Humakti and rituals of rebirth, plus Carmania and Geasa

From: Loren Miller <loren_at_hops.wharton.upenn.edu>
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 1995 23:51:43 -0400


Tim Ellis asks if Illuminated Humakti can be resurrected and/or reincarnated in a new species. IMO, yes they can. This is just another geas, and Humakti can avoid it by becoming Illuminated the exact same way that Yanafal Tarnils avoided it the first time he ran across it. Of course this assumes that YT was illuminated. I don't have any problem with this, as illumination has a well-established tradition of excepting people of Carmanian birth (such as YT and Irippi Ontor) from their cult geasa (and who has more geasa than the truth-worshipping Carmanians anyway?).

OKAY, MORE CARMANIAN STUFF Note that the archetypal cults for theist Carmanians are: Hazars=Humakt (runes are truth and death); Vizirs=Lhankor Mhy (runes are truth and light); and Karmanoi (runes are law and ???). Now I suspect that Karmanos was a high saint whose special rune was Truth, since he taught the secret of how to tell which gods other than the Creator could be worshipped and which were not worthy of worship, so I would say that his runes (if he had any) were Law and Truth. Now that the Karmanoi more commonly worship Etyries the truth thing doesn't fit them so much. I think that's one reason why Carmania is not as strong and dangerous as it used to be.

But Carmanians have a special strength/weakness. They can all take geasa, much the same way that Humakti take them. They choose a blessing and receive the associated geas. Here's a list of them that I have used in my campaign. I found they were quite interesting, luring PCs into very extreme positions they would not have chosen otherwise. It might not fit for you.

Carmanian Gifts and Matching Geases

  1. Detect Lie as a skill, starting at INT% and increasable by experience Never lie to a Carmanian
  2. Add +5% to Bargain (may be taken multiple times) Tithe an extra 5% of income / wealth
  3. Add +5% to a weapon skill Tithe an extra 5% of income / wealth
  4. Permanent True Weapon on one weapon Never raise the weapon without shedding blood; and Carry no other weapons
  5. Oath as a reusable Rune Spell Always wear the Pahero or Lalem (as appropriate to your sex) unless bathing or sleeping.
  6. Double the original APPeal stat Become a eunuch
  7. Begin Fastdraw Weapon at DEX% Always wear bells on your clothes
  8. Will become a Ghost after Death Will not reach Solace until Murder (of self or house) is avenged, or other final task is accomplished Must always wear a lead cross
    • -- whoah! +++++++++++++++++++++++23 Loren Miller <loren_at_hops.wharton.upenn.edu> The City almost looks peaceful under a blanket of new-fallen souffle. -- The Tick

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