> I was recently asked about 'Entekosiad', most enigmatic one of Stafford
> Library.
Falling one letter behind on a TI discussion sometimes seems to require a vast response in particulars.
Instead, I will get all pontifical and say the following:
What you need to understand is that all these myths are attempted rationalizations of something that is beyond understanding—not beyond experience, but beyond any attempt to explain it in logical terms. Metaphor is the only way it comes out—the language of poetry and mythology.
What is the Truth? Let's not even ask for the Absolute Truth, but what *really happened?*
The results can be found by: 1. Experience—perform the ceremony, see what happens; or 2. Analyze the collective body of known myths. We deliberately use our rational human mind to learn "what really happened" (and I don't say logically because that is a special kind of analysis).
Well, at this point we cannot help using method 2—we're thinking humans, we have already been exposed to multiple stories. So what does a quick analysis agree on?
Further details depend entirely on the specific story, and the many stories that we have are from separate ancient cultures.
Orlanthi: trauma = Umath's death; bad = Great Darkness, the Extermination of Universe; rescue = Lifebringers.
Heortling: trauma = Grandfather Mortal and Death; bad = Great Winter; rescue = Heort.
Let us cast the net a bit farther into that pool:
Divine: trauma = spawning of/collision with other worlds; bad = stagnation, change, etc; rescue = godly resurrection activity.
Animist: trauma = spawning of/collision with other worlds; bad = local disaster; rescue = shamanic resurrection.
Essential: trauma = incarnation; bad = death of Malkion (spirit); rescue = "Icebreaker" spell.
*Enekosiad* is a collection of stories from different sources. These are, in general, more raw than the refined, rationalized stories presented in GRoY. Judged by their settings and customs, they seem to be more primitive. And they are numerous.
It is best to think of these various stories as parallel realities or time lines that all began somewhere back in the unknowable, in prehuman consciousness, where our unique mental facilities do not function the same.
There is no "correct way" to sort them out.
Valara Addi sorted them out the way that they appear in Entekosiad. Her original adventure, a creative act in itself, set a pattern for how these stories are experienced. But it is possible for a *tajer* (heroquester) to go through these sacred places, ceremonies and entities and come out with a personal, unique sequence. (Which, in itself, is a personal version of Teelo Norri's growing up to become Rufuelza, and realize Sedenya.)
One more point: are all these stories of equal moral value? That is, do they teach or illustrate the same morals and obligations of the participant towards her society, towards others, towards foreigners or the other gender? No, they are not.
Which ones of these are theist, animist and essential? I'm not always sure, but I can qualify some of them to start:
Theist: Turos and Oria cycle; Idovanus and Jernotia cycle; Bisos cycle
Shamanic: Deneronae cycle, ArroTurru cycle, Orogeria & Kenstrata cycle, Tawar cycle
Essential: Spolites, and the ancestral peoples (generally demonized by the others) from around what is now the Sweet Sea
Such, anyway, are what I had intended to write into these things, once I got around to finishing them. Entekosiad is, after all, and unfinished work. Its final form would have other rituals that Valare was in, similar in concept to the Great Dance.
So Sez Greg. :-)
This response is intended to support and provoke discussion, not stop it. And with all unfinished works, I reserve the right to change and alter it for a final version.
YGWV [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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