First, I'd like to thank all the SFC for a fine week in Seattle, with extra special thanks to David D. and Elise for their monderful hospitality at what was a very busy time for them, and Pam (and dogs) for a great afternoon in the Cascade mountains.
It was wonderful to meet people, some for the first time (putting real faces to email identities is always good) and some I hadn't seen since RQ Con DU. I'm sure everyone who heads to that corner of the world for the Victoria Con will have a great time. And if you can't make it to the Con to enjoy that fabulous SFC hospitality, then at least buy a copy of Enclosure, which sounds like it will be packed with good stuff.
It was also particularly nice to Jeff Richards (yes, the ideas we came up with for the truth behind the whole Harmast/Arkat/Lokayamadon sage will probably get some interesting reactions...) and Martin Laurie. Martin, of course, was easily recognisable as the one eating raw steak, carrying all the automatic weapons and grenade launchers, and beating his chest.
On another topic, I'd like to add my voices to those welcoming the return of Sandy. The Hon Hoolbiktu story was great, Sandy.
I've really started to think about the Doraddi again of late, and I'd like to ask Sandy or anyone else with an interest in Pamaltela for some feedback. Lots of my ideas about the Doraddi have been thrown for a loop the more I think about the marriage customs (where a young person marries a middle aged person, and then when the older partner becomes old enough to die or retire, the younger one is then middle aged and takes on a young partner). The young married women are associated with Faranar, the mature married women Aleshmara, the old women Yanmorla. I think the young unmarried men are associated with Vangono, the mature men Pamalt, the old retired men Cronisper. I'm not sure about the young married men - Vangono still is my feeling, but I think Aleshmara (who their wives worship) is the deity most opposed to Vangono, so it would lead to some marital tension! I think the deity associated with unmarried women is Nyanka - any thoughts? Somewhere, its mentioned that asking to share water can be a an invitation to sex or marriage among the Doraddi, which fits. Or maybe the Nyanka cult is a cult among all ages of Doraddi women, but carries a wiff of scandal in a young woman that it does not in an older one.
Anyway, most of the other Doraddi cults (like Keraun) are probably restricted or associated with particular lineages.
Other questions about Jolar etc -
Lodril used to be the ruler, and Pamalt is now. How did the changeover occur? It was obviously not too nasty, as Lodril is a loyal part of Pamalts Necklace.
What sort of thing do the Exigers do? I know that each clan is skilled in a form of magical battle, but is that meant to be a clan of magicians, or magical warriors? I'd thought in terms of things like a clan that uses flying knives, and a clan that uses animated ropes, and things like that.
Vangono and Lodril both are gods of inner heat (Vangono breathes fire) and both have a burning spear motif. Are they directly related? Perhaps Vangono is Lodrils son? Also, perhaps they differ in that Vangonos fire is magic and only harms the wicked, while Lodrils is material, and burns anything.
Anyway, back with more Doraddi stuff soon
Cheers
David
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