Confusion on women in the Cult of Yelmalio (2012)

Submitted by Bryan Chavez on Sun, 20/05/2012 – 18:14

On pg. 13 of Pavis: Gateway to Adventure, the book establishes that the Cult of Yelmalio is for men only. on pg. 382, under the entry for Light Sons, it indicates that cultists who join the Light Sons cannot disguise themselves as women, but that women can disguise themselves as men.

Does this indicate that as long as a woman attires herself as a man, and acts as a man, that she’s able to join and participate in the cult without issue? i.e., this is a way, much like Vinga (though much more restrictive), for a woman to function within a man’s cult?

I like the idea so much that I’m probably going to make this a part of my YGWV, even if that wasn’t the intention behind it.

Submitted by metcalph on Sun, 20/05/2012 – 22:49.

What p13 actually says is that Yelmalio is an important cult for men only.  Not that only men can join.  It’s not an important cult for women.  Likewise the men of Sun County could join Ernalda but it’s not an important cult for them.

On p84 is a description of Vega Goldbreath, a female worshipper of Yelmalio.

On p383 says that to become an initiate of Yelmalio, one must be a free man born within the temple area {which would exclude women – PHM} or have served for two years with the temple mercenaries {which does not – PHM}.

Submitted by Bryan Chavez on Sun, 20/05/2012 – 23:02.

Aha. Thank you. That explains everything. It strikes me as strange for Sky worshippers to be as open with their cult membership as that, but maybe I’m just conflating what I know of Dara Happans with the Sun Domers. Would the Dara Happans be more strict about cultic gender divides?

Submitted by metcalph on Sun, 20/05/2012 – 23:20.

I don’t see the situation  as one of openess.  I see the situation as a vague requirement misinterpreted by ignorant bumpkins at the arse-end of nowhere.

Since the Yelmalio cult came from Dara Happa (where only men are supposed to fight), it seems to me that wheoever drew up the requirements to be an initiate thought that only men could be temple mercenaries and so did not impose a sex restrction (ie something like an initiate must be a man in good standing in the temple mercenaries)

But consider the poor people of Sun County.  They are totally isolated from Dara Happa and other solar places.  They are repeatedly overrun by Praxians.  They simply do not have the capacity to divine the legislative intent behind various cult rules and requirements nor can they send people to Dara Happa to find out.  Divinations are next to useless because all they will do is parrot the cult rules and requirements and offer next to nothing in terms of clarifying any obscurities or ambiguities.

In the eyes of Dara Happa, they got this one wrong.

In the eyes of Yelmalio, they have not.

Submitted by Bryan Chavez on Mon, 21/05/2012 – 00:03.

That makes much more sense, and is even more interesting than what I originally thought. Thanks very much for your responses.

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