Oh No not YT again!

From: Nick Eden <pheasant_at_cix.compulink.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 95 20:10 GMT


In-Reply-To: <199502081558.KAA28486_at_hops.wharton.upenn.edu> Andrew writes
> I don't see the sense of this from the game-mechanics angle.

But looking at it from the game-mechanics angle is so boring. Why bother?

Looking at things from a game-mechanics angle leads to minimaxing, and generally dull stuff like that. Everyone ends up playing such and such a cult because they get the best rune spells and you can kiss diversity good-bye.

As Nick B said the other day "ask not what your cult can do for you, ask what the cult does in society" or something very like that. Cults do not exist in a vaccuum, they are part of living breathing cultures.

What you have consistantly failed to demonstrate is what role a non-warrior would do in this warriors cult? YT himself was a famous soldier and nobleman. what you appear to be proposing is that the inner circle of his cult is made up of people who are in no way like him.

Look at the other cults out there: Issaries was a trader, and his worshippers are traders. LM was a sage, as are his priests. Storm bull was a homocidal maniac, as are his worshippers (though I expect you'd dispute that was well). Why would you think that the most famous warrior in the Lunar Empire would have worshippers who don't set out to emulate him? Every other god's worshippers emulate them.

Everybody who is seriously committed to YT is a warrior, and they are all* going to be officers. Sure there will be lots of YT's who pay lip service, but all the get up and go types who do well in the cult will be the sort that get everyone saying 'Officer material if I'm not mistaken. Give him a maniple and send him against the Telemori, see how he does.' And some of them become heroes.

*Orlanthi all of course.


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