Malkioni and Romans from Mike Cule on 1995-02-21 (Glorantha Digest Vol 01)

From: Mike Cule <mikec_at_room3b.demon.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 95 11:55:44 GMT

Sandy doubts my comment on the strain put on the Roman Empire by maintaining the border garrisons. He attributes the Fall to 'internal rot' (doubtless true) and the Romanising of the barbarians. But that Romanising was undertaken in an attempt to gain auxiliary troops to support the legion system. And I believe that recent research has shown how much the fiscal strain of maintaining the border contributed to the collapse. (American legislators please note.)

On my proposal of a Malkioni sect that recruits to each caste at adolescence, well why not give you the write up:

Reformed Hrestoli Church founded by Saint Juliana of Hovestal. (That's the name of the Kingdom,) She was the princess and sole heir when the Ban fell on the Kingdom. She went to pray in the cathedral and expressed her fears of being inadequate to the job when a voice prompted her to read the sacred text of Hrestol that is the realm's greatest treasure. This caused her to Heroquest. She discovered new truths ('for the Third Age') to reintroduce her people to the Invisible God.

HERESIES OF THE REFORMED CHURCH

Non-humans are people too! They are creations of the Invisible God too. And they can be converted to the ways of the True Faith.
Women are people too! And can take part in the life of the nation on the same basis as men! All women are born into the Menena class as all men are born into the Dronar class but can qualify for other classes. (Men are not equipped to join the Menena class!)
Improved selection! It is wasteful for people to spend years of their life in the Farmer class if their talents lie elsewhere. At the age of 14 a citizen is given a chance to qualify for an apprenticeship to the Soldier/Horal or Wizard/Zzabur classes. (And women can qualify for the Dronar/Farmer classes as well.) The successful apprentices are given until they are 21 to prove their worth in their caste. Those who fail return to the Farmer or Woman caste.

Naturally, the children of those already in a caste have a better chance of qualifying for apprenticeships. They only need to roll POW x 5% to gain an apprenticeship. Others must roll POW x 3%. A would be Soldier adds +1 for every point of STR, CON or DEX over 12 and +1 for every point of SIZ and INT over 15. Would be Wizards add +1 for every point of INT over 12 and +1 for every point of DEX over 14. Women attempting to become farmers add + for every point of INT and DEX over 12.

4) Improved overlordship! The Talar class is chosen from all classes. Wizards who become adepts qualify to join the ruling classes. Soldiers who become Champions of Tourney's do too. Farmers elect their rulers and Women who bear 5 healthy children who live to be 14 also qualify for Lordship. Coumncils of Lords rule each local area. Higher level councils (up to the Royal Council) are composed of delegates from lower level Councils. The King is chosen by general ballot of the Lord Class.

The following Special Sorcery Spells are very useful in the assessing of the citizens:

Assess (Characteristic)

This spell allows you to discover the level of a person's characteristics. There is one for each characteristic. At Intensity one the spell tells you whether it is greater than less than or equal to the average for its species. At level 5 it tells you if the characteristic is greater than, less than or equal to the caster's own. At level 10 it tells you the exact stat.

Assess Skill

This spell allows you to discover the level of a person's skills. It can only be cast for a skill that the caster knows himself. At level 1 you can only tell if the caster knows the skill. At level 5 you know if it is greater than less than or equal to your own. At level 10 you know the exact level.

Ah, me an idyllic and utopian little place, which was quickly crushed by the fanaticism of the Loskalmi ambassadors combined with the treachery of the KoW.

Mike Cule