democracy, borists and book burner

From: Peter Metcalfe <P.Metcalfe_at_student.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 1997 14:18:01 +1200


Trotsky:

>My guess is such a [democratic] city would tend to incorporate some
>Orlanthi myths into its particular heresy, since the Orlanthi have
>a tradition for democracy.

I don't think the Riverjoin city for example would use Orlanthi myths. This is like saying that the British or the French uses the US Constitution.

[Borists]

>Personally, I imagine they're a bit like the Galvosti in their general
>outlook re. class structure etc., but one thing I noticed was that all the
>other sects seem to think they're a bunch of chaotics. I was under the
>impression that the reason they allowed chaos to be tapped is precisely
>because they don't like it, and hence think Malkion's anti-tapping
>proscription doesn't apply. Is this just a case of the other sects
>misunderstanding/propagandising against the Borists? Or a case of _me_
>misunderstanding them? Or has their association with captured chaotic
>thingies and frequent tapping of the same corrupted them with chaos?
     

The others believe them to be a bunch of Chaotics because they are a bunch of Chaotics. But the Borists do not consider themselves to be Chaotics but Lawful folk and that Everybody Else is Chaotic. Confused? Read on.

Malkioni believe that certain deeds are sinful in that they reduce the chance of the Soul attaining Solace after Death. The Borists go further and proclaim that Sin is Chaos. No one can enter Solace without being purged of the taint of Chaos. Thus the Borists purify themselves by use of the Shriving Spell. This spell is derived from the infamous Tap and sucks the taint from the shrivee. It is painful and sucks out mp and general hit points as well. People with chaotic features can be shriven indefinitely (until their body becomes a withered husk) without the feature being removed. For others, a years worth of ordinary living produces about one point of taint. Exceptional crimes like rape and murder produce more. For most borists, their shriving occurs once a year and the pain is minimal. For non-borists, they are so full of sin that the      

But wait! What does the Shriver do with the accumulated Chaos taint? He either puts it in his familiar (which inevitably mutates into a chaotic horror) or uses it to create a fixedINT  monster. By invoking the name of Saint Boris, he can compel the monster to obey his wishes (use the old Primal Chaos mechanic in Cults of Terror - the Borist sacrifices 1 point of POW per 10 POW that the monster has). That way, the Chaos can be kept under control and even be used to perform Good Deeds. This is the reason why everyone hates the Borists so.

Some Borists keep their sinful activities to a minimum whereas others think nothing of committing a sinful deed so they can create another chaotic horror.

> Oh, and where would they be found? Safelster, obviously, but any
>particular cities? Or do they live as minorities among other groups, or even
>in secret?

Borists are invaribly secretive as their association with Chaos Monsters have lead to centuries of persecution. Matters aren't exactly helped by the Boristi habit of using their monsters to even the score. They can live ordinary lives since they can't be detected as Chaotic. The Borists only need to met their shriver once a year. The shriver stores his monsters in the catatombs (usually they share the catatombs with other shrivers so it's a virtual chaotic pit) unless he needs them.

Since the others are tainted with Chaos, it is not sinful in Borist eyes to lie, cheat and steal from them. The others are not full blown chaotics so it is sinful to Tap them. Thus the Borists can quite freely pretend to be a member of another religion (like the Galvosti, Rokari or Stygian). Nobles and Wizards are seen as servants of Gbaji unless they are also closet Borists in which case they use their position to protect their flock and thwart the Inquisition.

Although Borists originally had castes, the years of persecution have whittled the practice down to the laity and the Priests. A priest shrives his flock and controls the chaos monsters whereas the laity are merely shriven. A lay-borist can become a priest by simply learning the priestly arts although many areas have some more requirements on who can become a priest. All can pretend to be of any caste in the outside world they chose so long as it is convincing to the outsiders.

The heart of the Borist heresy is the City of Belstos in the County of Borin. However it has spread elsewhere so that adherents can be found in every corner of Safelster. They have no central cult authority (the lack of Bishops is a major reason why they did not attend the Sog City Conference).

HTH. Stephen Martin:


>Now I may be wrong, but I could have sworn that Saintly Yanoor was killed
>by the False Dragons Circle, and that Shang-hsa (MHNBC) was their
>puppet-emperor.

Ah, but there's nothing in print which states that Shang Hsa M.H.N.B.C! was a God Learner puppet. The New Dragons Ring did appoint an Emperor but we are not told that he was Shang-Hsa. He is reviled because he burnt the books and not because he was a puppet. His book burning only made the New Dragons Ring task of remaking Kralorela only easier.

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