The Uleria temple in Boldhome is on the Truth and Freedom roads. Coincidence, or planning?
It has three doors: for fertility, for partnership, and for entertainment. We are told that the "workers" enter by the last door. It is not stated that these "workers" are the sacred prostitutes made famous by the "all roleplayers are 15-year-old males" mentality, but it seems likely.
Question 1: why is there a general assumption that these prostitutes are female? This is the comparatively sane Orlanthi society we're talking about, not the bigotted male-dominated mess the RW is trying to recover from. The object of the exercise is to celebrate Uleria's gift of love: aa far as I'm aware, men are capable of doing this, and women appreciate it when they do.
Question 2: what about those other two doors?
"Fertility": presumably this is human fertility, rather than that of the
crops or herds? (Since other deities have those in their care, rather
than because Uleria isn't capable of it). So this is for barren women,
sterile men, couples who can't quite get it together - maybe also women
who want a kid but don't want a husband?
Incidentally, the existance of a "fertililty clinic" separate from the
"entertainment" section implies to me that the "entertainment" comes free
from unwanted side-effects. After all, you can't relax and enjoy Uleria's
Love if you're worrying about how to support a kid.
"Partnership" - as distinct from fertility or entertainment? Uleria's
dating agency? Uleria's marriage guidance?
Sounds as if the Uleria temple is also offering psychiatric counselling on the side, after all that.
I suspect somewhere in there you can also get lessons in technique. Married couples are under oath to stay faithful to each other: but who could object to learning how to better please your partner? Of course, getting the lessons before-hand might be an even better idea.
Now, for this to be the case in Boldhome suggests to me that it must at least be compatible with the standard Orlanthi life. Maybe not based on it, but not totally at odds with it either.
And, of course, Sartar must have got the idea from somewhere, just as he got the ideas of cities, roads, and trade from somewhere. Sartar himself came from Heortland, which from the little I know of the place doesn't sound promising as a source. He was widely traveled, though, and was a native of the Holy Country as a whole: how about Esrolia as a source of inspiration?
Jane Williams jane_at_williams.nildram.co.uk http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~janewill/gloranth/
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