[Glorantha] Re: Changing Gods

[Topi Pitkänen]

> Pretty much all of Loskalm, and a reasonable chunk of the rest of
> Malkionism, is praying for the destruction of the Kingdom of War, and
> pagans in general and yet it doesn't happen.

All heortling-centered gloranthophiles - that's us - are better for it.

When it comes to true miracles of The True God, there my thought on
purpose contained heavy tautology. It takes a miracle to a Miracle
to happen - like Loskalm to pray in Total One Accord. But IMO if that
impossible be reached, then equally, impossibilities become possible.

But then, Kingdom of War might be rooted deeper than a 'mere' miracle
can positively affect the Allmighty God's Creation - it is tricky
trying to compare infinity in any way.  

 
> [Peaceful Orlanth] Perhaps, but the appearance would be wrong.

True, but wrong is real too. 
 
> Again, only within that area. Outside it Orlanth was still fully
> functional so i don't see how you can say Orlanth's nature was changed.

Best I can do is to approach with a metaphor. Think Orlanth as person
and think the change as psychological one. Think about reaching certain
determination, think of building emotion, the vague moment of change in
attitude, the realisation and allowance of urge to act.

Sure, gods do not change like mortals do, but analogy might not be
that far out. How the change manifested? Outwards it doesn't necessarily
even show. But inside Orlanth, while Orlanth of course remains himself,
the thing is nearly the sole focus of attention. Men are Orlanth, they
felt it, feel it. The New Breathers feel it. Winds blow with a straighter
course into the Face of Time, like scorpions were crushed beneath a heel.

> >Orlanth changed. I bet he did.
> > Besides change is the thing he does.
> 
> No more than any other god, I don't think, and less than many others.
> Orlanth has recognisably the same basic characteristics through all of
> his myths. Far more so than, say, Sedenya.

Then why do we have the mythology of Vinga? The way I see it, Vinga is
a way (among many other things that she is) to tell how Orlanth changed.

"Her worshippers understand that she is Orlanth's compassion." ST 170

If you read the myth this way, you will find out how the god changed.
Living with Ernalda, becoming her, being Orlanthdovar, learning empathy,
learning from mistakes, and getting fed up with injusticies - Orlanth's
character grew like Vinga grew. Of course, Orlanth also remained the
eternal same like gods do. Myths have power to tell both side stories.

I think afterwards Orlanth related to The Great Compromise differently.
[after the windstop, that is]

Thus,

"The shape of the world was changed. The way the nature works was changed.
 The way men and women related to the world was different. The way that
 Gods and mortals communicated was altered." to quote Argrath's deeds.

My Issaries goods are still on the changing side.


"There is nothing like desire for preventing the thing one
 says from bearing any resemblance to what one has in mind."
- Marcel Proust, Rememberance of Things Past -