PANTHEONS OF THE FLANAESS: THE FLANBy Sabretore, MB Drapier, Aria13, Chaos28, & QSamantha.Subj: Re: Mystery Gods (Flan)Date: 95-10-02 11:27:41 ESTFrom: SabretoreThe Flanish <strong>de</strong>ities are relatively few:Beory,GG - FC (Oerth Mother, Nature, Rain) N fNerull,GG - FC (Death, Darkness, Un<strong>de</strong>rworld) NE mPelor,GG - FC (Sun, Strength, Light, Healing) NG mRao,GG - FC (Peace, Reason, Serenity) LG mAllitur,LG - FC (Ethics, Propriety) LG(N) mBerei,LG - FC (Home, Family, Agriculture) NG fObad-hai,LG - FC (Nature, Wildlands, Freedom,, Hunting) N mZodal,LG - FC (Mercy, Hope, Benevolence) NG mIuz,DG - FC (Oppression, Deceit, Pain) CE(N) mThe thing that immediately strikes one about the Flan pantheon is that it is clearly a pantheon, very naturebased and pacifistic. All <strong>of</strong> the <strong>de</strong>ities have a near elemental cast. Allitur is perhaps the most interesting because hefalls outsi<strong>de</strong> this categorization. However, if we see him as the enforcer <strong>of</strong> taboos, he fits the image <strong>of</strong> an agrarianpantheon.In<strong>de</strong>ed, the Flan hardly ruled the Flaneass prior to the migrations. While there is evi<strong>de</strong>nce <strong>of</strong> highly<strong>de</strong>veloped ancient Flannish civilizations, at the time <strong>of</strong> the migrations, they were a very primitive, though peaceful,people. Like all such peoples, they were overrun and conquered. The pantheon fits.Interestingly, all Flan <strong>de</strong>ities are also common. The Flan seem to have won hearts and minds, even as theylost the continent.An interesting note is Iuz' role in the Flaneass seen through Flan eyes. As a god <strong>of</strong> oppression, his currentrole is un<strong>de</strong>rstandable but he might be responsible for the migrations as well.SabretoreSubj: Re: Mystery Gods (Flan)Date: 95-10-02 15:55:22 ESTFrom: MB DrapierThe Flan pantheon should probably be divi<strong>de</strong>d into the primitive nature gods like Obad-Hai (who is a lot likethe Greek Pan in nature and orientation), and the gods <strong>of</strong> a settled, agrarian community concerned with the hearthand home (Berei, Allitur, etc).There is another problem--the conception <strong>of</strong> the Flan as a peaceful agrarian people on the one hand, andtough warriors <strong>of</strong> a Celtic or Amerindian sort on the other. Problem one--how do you square Celtic myth withAmerindian myth? Problem two--how do you then bring both into line with the sort <strong>of</strong> pre-Celtic, "Old European"style mythology <strong>of</strong> the hearth and the Oerth Mother? We will have to return to this one.MBSubj: Re: Mystery Gods (Flan)Date: 95-10-02 19:12:16 ESTAria13I actually don't have much <strong>of</strong> a problem with Celtic Indians. I think the Flan closer to Celts when theybecome urban and more Indian in wil<strong>de</strong>rness areas.Beory (Oerth Mother, Nature, Rain) is the Oerth Mother to Pelor's (Sun, Strength, Light, Healing) Sky Father.With Oerth and Sky in harmony, Rao (Peace, Reason, Serenity) is the son <strong>of</strong> Pelor and Beory. Nerull (Death,Darkness, Un<strong>de</strong>rworld) is Pelor's polar opposite and his great rival for Beory's affections.Berei (Home, Family, Agriculture) and Obad-hai (Nature, Wildlands, Freedom,, Hunting) would seemfraternal twins, representing a lesser incarnation <strong>of</strong> Pelor and Beory. Allitur (Ethics, Propriety) and Zodal (Mercy,Hope, Benevolence) both appear as aspects <strong>of</strong> Rao.Iuz (Oppression, Deceit, Pain) is more clearly <strong>of</strong> Nerull, yet we know his origin. This suggests to me that theFlan existed in an E<strong>de</strong>n state, until the coming <strong>of</strong> Iuz. Prior to that, there was no warfare. In the aftermath <strong>of</strong> Iuz' riseto <strong>de</strong>mi-god status Pelor (strength) and Nerull (<strong>de</strong>ath) might well become the Flan war gods.Warriors <strong>de</strong>dicated to Pelor would be those akin to Indians, I'm thinking particularly <strong>of</strong> American Indian
ceremonies like the Sun Dog Ceremony <strong>of</strong> initiation and the Wardog societies. Warriors <strong>de</strong>dicated to Nerull would bemore Celtic, a bloodier people all told. The two groups would be terrible rivals but together form the Flan fightingforces arrayed against the infernal Iuz.Aria13Subj: Re: Mystery Gods (Flan)Date: 95-10-03 02:14:41 ESTChaos28Aria:
Change language