Let's be sure to be objective in our analyses - Christianity (or any Real World Religion) is likely to stir up feelings.
> while, as Rory says, that's not the same way you'd react to Joe Bloggs
> next to you on the pew, it's hardly the same as you'd react to a
> nutter shouting on the street corner. (Which was, remember, the
> original description I was disagreeing with).
Ah - but I amended my description. :-)
Devotees are likely to be in positions of power and/or influence anyways - either as religious figures (Priests, hirophants, etc), Military Officers, Govenrmental officials (Rock stars, Sports heroes...). I think you're normal Ordinate isn't Joe the Baker down the street, but Joe the Emperor's Baker in the Palace. If Joe the (plain ol') Baker *is* an ordinate, then he'll be treated differently by the people in the neighborhood then Sam the Baker, who's merely an Adherant.
Outside of their social strata (certainly from *below* it), the "Wow, he's a devotee" will probably be lost in the "Wow, he's a Priest/Minister/Colonel." Within the social strata, and *possibly* above it, the Devotee-ism difference will be more seen/commented on. "We're all Colonels, but *He's* an Ordinate of Yanafal Tarnils". Then the individual way of treating him differently will kick in - awe, emulation, envy, resentment, whatever.
> The bottom line, though, is this: a Glorantha where devotees are, as a
> general rule, regarded as strange people best avoided by the rest of
> us is not a Glorantha that I, personally, can tell interesting stories
> in. React negatively to some cults (Jakaleel, Danfive Xaron, Urox,
> etc.), sure. But not simply because they're devotees. That doesn't
> interest me, and I actively don't want a Glorantha that's like that.
As I said, I've amended my description - they'll be treated differently, though not necessarily negatively. The treatement will depend on the viewer, not the Ordinate (unless he is so *obviously* a nutter...)
RR
He was born with the gift of laughter and the sense that the world was mad
R. Sabatini, Scaramouche
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