It's definitely more obvious in the Wenelian Tradition. Even the 'good guys' of the Tradition are a bit iffy, save Oak Woman. Dokal keeps the People of Oak & Storm safe through roguish guile, and Vorlon just wants to sit on a lifeless mounatin top. I have trouble believing the Wenelians get as worked up about ritual purity as, say, the Dara Happans or the Grazers. IMG, I see the Tradition as a double-edged sword that focuses on survival at the expense of prosperity (or civilization, development, complexity, or whatever other term you want). I'm not sure if this makes sense, but I also see this as a separate issue than the relative 'power' of the tradition.
> They worship what helps them surivie the land and their enemies.
> They appease or propitiate what they cannot drive off. They've
> turned to these several times in the past - many of the more
> unpleasant practices and spirits were remembered during the hard
> times as the Gbaji Wars ravaged the land and again after the God
> Learner castastrophes wrecked what they'd managed to recover.
In that vein, I started wondering about Unnek the Buzzard as a possible addition to the Wenelian Tradition. The Queen of Scavenging sounds like something the Wenelians would at least respect, if not like. That's what motivated my original question: I had a very pretty outline of how Unnek could fit in, how the Wenelians view Unnek in contrast to the Grazers, etc... and then I saw the No Birds Rule. As I didn't get the bloodline angle, I figured it'd be best to inquire after the reasoning.
> Could be. Could be. Or he could be a clan guardian. Or a local
> spirit cult Chalkman. Or he might be a spirit appreciated (or
> appeased) throughout the region a-la Oakfed. But none would call
> him father or kin save in a spiritual sense, no bloodlines would
> claim to be eagles or have "eagle totem" magic - though the magic
> they get cuold identidal. Just the methodology is different.
Excuse me as I take notes :)
> Ooh. Knappnig. That's fun once you get the hang of it.
So I've heard.
(my GF is a Mayan lithicist, so I have a very healthy respect for what obsidian and chert can do)
> Father of Flint was one of Dokal's first companions after the young
> god coaxed the cranky old spirit out of his hiding place. He has a
> relative (?), Hallik, who is the goddess of obsidian but she was
> frozen by the seas and is only found in her sea-cliff near Fay
> Jee.
Ooo. ...Is this stuff you just made up on the spot, or is this in a book somewhere? Either way, I love it.
> The fellows at Fort Digger brought their own mining and smithing
> gods with them from Tarsh, as I recall. Actually, I am very sure
> the Trader Princes have brought in various civilized orders from
> the West or encouraged useful cults among their holdings. These may
> have gained converts or adherrents deeper in the hinterlands if
> there is a need. Finding a secure and steady source of metal would
> probably make the clan able to harness it wealthy (and probably
> dead at the hands of jealous neighbors).
This all makes sense to me as well. I'm very tempted now to make a campaign about mining interests from Tallcastle looking for metal deposits to the North. I hope you're happy. ;p
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