Thella: White Moon, Glassless Mirror, Net Weaver?

From: Santo Sengupta <s.santo.sengupta_at_yhKjSfKLSOcvY7bvZYm7nfE3JS3l9TMCm80FAnFLmxTSGqfNXULiA6Q_lN0>
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 19:58:10 -0400

Namaste all:
In my campaign, I've been exploring in Vithelan myth through the lens of an intrepid (but loony) group of Lunar Missionaries and Heroquesters. The Dream World has features prominently in the game, with the Black Mirror and fallen dragons being some of the most dangerous villains. One of the Heroes has become a full on Dreamer, striving after Elucidation. In the last HeroQuest the heroes undertook, she met Thella after going through Mashunasan's Gates of Truth and Transience.

I've been referencing "Revealed Mythologies" and "Tales of Reaching Moon #17" as my primary sources on this important Dream Goddess. Some version portray Thella as the White Moon, who only exists in dreams. She is venerated as Oren Parond, the emanated power, or Shakti, of the Greatest Mystic. Others have her being a Goddess - The White, or Glassless, Mirror, who can penetrate the veil of nightmares to reveal the dream truth. And some have her filling a very Arachne Solara-esque role of holding together the entire cosmos with her net of dreams. (Which reminds me a great deal of Indra's Net of Jewels..)

My nouveau God-Learner hypothesis: Thella is a Lunar power! Let's look at the facts.
* Oren Parond is Sorcerous Veneration

• White Mirror is Theistic Sacrifice
• Net Weaver could be Animism. And Dreams have a natural cyclicism of their own - all of existence rotates between Waking, Sleeping, and Dreaming.

I'm interesting in hearing what people think, and what roles, if any, Dream Magic and Thella have played in your Gloranthas.

-- 
-Santo
"Aum Shanti Shanti Shantih."