> If there is a Carmanian Lightbringers' Quest (however big that "if" is),
> shouldn't they also have a Darkbringers' Quest?
Well, to the best of my knowledge the world reborn after the LBQ was bright half the time and dark half of the time. Followers of the Carmanian Lightbringers might say that they had redressed the balance inherent in Creation, bringing equal quantities of both light and darkness to the world.
Does it seem so unlikely that a culture influenced by Yelmic and Orlanthi neighbours which places great emphasis on the interaction of Light and Darkness should develop their own version of the Lightbringers' Quest, Hans? I'm no fan of the Monomyth, but why on earth throw out the baby with the bathwater?
> Does anyone know what the Lunar attitude to wereguild is?
I suppose civilised Lunars from the Heartlands would frown on wergeld: it exists to regularise or legitimise violence, which is something civilised cultures think they can do well enough through their own endeavours. It also short-circuits Imperial law: and replacing or formalising tribal lawcodes with imperial diktat is a common enough desire among conquering powers. So I'd be surprised if a Lunar court would recognise wergeld as a "legitimate" solution to crimes of murder and violence: just think, what if some rebel from the hills killed a Lunarised Tarshite leader, then handed over a herd of cattle, and said "You can't even sue me!" If the Empire recognised wergeld they'd be vulnerable to "decapitation" attempts like this.
Easier if this is another area where Lunars and Barbarians don't understand each other's ways... now, would a barbarian understand the rules surrounding Dart Competitions?
> I think to the Dara Happans tricksters are quite obviously wicked and
> something they would rather do without, not a necessary evil, which makes
> Danfive more likely a reasonable candidate [for 'Eurmal' on the 7MQ].
But to the Dara Happans *Orlanthi* are "quite obviously wicked and something they would rather do without" -- so your argument also serves to reinforce the 'identification' of DX with Orlanth on the 7MQ. These parallels are not exact, of course; it's a different myth/journey. But I get more of a rise out of barbarians by comparing their King of the Gods to good old Danfive...
All Hail the Reaching Moon!
Hail her 'til it hurts,
then hail her some more...
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