Humakti and Healers

From: Richard Ohlson <richo_at_epix.net>
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 12:18:55 -0500


Just a couple quick ideas about Humakti.

First, I agree wholeheartedly that Humakti MUST remain un-resurectable, or else it would take away about 90% of the cults severity. However, I understand the goal to "die properly." One thing I was considering, was that if Humakti families behave as if they have died, if the cult acts as if they are allready dead, then perhaps part of the initiation ceremony involves the actual killing of the initiate in a proper way. (i.e. by the sword.) Afterwards, anything that happens to him, is essentially nothing more than abusing a corpse, which really doesn't matter except for the fact that it happnes to be an agent of Death.

Second, the concept that only Challana Arroy initiates, due to their strong association with life, can heal a Humakti is interesting though horribly limiting. One thing that I would like to see would be a nice myth about how Humakt SAVED Challana Arroy during the gods war. Perhaps she was about to die an unhonorable death or due to a mistake that Humakt made, and in gratitude she taught him how to heal. Heck, it could even be a matter where Humakt grossly injured a friend (Orlanth?) and had to make a quest to attone for it.

In fact, it is very plausible that Humakt was NOT allways "an honorable dealer of death," but instead the horrid monsther 90% of the Gloranthans think he is. If Challana Arroy had to go out of the way to teach him the error of his ways (Showing the needless suffering, etc.) while he shows her that Death is an important/integral part of Glorantha, they could come to an understanding. I guess it would come down to this, "If you strive to make every death honorable, I will grant you the ability to halt unneccessary death." Likewise, it could create a tradition where Humakti perform euthanasia on patients the Healers can not help and are in terrible pain.

I would even go so far as say that after a Humakti makes Sword, and is initiated into the innermost secrets of the cult, he may learn just how reliant Humakt is on Challana Arroy. It would also heighten the tension caused by the Lead Cross dohicky, and justify another group of people that respect the White Robes.


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