Well, one of them is decidedly leaning towards Ereltharol the Black Ram, the other wants to be a healer, so I will direct him to Yuhurol the Golden Ram. Nice and non-overlapping. :)
That aside, I've encountered a lot of very interesting if confusing information on Heler during my research since the previous posts. For instance, isn't Aroka also the same as Sshorga? They certainly appear very different, in any case, and from a mystical viewpoint it does make perfect sense that Orlanth had to free Heler from the Blue Dragon if Heler is a part of its watery body - though in any case, this would be one of those things the Orlanthi wouldn't know.
Also fascinating is the mention that Heler knows the secret of the Young God. Isn't the Young God Yelm, at least in some versions? I wonder how it ties into water's ability to invade the Sky.
As for the initiation itself, I'm thinking it might also involve Elmal at some point, to introduce the initiate to the rivalry. After all, that's one of the things they're supposed to carry away from it, as per the cult write-up. And there is the obvious option of having an actual Elmali initiate unwittingly end up in it, starting a more personal rivalry...
I agree that the sub-cult initiation would be a good way to theme it. The Ereltharol escapes from Ui and fights Chaos, the Yuhurol is freed from Aroka and woos Esrola.
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> Heler was born during the fight between water and fire, and is the involontary son of Sshorga and Shargash. Some say he was born when Yelm's dead body hit the waters of the world when falling down to hell after being cut by Orlanth; others that he led the army of waters which invaded heaven, scouting the way for Lorion the Dragon, who earlier had been Sshorga.
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> That's not common knowledge among orlanthi, whose God met Heler much later.
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> I'd say the Initiation Ritual would vary according to the PC's primary aspect of Heler : is he/she a warrior (Black Ram), a rainmaker or a seductor and father of many (Urothorol) ? Each would have an initiation walk in the Otherworld that differs, with Stations of varying importance.
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> Aroka ate only part of Heler, who is in every drop of rain and every cloud. Ui froze part of him/her. Telmor ate only so many of his lambs. And so on. Heler had to face many ennemies. Each one would make a formidable initiation ennemy. Also, the "Traitor to Waters" part could be played, with some major Roaring River trying to drown the PC.
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