Carmanian Humakti

From: Loren Miller <Loren.Miller_at_marketing.wharton.upenn.edu>
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 1995 12:31:52 EST


Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com> writes:
> What better proof of the virtue of the Lunar Way than that a
> paragon of betrayal -- a hero who turned on his own god -- should
> become the symbol of steadfast loyalty throughout the Empire?

Perfect analysis.

Later in the same issue Peter Metcalfe
<P.Metcalfe_at_student.canterbury.ac.nz> writes of Humakti popularity:

> If you're Carmanian, then the locals see you as a Lunar and the
> Lunars don't. Your fellow Carmanians may be friendly provided
> they're not in a black mood.

Umm. Peter? The Carmanians *are* Lunars. Their state was the very model for the Lunar state.

In any case, as to Humakt etc. I think it works like this. Humakt is a die-hard traditionalist's cult. Yanafal Tarnils is the modern version of the cult. I make the split along political lines, between the Conservative and Progressive parties. The Conservative party believes that only Humakt is hard enough, and Carmanian enough, to serve as a proper god of conquest and destruction. The Progressive party believes that Yanafal Tarnils, who is capable of taking the edge off his most antisocial habits (pun not intended but gleefully accepted), best serves an empire built on trade rather than loot. Besides, YT was a Carmanian noble. Can't get much more Carmanian than that, can you?

I'm not sure about the party names though. Possibilities for the Conservative party include: Shahvite; Ancient Regime; War; Loot; Native; Draconic; and Truth. Possibilities for the Progressive party include: Healed Imperial; Imperial; Red Moon; Lunar; Mercantile; Modern; Light; and Illuminated. Yolanela and family would be bigwigs in Conservative circles. Same with Jaralaxur and Destrino in Progressive circles.

Back to H and YT. I think that most Carmanians think pretty much the same thing of YT and H cultists: They're bloody-minded killers. Whether they further deride H's as inflexible and outmoded traditionalists, or YT's as advantage-seeking traitors, neither or both, is a function of their political affiliation.

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