Gods

David Lebling · 06 Jan 2005, 11:55 · from 2005-January.txt.gz

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From: dlebling at hyraxes.com (David Lebling)
Date: Thu Jan  6 11:55:32 2005
Subject: (urth) Gods
References: <20050106192541.51635.qmail at web20027.mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <013201c4f429$ab3329f0$a51b0101 at gensym.com>

stilskin said:
> It seems that there can be multiple gods on every
> level except the highest and the lowest.  I find
> Wolfe's scheme confusing, I must admit.  Kulilli is
> the original inhabitant of Aelfrice.  Why isn't she
> worshipped by the dragons of Muspel?  Nor does it seem
> that the Most Low God worships the dragons.  And
> though the Angrborne live on Mythgarthr, they are not
> worshipped by the Aelf.  I wonder if descent from Angr
> has anything to do with who is and isn't a proper
> object of worship.

I think a more important component of who is worshipped and by whom is the
level on which they live. As you go lower in level, the inhabitants are less
likely to be moral beings, though Able admits there is a range on each level
(from the Valfather to Lothur in Skai, for example, not to mention the
Giants of Skai). The less moral, the less likely to worship the proper god
for your level.

Given that Kulili created the Aelf, their position is somewhat unusual. I
can imagine several reasons why they wouldn't worship the Angrborn,
including the Aelf's apparent desire to conceal their true natures by
mimicking humans, which indicates they are ashamed of being created from
leftovers and thus would disdain worship of other beings so created.

The dragons of Muspel would be extremely unlikely to worship the god
appropriate for them, and in fact attempt to displace the gods/rulers of the
next two higher levels. The Most Low God worships himself and states that he
is also the Most High God.

We know little of Kleos, but obviously they are patterned on angels and all
faithfully worship the Most High God. Those that did not were expelled, if
the mythology parallels Christianity, as it does in most instances.

-- Dave, aka Vizcacha

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