> Heler was born during the fight between water and fire, and is the involontary son of Sshorga and Shargash.
Heler has been borne *innumerable* times -- that's just one of his shape changes ;)
He is from the Blue Age, and he existed before individuality did -- he is *of* the Water, and he once ruled it, and once he even briefly ruled the world itself ; but the Water itself is greater than he ever will be, and he has never been its Owner ; and rulership does not suit him anyway, he places far more value on friendship and on Life, and Love.
These sorts of things are however beyond the ken of most Heler cultists of Sartar -- they remain focused on Heler's mythic history with the Storm Tribe, and on his life-giving rains, or occasionally his more terrible warlike storms and deluges.
> 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.
Yeah I agree.
> Aroka ate only part of Heler, who is in every drop of rain and every cloud.
That story is more complex than it seems, and it has multiple interpretations, including among the Orlanthi themselves. I can honestly see the more pious among the Orlanthi spending more than one long evening discussing the various religious and moral meanings of the whole Aroka myth cycle, from various points of view ... a young Heler initiate is one that is likely to have listened to many of these stories and discussions during childhood.
> Ui froze part of him/her.
No -- Ui KILLED Heler.
The survival of the Black Ram is a story of the Great Darkness, and a Myth of Heler's indomitable and transformative Life Force -- but of course, the Black Ram is in many ways the opposite of Heler, just as most Great Darkness Survivors had to become their own opposites to "live" through it. Of course, Heler can change his shape to become unlike himself -- but the ambiguity here is patent, because even the Black Ram dies in the end.
There's Voriof the Shepherd, on the other hand, who survived the Great Darkness as himself, and ALIVE. Make of that what you will :)
> Telmor ate only so many of his lambs.
Yes well, OTOH there are actually some blue wolves in the world as well, and a few wolf clouds in sheep's clothing among Orlanth's flock... :-)
> 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.
But yes, these are all very good initiation stories !!!!
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