[Glorantha] Tanists

Peter Metcalfe wrote:
> Since sacrifice is mentioned, that would be intended meaning
> except that a tanist (in the Frazeran sense and also the Fortunate
> Succession p52) is a substitute and it's rather tricky to be
> a substitute of one's self.
>
> Secondly sacrifice is theistic rather than animistic so it's
> difficult to use this myth as an animistic cult.
>
> --Peter Metcalfe

I think the concept of self-sacrifice is open enough not to label it with pure theism. Indeed many RW shamanic rituals involve self sacrifice.

(Besides in my game the Soul Birds have been animistic all along so even if they became theistic in published material I doubt I would convert now.)

The Fortunate Succession ref is a good spot, ".. a sacrifice which would voluntarily suffer any doom for her sake". This is certainly in the right context. (The common usage from tanistry is plainly not useful here aside from similarity of concept.)

Given this, it starts to make sense to me.

The self part would appear to be as a volunteer substitute for starvation. The 12 Bird's Festival (Martin Hawley) has Pepyna giving Pelaskos the last fish and starving to save the islands. So it makes sense in this context and gives the sacrifice a mythic resonance.

So thanks, I think that probably answers my question and gives me some ideas to chew on.

Jamie Received on Sat 26 Aug 2006 - 13:12:02 EEST