[Glorantha] Windstop Clarifications

From: Greg Stafford <greg>
Date: Mon Dec 26 17:00:06 2005

> From: Rob Helm <parental_unit_2@yahoo.com>
questions a part of a previous statement

> Greg sez:
>> As is well known, [Ernalda] is the wife and help mate of the great
>> Storm God, ...The two are inseparable, and could not exist without
>> each other any more than men and women could exist without each
>> other.
>
> Except that Ernalda _did_ exist without Orlanth, well before he was
> born, in fact: "Ernalda was born in the Green Age, but she came into
> her power in the Golden Age, when the Emperor ruled everything."
> (_Thunder Rebels_, p. 141)

Yes, in the long-gone mythic age, she did.

> Orlanth also existed without Ernalda, when he set out on the
> Lightbringer's Quest _after_ she went to sleep (_Thunder Rebels_, p.
> 146) If anything, he died because she slept, she didn't sleep because
> he died.

I never said his departure made her sleep. That was a thread of speculation by others. It is incorrect.

> _Thunder Rebels_ also has several references to the independent
> power of Ernalda, which is not consistent with her going "poof" when
> Orlanth has a local setback:
> "...although she plays a secondary role on her husband's day, she is
> not submissive or demeaned, for she shows that she has equal status
> and worth as her great husband." (_Thunder Rebels, p. 186)
> "Ernalda is Queen because of her own powers, not those of any
> husband she might have." (_Thunder Rebels_, p. 198)

These are true. But once again, I never said she went poof because he departed.
Citing other peoples' incorrect speculation has no effect my position.

> And finally, I note that Heortling women _do_ exist after the death
> of their husbands, and even have a specific cult (the Red Woman) for
> avenging the death of a husband or loved one. (_Storm Tribe_, don't
> have a copy with me)

Yep, these is true. These have absolutely nothing to do with the subject at hand.

> It appears that some or all of these previous statements are now
> inoperative, correct?

Nope, not all all. None of those are now inoperative.

I will repeat the missing line from Question 4, for those of you who missed it in the Q&A:
"Thus the Lunar effort to disable Orlanth was also an effort to disable Ernalda."

So I will be more clear:
It is obvious that the Lunars also messed with Orlanth.

> I understand that there's a tradition of making these kind of
> retroactive revisions, which is fine. However, it's a bit much to
> label as mere "speculation" reasonable inferences made from _Thunder
> Rebels_, supposedly the definitive source on the Heortling religion,
> which was still in print until this year.

Unless, of course, the speculation is based on fallacious assmptions (i.e.- that
Orlanth's "death" anesthetized Ernalda) and overlooks the obvious: they put Ernalda to sleep too.

---

Sincerely,
Greg Stafford

Issaries, Inc.
2140 Shattuck Ave., PMB #2030
Berkeley, CA 94704 US Received on Mon 26 Dec 2005 - 16:03:53 EET