Malia is Good!

From: Peter Metcalfe <P.Metcalfe_at_student.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: Sun, 07 Apr 1996 00:31:47 +1200


Fantome:

SP>> The Lunar Empire doesn't really care if Malia is chaotic or not.
>>There are places in the Lunar Empire where Malia is the main Healing
>>Goddess, not Chalana Arroy or Deezola.

>Sputter! Choke! Sputter! Cough! Again,resorting to LoT, but this time
>because it supports my view - , 'All Gloranthan societies outlaw the
>worship of Malia'... 'there are no centers of power for the cult'.

This is obviously the Orlanthi All at work. And what centres of power does Chalana Arroy have anyhow?                                          

SP>> After all, Malia protects against disease _better_ than these other
>> goddesses. She gives you _certainty_ that you won't catch whatever
>>pestilence you fear most.

>Certainly, Malia will have a fair number of propitiatory worshippers,
>involuntary initiates, and even a number of voluntary initiates (apart
>from Broos) wishing to spread disease. But the protection offered to
>propitiatory worshippers and involuntary initiates is only for _that_
>disease for which they have given up part of their soul.

Erm, so when you get innoculated in the Real World, are you giving up your soul to the 'spirits' of disease? The perception that Malia is evil, stems I think from the fact that the Broos worship her.

>Much better to go to Chalana Arroy or even Deezola who can cure you from
>_all_ diseases (well, usually before dying :) ). Especially if you don't
>want friends and family infected.

But Chalana Arroy and Dendara are little more than Ambulances at the bottom of the cliff. Malia on the other hand is the Fence at the top. As for getting family and friends infected, I'm sure the Lunar Malia Cult knows how to turn the disease spirits gained by initiation inactive.

This raises an interesting possibilty. When Arkat uncovered proof that the Ralians were spreading disease into Tanisor, did he actually uncover proof that the Malian Cultists were merely _innoculating_ the Tanisoreans against the Plague and leapt to the wrong conclusions?

I don't think the Lunar Malian Cult existed until 1325-1350 when the 'Era of Healing' occurred. This was so called for the numerous epidemics that broke out within the Lunar Empire and depleted much of her strength before Sheng Seleris. This may be connected with the reopening of Dragon Pass to human commerce.

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