Re: Hiding Evil in plain sight

From: bethexton_at_...
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 13:34:57 -0000

>
> The first thing that springs to mind is that the average Orlanthi
or Ernaldan who gets diverted from the true path to become a Krasht or Malia worshipper doesn't become an initiate.
>
> They become Lay members of these cults and don't really know much
about the details or spread of the cult. Most of the time they don't even realise it's Krasht or Malia. Gods have many names and they're certainly not going to tell you that the cult you've joined is the one your mum used to scare you with when you were little.

Good point about the lay worshippers. The one crazed devotee with a coven of lay worshipper to provide communal support both works out well rule-wise and makes for a good game "bit" since you can have only one truly evil villain supported by deluded rubes.
>
> If they are devoted enough they may get chosen as initiates, but
that's the point where they have to choose which path they'd like to follow - mainly because it'll show up at the next Orlanthi or Ernaldan ritual.

I agree that most individual Orlanth or Ernalda initiates couldn't cover up their initiation in another cult. I see four groups that could conceal their initiation to an evil god:

• Even in Heortling society however there will be some who are just communal worshippers--mostly those on the real margins of society I'd think, but probably a few others for their own reasons.
• Worshippers of other gods, especially if they are the only one in their clan. "Yes, I follow Odayla, and meet the other Bear-men deep in the woods for our rites." or "My old bones don't take the travel to the Jonstown temple so easily anymore, so I've decided to conduct my own rites to Lankhor My. Those odd smells? Oh, well obviously you've been near the Grey God's most important rites before. No, no, there's no need to call the Cyrlings Grey-beard to help me, he's a fool anyways and I can manage well enough on my own."
• Oddly enough, devotees. Sure, there will be a nasty agents of reprisal issue to deal with, but many devotees worship their god in their own way, at their own place and time. So they keep doing so, but to a new master.
• Those who travel almost constantly and who don't have a strong clan affiliation. Odds on nobody ever does the math to figure out that they are never at anybody's worship ceremonies, you are just glad that they didn't expect to horn in on yours.

> > Still, over time it gets harder and harder to cover especially as
you
> > further develop your new gods virtues......
>
> ...until the "day where you must choose" comes (aka. your
initiation day).

I was thinking more of those groups above, since the virtues of most of the "evil" gods are not the same as those of the more widely accepted deities, this could become a clue. The entertainer who's stories/songs/puppet shows whatever become more and more about cruelty and suffering and torment, for example.
>
> > > Many good stories go out the window if it isn't possible for a
well-
> > respected community priest to actually be a servant of the Evil
Gods.
>
> I think Maximum Game Fun is an excellent reason for an illogical
concept to be true inside a game world.

I don't know about illogical, but at least improbable. But aren't heroic stories all about dealing with the improbable?

--Bryan