[Glorantha] Re: Orlanth's exile and Vadrus

From: Rob Helm <parental_unit_2_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 09:55:51 -0700 (PDT)

> > read: It sounds like the Whitewall group thought
> that
> > Barntar was killed while Orlanth was in exile, and
> > Orlanth deposed and crippled Vadrus after he got
> back.

> Not "thought that", that's explicitly stated in the
> myth. Well, Barntar's
> death is - Vadrus is stated as deposed, but not
> crippled.

I will have to check TR, which I don't have handy, but I believe it says that "Orlanth was away, as he often was" when Barntar was killed. That doesn't imply the myth happened in the exile period. Similarly, I thought it was in avenging Barntar that Orlanth used a wrestling throw in his duel with Vadrus, so that Vadrus remained twisted ever after.

> Can you define the dynasty as kin-slayers? That's
> Vadrus' defining sin in this myth.

Well, not legally. Metaphorically, maybe. Certainly the Tarshite royals act like they are our kin -- they know our customs, speak a related language, and in general behave a lot like us except they are fooling around with Chaos and have exiled Orlanth.

> could someone also say what
> Orlanth was
> supposedly doing while outlawed? Which subcults
> would have their major
> myths from this period?"

The only thing I could add: The Helamakt writeup in TR says that Heler took the name Helamakt when he went looking for the exiled Orlanth and helped him fight an enemy. So for Sartarite Orlanthi, it's possible that seeking Orlanth in exile is sort of the "founding myth" of the Helamakt subcult. Note that the Helerings have a different mythic origin for Helamakt (given in _Storm Tribe_).

> How about this? "This is the time of Ernalda's
> "other guardians"....Here is a
> partial list of her
> temporary husbands: Elmal the Bright, Heler the
> Shaggy, Vestkarthen of the
> Deep, Dojor the Black, Delan the Strong, and Dashing
> Veradash."

I think in Seattle Farmers we have assumed that Orlanth is Ernalda's year-husband. He typically gets his contract renewed, but obviously couldn't while he was in exile.

According to the writeup of the Niskis subcult in TR, Dashing Veradash _was_ Orlanth, in disguise. So it's true that he boffed every goddess he could get his hands on, including his own once-and-future wife.

Rob

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Received on Sat 23 Jul 2005 - 07:00:24 EEST