Vlodek was given a test by his Fazzik to determine his worthiness to take an important office in the Fazzik's household. Very simply, Vlodek was ordered to go to Charg and discover what was going on there. Applying the thinking of his Saint, Vlodek reasoned that, since Charg was to the west, one must go to the east to learn about it. He immediately took off for parts east and ended up in Pavis, where he is attempting to gather companions for a journey further east.
The actual name of Vlodek's saint is Itzak Roizmin, or Saint Itzak. He is the patron of wisdom and folly, or wisdom through folly, depending on whom you ask. His followers act as sages and teachers in Carmanian society, but what they teach is often hard to comprehend.
There is a Carmanian saying: "Only ask Itzak if you're willing to have him answer you."
Itzak was a bit of a cultural rebel, who sought to reconcile the opposites he saw in the world to a whole. Why is there life and death? Why is there light and darkness? Itzak saw that the grand seriousness of his lands led to worship of light and hatred of darkness, but darkness still came. Fools were despised, but they often saw what others would not. This perplexed Itzak mightily.
The vast majority of Itzak's followers spend their time in VERY serious meditation upon paradoxical questions and apparently meaningless stories. Like most religious movements, the basic meaning was co-opted by the larger social climate. Itzak is embraced by the orthodox Carmanian religion because it gives a respectable outlet for "nonsense" and "foolishness". Were an outsider to observe most followers of Itzak, he would be quite amused about how seriously they take their frivolity. Imagine ten old men in long robes with artfully-made "torn holes". Imagine these men very astutely and seriously "capering" down a city street.
The peasants, of course, think it's an absolute hoot, but they don't let on WHY they're laughing. The overlords think that they're just devoutly mocking Itzak, as he wished to be mocked.
Very rarely, a young man will come along who really understands what Itzak was up to, but Vlodek took off for parts unknown.
Adherence to Itzak is a normal form of sorcerous religion. Those followers who
have sacrificed four or more POW at appropriate rituals AFTER becoming Adept
sorcerers gain the ability to cast either a Lie or Sense Truth spell (or
whatever
that Lhankor Mhy spell is called) once a week. The Lie spell is meant to be
used to reveal a greater truth, but this isn't always the case. Note that the
adherent chooses at the time of casting which spell is to be used that week.
There are many acts of virtue, but three are the greatest:
To engender love where there is hate.
To bring understanding where there is ignorance.
To really slam some clueless git in grand style.
End of Glorantha Digest V1 #296
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
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