New Priests

From: Tim Ellis <tim_at_timellis.demon.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 15:19:08 +0100

In Digest V3 #109 Brian the fantome writes
>
>If there was an initiate of a deity in an area where the pantheon was
>strong enough, but no acolyte/priests of the diety, it follows that the
>rest of the community - with priests of associated religions and shared
>heroquest paths to help - could turn that worthy initiate into a
>acolyte/priest.
>
>Of course, this still does not explain the most burning question on my
>mind. How on Glorantha did Ralzakarks=B9 CA healears become initiated and
>then full priests? Perhaps an illuminated Chalana Arroy healer ( with an
>escort of lunar bodyguards) managed to wander by or did Ralzakark perform a
>heorquest ?
>

Obviously it must be possible to become a priest without the aid of an existing priest, otherwise where did the first priests come from?

In the RQ2 Universe, all you needed was the appropriate skills and to "Convince the examiners" by making the appropriate roll - These examiners could just as easily be the deity &/or cult spirits as the current temple heirarchy. RQ3 looks more towards the community and talks about the need new priests. This is like the company who have been regularly promoting all their employees, and then discover they only have managers and nobody left to manage!

Some form of Heroquest is probably always involved in becoming a priest, whether it happens in a conventional, well supported temple, or alone on the road to Damascus (or some suitable gloranthan equivalent) - it is just going to be easier with the support of an existing temple. (Except maybe for Humakti, who have to sever their connections and probably always face the ritual alone).

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| Tim Ellis           EMail tim_at_timellis.demon.co.uk                      |

| A foolish consistancy is the hobgoblin of little minds - R.W. Emerson |

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