> If it was the former body of the Pharaoh that was
> used as a sacrifice in previous ceremonies (and I
> don't know that it was - Holy Country rituals are
> hardly my bailiwick), then it seemed like fun to
> assume that the Moonson might be the one demanded in
> lieu while the Pharaoh is, ahhh, away.
I agree. But it can't have been the Pharaoh being sacrificed every year. He'd have to get a new body every year. There must be some kind of Husband-Protector rite he does, but not one involving him being killed. (Although maybe he does do that when there is serious famine.)
> Perhaps the Esrolian matriarchy wouldn't dare demand
> the Moonson (they probably wouldn't), but maybe they
> would. Claiming that this would be their price for
> acquiescence would make an interesting bargaining
> tactic, anyway. Perhaps not as a regular occurrence,
> but needed to bind the new marriage. No substitutes
> will suffice.
Well, wouldn't this only be the Red Earth faction? I was under the impression that once it becomes obvious the Godking isn't coming back, the various groups split up, turning to different Husband-Protectors. (As it once was.) Then there is lots of political jockeying to unite Esrolia under a single group. (I can't remember if the Lunars ever actually move troops in and physically take over.)
It would seem each group would demand it's own Husband-Protector perform the rites.
> Adding a paranoid bunch of Lunars working at
> cross-purposes to the official policy of 'conquer, and
> marry Moonson to the land goddess' was mostly a
> potential ploy for the GM to complicate life for the
> players. Giving reasons to help some Lunars when
> you're generally against them is usually a fun
> headtrip for the GM to pull.
Always, always, always. Or reasons to fight rebels when you are one. (Like when a group of Orlanthi patriots decide that obviously the Teelo Norri orphanages are indoctrinating children or worse, simply sacrificing them to chaos, and the only solution is to murder all the nuns.)
I agree that all Donald's potential solutions might
> well work, but letting the players try to sort things
> out should be fun. How far do the PCs want to go to
> help or hinder the Lunar influence? For instance, are
> there any corn blights or pests that would severely
> hamper Hon-eel? Could the players find some and
> import them?
Always a good plan. Or showing some way to grow something else at an even better rate.
> Even if a proxy's OK, should Moonson
> have to perform the proxy ritual in the Holy Country?
> Just trying to be constructively obstructive, in an
> MGF way.
Sounds like lots and lots of MGF to me. I happen to agree with Donald that very often groups within the Lunar Empire ARE working at cross purposes to each other.
LC
Powered by hypermail