From: Carlson, Pam (carlsonp@wdni.com)
Date: Thu 15 Aug 1996 - 20:38:00 EEST
Simon asks:
>As a matter of interest, which deities are bound by the Compromise? The big
ones are, that is easy, but what about the less powerful deities? ....
(I know that some
people do not accept the Compromise as binding in all of Glorantha, but
let's
assume that it is for this question only).
As I see it, the "Compromise" is an Orlanthi myth to explain their world
- - to explain why Orlanthi doesn't just pop down to the moot and solve
everybody's problems, or smite those foul Orlevings in the next valley.
Other cultures have their own myths explaining the same phenomenon: the
world is too polluted for Yelm, God is Invisible, etc. As Peter
Metcalfe pointed out, the Pelorians have a long tradition of "the gods
among us", which has never gone away, and the RG fits right in. But the
Pelorian dieties-on-earth still act through humans, demons, spirits,
elements, etc. I think the difference is still one of cultural POV more
than anything.
The greater deities - Yelm, Orlanth, Ernalda - have so many people
following their paths that they become fixed and hard to change. Thus
they are "bound". Smaller deities can interact more directly because
there is less difference between the deity and their controlled spirits,
or their worshippers. The bigger the deity gets, the more fixed it
becomes.
This is one reason why small cults are popular and keep popping up - a
more personal feel, and perhaps it's easier to get a spell or a DI -
though it will be less powerful. Even greater dieties can be worshipped
this way through subcults.
So much for my wild theory of the day.
***************************************************************
I am not convinced that women cannot be citizens in Dara Happa. (They
may make an exeption for Dendarans or Ouranians.) I doubt they could in
ancient times - at least up to Plentonius. I think women could be
citizens in the old Pelandan city states. Perhaps the Lunars have
changed the legal status of women in Dara Happa. Certainly a woman can
be a citizen of the Lunar Empire. Could this lead to a woman being a
citizen of the Empire, but not of Yuthuppa?
***************************************************************
DavidHenderson:
>I reckon the major cause of the Orlanthi/Lunar friction, and probably the
whole Castle Blue fracas, was territory. Ignoring the mundane threat to
Orlanthi lands posed by the Empire, the Red Goddess was muscling in on
somewhere already spoken for in the Compromise, the Middle Air.
Think Pelorian. Middle Air was fully covered by the Good Goddess
Entekos and the Wrathful Father, Shargash. The RG was quite welcome in
the Middle Air over Peloria. (Well, Shargash made an initial gripe or
two, but that was a cultural thing; and even he came around eventually).
IMO, the Middle Air argument is a red herring.
I think that puts us back to the territory squabble and the chaos issue.
Mostly, the RG offers a whole new way to view Life, the Universe, and
Everything. This is always threatening to those on top of the Old Way -
particularly to Orlanth, King of the Gods. Rufelza has simply turned
the tables on the Kingslayer.
Pam
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