I did a little list with the Jungian archetypes from his writings and lectures, and then assigned the Gloranthan deity I thought best applies. It is a fun little exercise, and one I know Greg did as well.
Jungian Archetypes and Their Gloranthan Deities
- The Hero (Orlanth): Orlanth, the storm god, embodies courage and transformation. He overthrows the oppressive Emperor Yelm and leads the Lightbringers’ Quest to retrieve the sun, showcasing bravery and the ability to confront adversity. Orlanth’s myths highlight his rebellious overthrow of Yelm and his leadership in the Lightbringers’ Quest. His courage and transformative actions make him a classic Hero.
- The Mother (Ernalda): Ernalda, the earth goddess, represents nurturing and fertility. She sustains life, fosters growth, and supports her people, embodying the protective and generative power of the Great Mother. As the earth goddess, Ernalda nurtures life and supports her people, reflecting the Great Mother’s role as a source of sustenance and care.
- The Father (Yelm): Yelm, the sun god and emperor, symbolizes authority and order. He rules with divine legitimacy, maintaining cosmic balance and serving as a guiding patriarchal figure. Yelm’s rule as the sun god and emperor emphasizes authority and order, fitting the Father’s role as a guiding figure of structure.
- The Child (Voria): Voria, goddess of spring, symbolizes innocence and renewal. Associated with youth and new beginnings, she reflects the Child’s potential and promise of future possibilities. Voria’s association with spring and new beginnings captures the Child’s innocence and potential for growth.
- The Trickster (Eurmal): Eurmal, the trickster, disrupts order with mischief. His unpredictable actions spark change or disaster, aligning with the Trickster’s role as a boundary-crosser. Eurmal’s mischief disrupts order, often leading to transformation, perfectly embodying the Trickster archetype.
- The Wise Old Man/Woman (Arachne Solara): Arachne Solara, goddess of fate, weaves destiny and upholds the Cosmic Compromise. She embodies wisdom and insight, guiding the cosmos with her profound understanding. Arachne Solara’s role in weaving fate and upholding cosmic unity reflects the wisdom and guidance of this archetype.
- The Sage (Lhankor Mhy): Lhankor Mhy, god of knowledge and law, pursues truth and wisdom. He preserves learning and guides others, representing intellectual and spiritual understanding. Lhankor Mhy’s pursuit of knowledge and truth aligns with the Sage’s focus on wisdom and enlightenment.
- The Creator (Mostal): Mostal’s craftsmanship and innovation reflect the Creator’s drive to build and impose order on the world. He shapes the world with innovation and precision, embodying the Creator’s drive to produce order and form.
- The Explorer (Issaries): Issaries, god of trade and communication, travels widely and connects cultures. His journeys reflect the Explorer’s quest for discovery and new experiences. Issaries’s travels and role as a communicator embody the Explorer’s desire for discovery and connection.
- The Rebel (Red Goddess): The Red Goddess, tied to Chaos and the moon, challenges cosmic order. She sparks revolution and renewal through defiance, embodying the Rebel’s transformative disruption.
- The Lover (Uleria): Uleria, goddess of love and desire, fosters passion and connection. She unites people through intimacy and beauty, representing the Lover’s focus on emotional bonds. Uleria’s focus on love and desire fosters emotional bonds, aligning with the Lover archetype.
- The Caregiver (Chalana Arroy): Chalana Arroy, goddess of healing, dedicates herself to mercy and restoration. Her compassion and protection of life align with the Caregiver’s nurturing instincts.
- The Warrior (Humakt): Humakt, god of death and war, follows a strict code of honor. Humakt’s honor-bound martial duty and protection of life’s boundaries embody the Warrior’s disciplined strength.
- The Destroyer (Zorak Zoran): Zorak Zoran, god of war and death, revels in brutality and chaos. His violence breaks down order, aligning with the Destroyer’s role as a force of breakdown and transformation.
Now this definitely reflects my tendency to treat Gloranthan’s cosmology as a whole, partially understood by different cultures with different focuses, rather than as something constructed by different cultures.
Storm Bull? Warrior with bits of Destroyer and Rebel. But unlike Zorak Zoran, Storm Bull fights for an end. He’s got a goal – destroy Chaos. Zorak Zoran hates Chaos and fights against it, but probably no more than he hates almost everything else.
We could also say Orlanth has bits of Ruler and Trickster, but at his core he’s the Hero. He’s pretty clearly Hero, with a bits of Ruler, Trickster, Rebel, Warrior, and even Lover thrown in.
This is why I prefer viewing Glorantha’s cosmology as a whole. Each culture has something of a broken or incomplete psyche.
If I wanted to look deeper at the Red Goddess, she’s primarily Rebel, but has bits and pieces of Destroyer, Ruler, Sage, and even Mother.