From: Joerg Baumgartner (joe@sartar.toppoint.de)
Date: Tue 03 May 1994 - 11:08:55 EEST
Alex Ferguson in X-RQ-ID: 3865
> Joerg:
>> I have a Hendriki boy, son of a family of crafters, wanting >> to become a sailor. I told him to do so, he would have to go with his >> uncle who does the trading of his family's products, and via Issaries >> initiation (at home) and Dormal initiation (on board) he'd become a >> Holy Country sailor.
> Why Issaries? I think very few sailors would join his cult, as Dormal
> also serves a Communication purpose.
The story is about this: The father has inherited the weaver's business in Jaransbyrig, and his (younger) brother had to find himself another related trade. He (the boy's uncle) chose to become a trader to further the profit of the family business. In doing so he would purchase spun wool in the interior of Heortland, bring it to his brother's workshop or other textile-workers, and then sell it at the great marketplaces of the Holy Country, foremost of which are Karse and Nochet where the Handra-going merchant ships land.
The boy has no inclination whatever to work at the loom, so he helped his uncle already early, and accompanied him also on a short sea voyage to Nochet. This voyage made him want to become a sailor.
To break the news to his parents and temple, he decided it would be appropriate to become trader (which was possible at home) and sailor.
> You mean his parents are weavers, or merchants? If the later, one presumes
> they're members of some Malkioni(sed) merchant class, likely including an
> element of Issaries worship.
His uncle is an Aeolian with St. Issaries as patron Saint, yes. So is the boy (now), at home. Additionally he took St. Dormal as a patron for his sea voyages. I didn't charge extra POW sacrifice.
>> But a male Orlanthi, even if he >> is a town dweller, couldn't really be expected to worship a handmaiden >> of Ernalda (one of these would be the weaver) as primary deity.
> If he's an actual weaver, I think he probably would. This would, after all,
> be "women's work" to hard-line Orlanthi, but urbanised people are likely
> to be more flexible regarding traditional gender roles. A more sophisticated
> weaving "industry" might redefine distinct stages (carding, spinning, weaving,
> etc.) of the process to be appropriate tasks for each gender, assigning them
> to the province of Orlanth Maker, Voriof, or an aspect of Ernalda or Asrelia
> accordingly.
Orlanth Maker: This sounds like a God Learner construct to me. Of all ruling deities I know, Glorantha or Earth, very few qualify as crafters - right now I can only think about Lugh Lamfadha, and - rather far fetched - Pamalt Necklace-maker. I view Orlanth much as the tribal chief who has his retainers for such tasks, and who plows mainly to please his wife, now and then.
> Regarding the son, I would say he wouldn't necessarily join his parents'
> religion if they knew and approved of his wish to become a sailor: he could
> have been sponsored by, apprenticed to, or conceivably fostered by his
> uncle or other likely patron to enable him to join the necessary cult(s).
And to be honest: Dormal's spell "predict weather" is one of the most superfluous spells in GoG when an initiation into the cult of Orlanth gives the same effect as this 2-point divine spell permanently, at the cost of 1 POW and a bit tithing. I bet that in Karse or Nochet Dormal is one of Orlanth's associates as well, and that the extra duties fall flat.
--
-- Joerg Baumgartner joe@sartar.toppoint.de
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