*sniffle*

From: Peter Metcalfe <P.Metcalfe_at_student.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 22:35:09 +1200


David Boatright:

>There may different versions of Humakt around Glorantha emphasizing
>different aspects of the God. Wether it's death, truth or honor.
>But changing Malia to a healing Goddess makes here the opposite to
>what she is every where else. Malia creates disease. Disease spreads
>death and corruption.

Making Malia into a healing goddess does not make her the opposite of what she is elsewhere. She has been tamed but her basic nature has not changed. It's no different from taming wolves and turning them into dogs, they still wag their tails.

>If the focus of the cult in the Empire is as a 'fence' preventing
>illness it must be a case of join us or die horribly. Surely this
>is still a case of blackmail and extortion, still sounds evil to me.

A similar argument could be made out for any occupation. If the focus of the foodseller is as a fence preventing starvation, it must be a case of buy from us or die horribly. Surely this is still a case of blackmail and extortion, still sounds evil to me.

>The priests may tell the people they are a healing cult but I bet
>they know the real truth.

Okay, extending this logic; the Dorastran Humakt Swords tell everybody that they worship a Dark and Evil Being but they know the real truth in that they actually worship an honorable war god because the majority of his (Dragon Pass) worshippers believe that he is. Spot the flaw?

Fantome:


On possible Chalana Arroy practices to curb Propitatory malian worship

>Having again reread the CA writeup there is actually nothing to forbid it.

My main objection would be that if they could do so, IMO, it would be widely used. The existance of prophylactic devices against disease will drastically reduce the demand for Malia's propitiatory worship. Also Consider what happens if an adventurer wants to raid broos and seeks aid from a healer beforehand. If he gets protection (let us say a latex bodysuit for safe fighting), much of the _danger_ from raiding broos is lost with very little social consequences.

It is much better IMO to have the adventurers fear disease. To ward effectively against it, they should have to make some rather unsavorary decisions which will cost them a great deal of respect ('he's a good fighter against the Broos, but he worships Malia in his spare time') or cease to war against the Broos.

Pam Carlson:


>SOME of Genertela is a violent place. You ignore the vast peaceful
>populations of Seshnela, central Peloria, Backwater Esrolia, and
>Kralorela.

Unfortunately I must nitpick here.

Seshnela undergoes periodic peasant revolts and is also raided by mercenaries from Nolos, barbarians from Ralios and the Uz from Guhan.

Backwater Esrolia has been brutally raided by the Solanthi and the Ditali and they spend much of their time picking up the pieces. Of course the ruling Queens all have fights amongst themselves now that the Pharoah has gone, so Esrolia is hardly a pacific place.

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