[Glorantha] Re: Umathela

Me:

>>Northwestern Pamaltela has Theyalan deities (in some strange guise) in
>>Umathela, and a variety of deities in Fonrit, many of which appear to be
>>similar to Genertelan ones - like the two death god brothers of Yngortu,
>>Hanjethulut (identified as ZZ) and Orjethulut (identified as Humakt).

Peter Metcalfe
> I doubt very much that the Umathelans worship Theyalan gods "in
> some strange guise"

This was an oblique reference to the "Umathelan Lightbringers" mentioned in the Malki Coast write-up, which seems to inherit from fan material e.g. by David Dunham. Some familiar deities, some differences.

> considering that two names that we have
> (Kolatsfange, Umathela) are pretty orthodox spellings of
> Heortling Deities and any post-God Learner phase would have been
> marked by orthodoxy rather than radical reinterpretations.

The orthodox spellings might be an after-effect of God Learner presence, too (just like the Latin spelling of the Briton name Eburacum became York via Eoforvic and Jorvik).

The theist settlers of Umathela were emigrants from Jrustela who had lost against all the heirs of Nralar. Their ancestors had come to Jrustela on Waertagi ships from southwestern Genertela (IMO well before the Sunstop), and Waertagi ships carried them on into the arms of the Woodland Judgment around the same time as Fonrit was conquered by Garangordos.

This origin would have kept them out of touch with much of the Second Council/Bright Empire unification of Storm myths (continued by Harmast's counter-reformation of the Tarumath cult back to Heortling norm). Unless Lalmor of the Vathmai brought them the complete set of Lifebringer myths and names, I suppose there have to be some differences.

> Where the Umathelans would differ from the Heortlings in my
> view is that they worship Elvish deities alongside their own
> deities as part of the Woodland Judgements. In addition,
> there would be worship of Fonritan deities as a rejection of
> the Woodland Judgements, such as the worship of Baraku
> alongside Orlanth or Orjethulut alongside Humakt.

No disagreement here. Did they shelter some groves during the God Learner era, or did they just hide their heads then? Received on Fri 27 Oct 2006 - 12:29:25 EEST