While this makes perfect sense, it's complicated by the coextensive existence of earth worship, particularly as Gloranthan (partly) Solar cultures are among the most agriculturally sophistated peoples. Not to mention that it's bleedin' cold in Peloria, so I bet they get fairly, um, exuberant when things start to defrost.
> while storm cultures see the rebirth as occurring when the Dawn
> happened, which presumably they believe to be the first day of Sea
> Season.
Surely not; the Orlanthi "New Year" starts with (or after) Sacred Time, doesn't it? Of course this itself has a solar flavour to it, confusing the issue. I expect in many places the distinction is at best confused, just as western Christianity has ended up celebrating both.
> >What's a "nandi beast"?
> Hmm I thought I'd posted the answer to this. Clearly I'm wrong.
Not since the story, at least; if you posted this earlier, put it down to attention-span timeout on my part.
> What does a nandi look like? A bit like an Andrewsarchus.
Eh...
Lewis Jardine, on British Summer Time months before the rest of us
(obviously a Solar cultist) wonders:
> > does CA tolerate suicide?
The clearest extentuating circumstance for this would be where the Healer is threatened with spiritually defiling death, such as being munched by some flagrantly choatic horror. If killing himself would ensure his soul survived when otherwise it might be in jeopardy, its presumably acceptable.
I agree with Paul R. that underpacifistic Healers should suffer magical consequences as well as stern wiggings from the temple higher-ups. People using Traits can probably deal with it by that mechanism, but I would say that, for example, simply causing loss of rune magic for acts of "justified" violence would be a reasonable sanction. That this will affect senior cult members more acutely seems sensible, as one would expect more rigorous adherence to cult values from them.
Suicides aren't likely to be much deterred by this, of course; loss of Glory to their descendents is about the worst rules penalty one might rationalise.
> What do the Orlanthi in general think of suicide? How about
> the Pelorians?
I suspect that the Orlanthi regard suicide as generally cowardly, though probably not as being sinful. People with an overpowering death-wish are officially supposed to embark on effective suicide by undertaking some witlessly dangerous and hopeless task, or joining Humakt (which amounts to the same thing). As Arroyans don'y have this option, no one would think ill of them if they "accidentally" OD'd on some Comfort Song Herbs, or whatever.
Dara Happans aren't likely to be keen on either self-mulilation or poison, and wouldn't want anyone to take the Easy Way Out or Get Off Lightly for some difficuly, or misdemeanour. It may be necessary to get oermission, or moral advice from your lord, priest, or the head of your family, and you may well be told to get thee to a monastery instead (even if you're not qualified to become a Dayzatar priest, you can doubtless still retire to a less elevated (pun intended) cloistered or hermetic life).
Best methods are a) by fire, or failing which by "clean" dismemberment; and b) not by your own hand. So lie on a pyre, which you arrange to have lit by the sun, or order a Loyal Retainer to your 'ead clean orf, and then tearfully and ritually dispose of your Six Parts. If you don't have a pyre or a Loyal Retainer conveniently located, but have plenty of time on your hands, desication in the sun is perfectly okay. Self-defenestration will do in a pinch. ("It wasn't the jump that killed me, Yelm Sire, it was when the Earth hit me.")
Pelorian farmers don't kill themselves, that's what the Dara Happan nobs are there for.
I have a feeling the Lunars are big suicide fans. Modern fin de siecle malaise, decadence and urban dissociation, and those funny Pelorian life-is-hopeless mystery cults. Large overdoses of recreational drugs or blood-letting with a silver sickle would be the ways to go.
Westerners almost certainly regard suicide as a mortal sin, and fearful. This life is bad enough, what could the next one be like? Hanging, if one really must.
I seem to wax wood on these morbid subjects for some reason; maybe I should write up a Gloranthan Way of Death article...
Alex.
End of Glorantha Digest V1 #123
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