Martin Laurie:
>He laughed wildly. "Souls are what builds the Empire! Not
>enlightenment', not inner peace' but souls! Everything else is just words and
>illusion!" He gestured around him into the mist of souls. "This is my
>function, all Mandarins do this. We focus the spirits of the people for the
>Exarchs who in turn focus it for the Emperor. Such is the way of the Dragon.
>Worship of the lowest gives strength to the highest!"
and...
>"They hate him, its true but that is desired. Their suffering, hate, anger and
>pain is all part of the Emperors spirit. This camp and others like it gives the
>Emperor the strength he needs to enact suffering upon his own people, it is only
>a part of his power but a vital part. That is the secret of the Dragon Empire -
>it _is_ its people! It is its happiness, its contentment..... and its pain."
>"He wishes to make his own people suffer?" I was bemused.
>"Naturally! Should they act wrongly he must have the means to punish!
>Without this there is no balance, no equilibrium."
Two of the creepiest things I've read on the Digest in a long time! Now I understand what those inscrutable Kralorelans *really mean* when they describe their empire as "Harmonious" (shudder).
It's also refreshing to have someone pull something special out of their imagination that takes us onto entirely new turf (too often here we seem to be preoccupied with a continuous reiteration of Gloranthan esoteric minutiae). Kudos to Martin for striking out alone with something daringly original that seeks to change our perception of the lozenge in some way.
Given our previous stoushes, I never thought I'd be lavishing praise on Martin Laurie, but there you go. Well done (again), Martin!
Cheers
MOB
Australian Children's Television Foundation 3rd Floor, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy, AUSTRALIA 3065 phone: +613 9419 0880 fax: + 613 9419 0660
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