I thought of a few more plot ideas:
What happened to the Oslir's intelligent life? (I think I remember hearing it was wiped out by the Lunars.) Why? Didn't anyone protest? Might it return?
Given the society's acceptance of slavery, poor peasants might be driven to give over children to make up a tax payment. Plots could revolve around rescuing siblings from slavery. Dart wars could force powerful families to hide children in unlikely places. Unfortunate mistakes could lead to the wrong kid being handed over to the tax collectors.
Other family disasters: your younger sister, who is supposed to be a good little Vorian, has been betrothed to another noble family since birth. However, she was last heard spouting something about "true love", and heading out of town with some Moonie putz. Can you stop her in time? Do you want to? How does the fact that Da has already spent much of her bride-gift on your snazzy new armor impact your decision?
You are the child of a prostitute, servant, business woman, or dancer artiste. Your mom swears your father was an important local noble or high beurocrat. Can you prove it to him and get on the gravy wagon?
Other fun filled plot opportunities can revolve around blackmail, subversive travelling actors, Krarsht rings, bizzare mystery cults with secret rites, fixing horse races or gladatorial games....
Bocaccio's "Decameron" is full of gooey social plots!
BLOODY PURGES While reading of these in FS, two thoughts came to mind: 1) are these exgaggerated, given the DH fondness for the number 10,000? 2) Might these purges be a sort of gruesome urban renewal? After all, excess people from the countryside migrate to the cities, and disease doesn't seem to be common enough to control human numbers in Peloria.
SOCIAL RISING:
Peter M gives lots of good examples of attrition in the ranks of nobles, and
the need for replacements. He then notes:
>You can rise in Dara Happa society, the pretext is that they rediscover
your ancestors were an ancient and proud noble house.
Or perhaps by recognizing illegitimate offspring? How about complex
adoption rituals, perhaps with a quest requirement to prove a candidate's
worthiness? Then again, I can't think of any examples of these mentioned in
GRoY or FS.
Can illegitimate offspring join the cult of Yelm? Perhaps the Emperor can
"open the registry"? Can they join the cults of Yelm's sons and daughters?
HEROQUESTING Aside from Yelmgatha, other examples of DH heroquesters are Khordavu's ten relatives who helped him gather the proper vestments for the true enthronment rights. (from GRoY) One of them even went to the Hill of Gold and won back the Orb.
SHARGASH LOVES YANA ARANIS Harald, I have the highest respect for your ideas, and I _really_ enjoy your Imtherian mythology. But if you're going to insist that a true son of Yelm and Dendara would consort with the offspring of some filthy chaos demon, I shall have to ask you to step outside! That may be the story in the Seven Mothers Temple in Alkoth, but I'm sure the guys hanging around the Great Temple to Shargash would insist on Bes Elinsib as the Thunderer's true wife, with maybe a wry nod or two for Oslira...
Pam
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