> Normal: Aranea, Asrelia, Inora, Kyger Litor, Malia, Allgiver, Arachne
> Solara, Dendara (she is faithful to Yelm -- categorizing her as "very
> active" is slanderous, IMO), Rice Mother, Aldrya, Babeester Gor, Earth
> Witch, Gata, Glorantha, Murthdrya, Annilla, Deezola, Etyries, Hwarin
> Dalthippa, Red Goddess, Yara Aranis, Brastalos, Framanthe, Mirintha,
> Tholaina, Triolina, Aleshmara, Faranar, Keraun, Xentha, Xiola Umbar,
> Chalana Arroy, Eiritha, Harana Ilor, Mahome,
Of this normal group is would remove Asrelia (she has never been young, AFAIK.), Arachne Solara (who can tell), Babesteer Gor, Yara Aranis... And Kyger Litor and Aldrya can hardly be categorized as they are not Man-gods, nor from human cultures.
> - -- it's just gross to think about. But no worse than thinking about
> Zorak Zoran's sex life. I mean, geeze. Be fair Panu -- the facts don't
> support you here.
Right you are, I admit. The idea was inspired by artwork that often generously represents the more fertile goddesses. I can live with me being wrong, as long as Larry Elmore ain't going to draw goddess images for Issaries Inc. Zorak Zoran's sex life would be quite normal, I believe. Uz do revere females...
Nick Brooke 'the Monster-Mailer' argued:
> > This, IMG, is quite important thing, actually. If you're noble, then
> > the army life is going to not just teach you stuff, but you might
> > even make some friends, who in turn can help you out later, by
> > giving letters of recommendation and fixing jobs in Red Army.
> > Remember the Triarchs?
> Well, while that's true, the fact is (from the student's point of view)
> that a year out on some backward barbarian frontier casting elementary
> magics to benefit illiterate grunts who want to kill savages is *not*
> what enrolling in the Lunar College of Magic is all about. Sure, some
So why should everyone do that? I think, that those who are not of noble blood can get posts like that, those who are, can get nice position at Provincial Government and have a lot easier time.
> students will be keen to learn violent and destructive spells, perhaps
> only joining the College so they can get placings as military magicians
> (both during their sabbatical year and after graduation). But I would
> imagine that to most students, this year of compulsory military service
> is about as welcome as Conscription/the Draft/National Service *always*
> is among the student fraternity. Albeit there isn't a major war on (yet).
Then, again, those of noble blood are not so common, so maybe 80% of the students really hate it. And to consider it, even the women have to go to Red Army. And those who don't know any useful magic can get pretty rough treatment out there, I think.
> the wealthy educated elite of the Heartlands), the opportunities to meet
> important people in Glamour (visiting speakers, guests at student events,
> pater's friends in the Capital), etc. etc.
And you have those contacts very useful mostly as long as you are in Glamour. And how many of those graduates stay in Glamour? I don't know, but I'd figure that the Empire has plenty o'work to do here and there, instead of focusing every rookie wizard into the capital.
> I'm not denying that the army year is "quite important". I would hate to
> suggest, however, that it's seen by all as the most desirable or signifi
> cant part of your education at the Lunar College of Magic. If you have a
> military bent, maybe it is. If you don't, it's almost certain not to be.
I did not mean to say that it is the most important thing. But anyone ending to work at Provinces can benefit from knowing people there from their past.
> > Surely a generous stipend from the parents will sort things out.
> Not if you spend the generous stipend on exotic recreational drugs, miss
> classes and fail your course that way. I said that drug-taking might lead
> to a student "dropping out" of the College, not that it was a cause for
> expulsion in and of itself. (Although, in excess, it probably is. Granted
I should have said donation, that's what I was thinking about. "Give us money, and your kid won't be bothering you at your home, we'll keep him here out of the way." Well, LCM might even be a temporary solution for all those noble kids who don't want to start a family yet and have nothing to do, as all suitable work would require highly skilled persons.
> Also, can you imagine a student writing back to his elderly Dara Happan
> father: "Dear Father, I have spent my first year's grant already on drugs
> and booze. Please send more money, your loving Son"? Wouldn't you just
> *love* to see the reply!?
Oh, certainly. Taken that it would not be on the tip of an assasin's blade.
> with respect to drugs' legality, availability, suitability, etc. can be
> found in Pelorian circles. One example that springs to mind is Great
> Sister's "Just Say No (to Gin)!" campaign -- cheap booze, a useful way
> of keeping the barbarians addled and the underclass stupefied, is also
> wrecking the lives of its addicted slaves, and prohibition is the only
> reasonable answer. Another would be the situation with Hazia on the
> frontier -- see my "Letter from a Monopolist" (in Tales #16) for an
> Etyries merchant's perspective on the recent seizures and clampdowns.
Average roman person in the 2nd century had almost nothing to do for the whole day, given that he was a 'honestiore'. Oh, then perhaps the 'humiliores' were more average. But Empire needs to deal with the masses that have nothing to do besides planning revolts. Gin does fine, and drugs help a lot. Circus is a nice place to spend a day, too. Some parts of the Empire certainly have lots of concern for citizens health etc, but for Emperor it is very useful that the people are constantly drugged or participate in amusements.
> Would you allow anyone to brew or distil their own booze? Would you allow
> anyone to sell it? to buy it? Would you stand by and take no action if
> someone was ruining their health, life, finances through abusing it?
Certainly Deezola cult + associates are at work for this cause, and Teelo Norri too. But IMO, Empire is rather cruel place to be in. As in Rome, victory is justice. Those who die from drugs were wrong. If someone other dies too, too bad. Both were wrong, but I am still alive.
> And whether or not drugs are legal, students at the College will be
> experimenting with them: sometimes literally! After all, it's easier
> to achieve Discorporation with a pipe of Praxian Gold than with three
> hours' ritual drumming in the woods -- mind you, your neighbour on the
> next floor up has just brought his new drum kit into the insula, so
> maybe he has a different opinion...
I always thought that the plant-growing magics are higly sough after, for they help your lovely hazia plants to grow faster, masked by some flowers I'd suppose. I made Magic College be the most important personal history period for my pc's.
But I do not believe that College makes you a very powerful magically, I had my students always study lots of other things besides binding demons. (They had their own secret groups that worshipped demons, too, but that was strictly forbidden.) They often spent a season or few at university of Raibanth or some magical school as assistant. Knowledge needed to graduate provides the basics, power needs to be sought from elsewhere, like from various army units or sorceror circles or mystery cults, whatever.
Panu Pasanen.
End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #327
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