Re: Esvular, Aeolian Church, etc. in HQ2 from David Cake on 2012-04-28 (World of Glorantha)

From: David Cake <dave_at_57J-oP1_P3zuGUNZwiwEjX0uWOZE5MmknRDP93D9WR8tnpaqnQpZh2Kpy8R8ea2hQiFPQcV>
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:41:22 +0800

On 27/04/2012, at 1:16 PM, Peter Metcalfe wrote:

> On 4/26/2012 11:08 PM, Richard Hayes wrote:

>> I have a few questions on  the Esvularings:	1. Would it be fair to call the Esvularings henotheists? (With a particular interest in Heortling/Lightbringer gods as emanations of the Invisible God)

>
> It depends on what you mean by henotheism.
>

>> 	2. What are the Esvulari names for their visible gods -- the Heortling names, Malkionised versions of those names, or neither?

>
> What's wrong with the names already given in Heroquest?
>

>> 	3. Within the Esvularing 'tradition', do some worshippers have access to feats from one favourite Orlanthi god as well as/instead of essence plane magic?

>
> Feats are rather high level magic in HQ2 and as such, I'm rather dubious
> that the Esvulari can do this. It is possible for the Esvulari to have
> a general rune affinity (eg Storm 13) and combine it with spells (as per
> the HQ2 cult of Pavis).

	I think they probably have no Devotees at all, making feats very rare.
	I think an Esvulari that has access to Rune Affinities can probably sacrifice for Feats on a one off basis, but they'd have to use traditional rites to do so, that are unlikely to be known by an Esvulari wizard. 



> 

>> 	5. Alternatively do the Esvularings have a Carmanian-style practice (only without the dualism), whereby only 'wizards' are directly involved with the Invisible God and perform essence plane magic, whereas people in other castes worship theistically whilst (perhaps) being dimly aware of an invisible god behind the visible gods, truly known only byh their wizards?

>
> This reduces the Esvulari to another type of Carmanians which I would
> like to avoid.

	I agree. I think the average Esvulari thinks of the gods as the servants of the Invisible God, and this is not a mysterious secret but the very foundation of their religious belief. 
	Cheers
		David