> Killing Lunars, whether military, admin and
> settlers, again, no argument. They're furriners, and
> they don't belong. No kin, no qualms.
I think this is right as well. I assume that attacks against Lunar settlements was probably a key goal of any Sartarite irregulars carrying war against the Lunars - including Kallyr.
> Killing
> Sartari individuals and groups, that's far more
> problematic. Even if they are putatively in the Lunar
> camp, it's almost certain that many of their relatives
> aren't. These are the people who had to accept Kallyr
> as Prince, later on.
Without saying for certain that Kallyr's band did kill pro-Lunar Sartarites, I think this would be less of a concern than you are making it. As long as Kallyr had enough support from enough tribes, she could make herself Prince - even if several clans, or even a tribe or two sought vengeance against her. Frex, the Antorling clan had a feud against King Tarkalor (who defeated King Penterest, a Colymar king who fought against him).
If a clan embraced the Lunar Way (say by building a temple to the Seven Mothers and strongly backing the Lunars), they could run the risk of being attacked by a Sword Rebel band.
BTW, for some Ancient World comparison check out 2nd Maccabees 8.5-.7
"As soon as Maccabeus got his army organized, the Gentiles could not withstand him, for the wrath of the Lord had turned to mercy. Coming without warning, he would set fire to towns and villages. He captured strategic positions and put to flight not a few of the enemy. He found the nights most advantageous for such attacks. And talk of his valor spread everywhere."
BTW, those were towns and villages inhabited by Hellenized Jews, not foreigners. Here's a more circumspect version of the guerilla war waged by the Macabees from 1st Maccabees 2.44-.48:
"They gathered an army and struck down sinners in their anger and lawbreakers in their wrath, and the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the pagan altars; they also enforced circumcision for any uncircumcised boys whom they found in the territory of Israel. They put to flight the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. They saved the law from the hands of the Gentiles and of the kings and did not let the sinner triumph."
During the period of guerilla war, Kallyr would have impressed upon all Sartarites her valor, her ability to strike where she wants to, and the danger of crossing her. Under her relentless leadership, some 200-500 warriors managed to strike terror in 10,000+ Lunar soldiers. Moreover, after 1617, she was part of the household of the magical king of Whitewall - a royal Vingkotling.
> Killing Sartari refugees who are eating the only
> food in sight, Lunar-provided or otherwise, is not
> saving traditionalists. Many of these people *are*
> traditionalists, who have decided that starving to
> death as Orlanthi is not going to perpetuate the
> worship of Orlanth. Ernaldans in particular, i.e. the
> women and children, are the most likely recipients of
> Lunar handouts. Kallyr needs more than the men's
> favour to rule in Sartar. Anger the women, and she
> loses half her likely support. It's not that I don't
> see desperate and cruel things done, it's that given
> Kallyr's future, they won't be done directly by her.
Maybe not. But I doubt Kallyr would oppose such actions and certainly would not mind them. And remember, this would take place during the Fimbulwinter - when the gods are dead and the laws and morals of society have collapsed. Life was very very very cheap in the Fimbulwinter and the experience of that year-long winter I think hardened the Orlanthi far more than people are willing to credit. The Fimbulwinter eliminated any restraints that might have previously existed - keep in mind that within three years, Kallyr and her companions were willing to summon a True Dragon (something that prior to the Fimbulwinter would be seen as a truly evil and insane thing by most people) to devour thousands and thousands of Lunars.
> I have my doubts that Sartar's Flame would even
> light for a person who had committed such divisive
> acts. Sartar was a nationbuilder, and as a degree of
> discretion is obviously built into the Flame; i.e., it
> doesn't always light for someone, regardless of the
> blood claim that person might have, I don't think that
> Kallyr would qualify with the blood of hundreds of her
> own people on her hands. At one or two removes,
> perhaps.
Why do you think this? Assuming that the Flame of Sartar is similar to the Vingkotling blood, it is not a moral test. It tests whether the candidate is favored by the god - something that Kallyr most defintely was and something Temertain never was.
> As has been said with regard to the
> Dragonraising, there were others involved. K may have
> been the only surviving tribal leader, but that's not
> a prereq for becoming Prince. And, again, a powerful
> act, but does it qualify you to become Prince? Are
> there other qualities or acts to be taken into
> consideration? Yes.
Yes - is she descended from the House of Sartar and can she call upon Sartar's blessing? Once Kallyr assembled the Iron Ring of Sartar and obtained the recognition from most of the tribes, she could light the Flame.
Temertain never assembled the Ring, and never held the Regalia. As a result, he could only make the Flame flicker.
Jeff
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