From: Alex Ferguson (alex@dcs.gla.ac.uk)
Date: Tue 10 May 1994 - 21:40:46 EEST
John H:
> SOCIETIES need tricksters, whether it' s Eurmal or Prometheus or
> Coyote or Lenny Bruce or Johnny Rotten.
I don't think Prometheus was a Trickster figure; certainly not _all_ firebringer archetypes need be. I have my doubts about Lenny Bruce, too.
> While Alex's idea of
> Tricksters worshipping together has some intriguing scenario
> possibilities, it also strikes me as somewhat odd.
Steady on there... I'm absolutely _not_ suggesting a Quorum of 75 Eurmal Acolytes at every Holy Day. I envisage that the "Priest" of the shrine be present, perhaps a handful (at most) "Non-priest" Acolytes who happen by, and whoever else can be roped in. To wit, initiates of associate cults, passing drunks, amateur practical jokesters, and as many Hapless Dupes as can be made to sit still for it.
Of course, another important Trickster Worship Ceremony is the Whole Town Rounds The Misbegotten Wretch Up, Tars And Feathers Him, and Runs Him Out Of Town. Not uncommonly following quickly after type A ceremonies, when the head man's house gets burnt down, but also simply as ritual scapegoating. I think this "counts" as Trickster `worship'.
Important rule about Trickster ceremonies: someone, somewhere gets a belly- laugh out of it, whether or not it's the laugh the Trickster had in mind.
For all I know some ceremonies could consist of retired Eurmal priests playing Pro-Celebrity full-contact golf with each other, though some would argue this violates the above rule.
> I would see a clan trickster's main role as being part of major
> pantheon ceremonies, almost a cult 'hero' (pet? valuable captive?)
> of the ruling deity rather than a separate cult.
This is clearly a major part of religious life of "tame" Eurmali worshippers, but not all of it, and not all of 'em are tame.
> (Then again, I'm big on pantheon worship).
I, too, am big on worship ceremonies which involve (many of) the deities of the pantheon, and hence the initiates of each, but let's not conflate this with the Dread Concept of pantheon initiation, which would have many ("most", according to the Fundamental Pantheonists <g>) of the initiates of a community not worshipping any specific deity of the pentheon, and hence not being identified with any.
> An Eurmali on a leash during Orlanth temple
> ceremonies? It would certainly make sermons less boring.
Not as much so as one _off_ the leash...
> And Sacred Time ceremonies are one universal
> example of pantheon and even inter-pantheon combined worship
> and ceremony.
I don't think the Sacred Time is universal: from their calendar, the Kralori don't seem to have it, and I bet the Westerners don't. Certainly in Theyalan lands, "everyone takes part".
> The idea of a world-wide "Cult of Trickster" is laughable
Hey, that's the point, right? Critical casting a Great Group Laughter, obviously.
> Trickster is certainly a murderer.
Jonas Schiott:
> Why does this 'official'
> Eurmal cult contradict both normal cult structure _and_ the special
> Trickster structure?
Because: a) He's a Trickster, stoopid! ;-); and, b) it's patently Not Official.
> Hm. This section is somewhat in conflict with the sources (not that I care,
The Official Place is what _gets_ them tolerated. Eurmal is probably the
most important deity in the LBQ apart from Orlanth. (And easily the most
important in the LBJ. <g>) He must, as a matter of cosmic necessity,
have such a place: it just happens to be a rather smelly, leaky, downtrodden
one.
> just thought I'd mention it). Essentially, it gives eurmalites an
> _official_ place in the orlanthi order of things, which seems a bit
> non-trickster to me. The consensus seems to be that they are tolerated at
> best.
> >Initiates must sacrifice one point of Power on each Holy Day
> Is this really supposed to say "Power"?
No. RQ2ism. Or perhaps, an over-zealous "translation" therefrom. (I also have my doubts about "all mps", since this renders one unconscious for a couple of hours.)
> >The RQ rules [I] WERE NOT however,
> >designed to simulate large scale social, environmental or magical
> >effects.[I]
> I agree that the rules, _as they stand_, lead to absurdities when you try
> to extrapolate a society from them. But couldn't one work from the other
> direction?
This is the (alleged) point of _Glorantha: the Game_. And probably (one of) the (many) reason(s) why it's not rushing onto our shelves.
Alex, firm believer in the "HeroQuest was published as _Trivial Pursuit_" Rumour.
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