When discussing chaos in the Lunar Empire you have to remember that the
Empire is trying to "Illuminate" it's residents -- bit by bit. The Empire is
ready to accept any culture or race as long as it conforms to their
standards (but then you all knew that, didn't you?). This is a long and hard
process, but if you ask a Heartlander "What do you think of chaos?" they
probabley think of the Red Emperor's Steed, a few chaotic magicians that
valiantly helped the Empire against the horrible and evil Orlanthi, and such
like. Of course, it's unlikely they'd think the same if they actually *saw*
the Crimson Bat and realized what it was all about (think of Paulis
Longvale's reaction in LoT p.88).
The Lunar Empire will try to dissect everything that is good about chaos,
and Malia's ability to heal is one of those things. You can imagine "Healing
Square" (or it's equivalent) in Glamour with it's temples to Deezola,
Chalana Arroy, Teelo Norri and Malia all side by side and working happily
together ("Disease? No no no, I'm a Chalana Arroy Healer -- you want to see
the disease specialist next door in Malia's temple"). Through this healing
the Lunar people begin to see Malia as a healing goddess, like she used to
be. As noted in the RuneQuest-Con Compendium (p.73) the Lunar Empire can be
thought of as beginning the Golden Age again, and bringing back Malia as a
healing goddess is part of it.
As an after thought, imagine Illuminated Chalana Arroy/Malia healers
wandering about claiming that who she worships are two sides of the same
goddess -- and she could be right.
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Nick Effingham E-Mail:wal_at_eff.u-net.com
<None so gaudy, nor as bloody,
as the sword that would,
crash and bash, an' swing with a flash,
and spill thine enemies blood>
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