Re: Builders in Sartar

From: David Weihe <weihe_at_gsidanet.danetinc.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 97 14:21:42 EST


> From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_interzone.ucc.ie>
> Owen Jones wonders: How do Sartarites build roads?
> > (the sacrifice of animals and/or people before major building projects
> > certainly happened throughout Europe in ages past - many bridges have
> > bodies interred under the piles).
> Le Guin's _Left Hand of Darkness_ contains a scene of this sort (and is
> one of my favourites novels, to declare an interest). The King (!) (1)
> cements and grouts the keystone of an arch in place, with mortar slaked
> by animal blood. Of course, before they became Semi-Civilised Wusses(TM),
> it was human blood.

In one of the early Thieves World stories, the invaders wanted to hallow their new temple by burying a live girl under the walls, and a character tried to save her. The final result was that the Wizard's Guild substituted a dead dog, just like they had done for the main temple of the earlier ruling people, in order to maintain a balance of power among all the parties.

As we know (from reports of Rune Metal Jacket) that the Lunars do similar rituals, this leads to yet another set of nasty scenario possibilities. If the Lunars in their early occupation could somehow bind the spirits of enemy rune levels into their temple, it might be very useful to them (think "healed"/illuminated Thanatari, frex), so the local cults might have to launch suicide squads to break into prison and terminate their captured leaders.

Later in the occupation period, perhaps the Free Sartar forces try to contact Kolati or Praxian shamans and Daka Fal priests to either release the trapped spirits or, better yet, turn them into a Fifth Column by interferring  with the original binding enchantments (they may not be Rune levels, but will still be members of the original cults, after all, like the spirits in a Ball of Tails). Most priests and/or sorcerors will be little use save as guards on these expeditions, as the job is too far from their special talents, so this could be equally usable for new initiates and near Hero characters.


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