steeds so
that they ran, neighing in alarm, in all directions.
Then he ran right through the middle of Isbarn's yard, scattering her flock so
that they ran, honking in alarm, in all directions.
Eurmal kept on running and soon came to Chalana Arroy's hospital, where
everyone could see that Elmal's geas was no longer chasing him. Elmal shouted
for joy. "How can this be?" he asked. When Eurmal had got his breath back, he
told him: "When I scattered Isbarn's flock, they ran off in all directions and
she had to dash out and call all of her geese back together. Your one was
confused and was caught up in the flock, where I hope it will stay."
Everyone who was there laughed. "Come, Eurmal," said Elmal. "Give me back my
Brilliant Shield and my Sun Torch and I will drink many toasts to you in
Orlanth's Hall." But Eurmal did not want to give up the Brilliant Shield and
the Sun Torch and tried to run off with them. Luckily for Elmal, he was fit and
strong now that he was free of the geas. He chased Eurmal and hit him with the
Justice Spear and he got his possessions back.
And so Eurmal had defeated a foe that Elmal could not face. To this day,
Elmal's followers sometimes wear a goose feather in their hair to remind them
of this. And if you need to keep something safe from a trickster, you should
set a flock of geese to guard it. For Eurmal's folk are always worried that
they might find that special one, out of all the geese, which is still looking
for the trickster.
OK, I'm sorry. That was a dreadful pun. But someone had to do it...
Regards,
Bruce
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