> For some reason, a voice in the back of my head keeps saying: "Think Burma/
> Thailand". I think it's the elephants that do it.
Listen to this voice, and nurture it. Feed it buns, if it seems to crave them. Throw in bits from elsewhere in Indochina and the trans- region, though, if it seems to suit...
> [Zitro Argon (in re: Dayzatar)]
I think Zitro Argon's cult resembles Tibetan Buddhism in some of its wackier aspects. Lots of sitting around chanting in mountaintop temples, and searching the land for Infant Holy Reincarnations. Steal freely from the Dayzatar material (key similarities: extreme holiness and practical uselessness, and certainly with lots of rituals which are awesomely arduous and elaborate, but relatively magically ineffectual), but don't be unduly beholden to it. I think the Zitroni are less Materialist than the Dayzatar monks for one thing, though about as Mystical.
Somash: seems like the archetypal Generic Sun God. ;-) Start with Apollo, and work your way East... The comparison with Yelm isn't necessarily that strong, as this is the Sun God "before" his identification as Ruler. (There are theories about Sky Worship "evolving" into Sun Worship, in conjunction with the rise of autocracies.) I'd comment on the Obvious Analogue of Samash, if only I knew the first thing about said terrestrial divinity.
> Calyz is the most popular, although I'm unsure what the cross-over is
> between Solf (Lodril), with Calyz being the god of smelting - I would
> have thought that this was a Solf type of thing...
I tend to think of Calyz and Solf as being (to be shamelessly GLer for a moment) a sort of Good Lodril/Bad Lodril thing, or if you prefer, Calyz fills a sort of Mahome/Gustbran function, having "usurped" the role of "Lodril" has in those areas elsewhere. Note that Calyz's other functions both have more debauched equivalents in Solf's domain...
> and does a sub-sect of Calyz which is gaining support among
> the peasants really teach a self-immolation spell?
What a sick, wicked, and unworthy thought. I like it! But I suspect this is a Solf thing, actually. (Reasoning by the "Monster Man" connection; equally, could be an autonomous cult without "official" standing.)
> Is there anything on Calyz or Furalor (who at the moment I see as a mixture
> of Asrelia and Ty Kora Tek)
TKT is certainly the most obvious analogue, though given the cremation connection, stealing stuff from Shargash (or any other stiff-sizzlers that come to hand) isn't to be sniffed at... The Asrelia connection may be less trong, though; do her priests Hoard stuff? Seems most likely they Burn It All, so the wealth connection seems more implicit.
> or indeed Tolat?
Tolat seems to get mentioned around here mainly with "Shargash/" prepended to his name. For Teshnan purposes, I presume he's abjured/propitiated rather than actively worshipped. Ritual crossing of the legs when his name is mentioned would be a must.
> It seems rather odd that seagoing vessels are "practically unknown", with all
> those islands around - is this due to apathy, fear of Trowjang Amazons, fear
of
> Yellow Elves, fear of Kralori warfleets, a leftover effect of the Closing,
> or all of the above? Although Dombain is referred to as the main port of
> Teshnos, so does the statement about vessels refer only to military ships?
I'm not quite sure quite what statement you're referring too. There is something to the effect of there only being one "naval" vessel, though, so yes, I think it's primarily a "military" thing. I doubt they have anything much in the way of a deep sea fleet, in any case. Their attitude about the Closing seems to indicate something of an Isolationist streak, (though a mild one by Kralorelan or Vorumainin standards...) doubtless related to the Hisgoranstor debacle. What you say about the Amazons is certainly true, though the Yellow Elves are boringly friendly. Now much it's necessary/permitted to actually visit elf-held islands is a different matter, however.
> Finally, what is the true story behind the Harstar affair, and what is the
> famous "lethargy which permeates Teshnos"?
Dunno. I'm sure there's been at least on "Dope on a rope" theory to account for this, though. Or this may just be a mythic cause/justification of a generalised political lack of adventurism...
Good luck,
Alex.
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