Re: The Glorantha Digest V6 #379

From: Robert Wolfe <rhwolfe1_at_ix.netcom.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 12:28:08 -0800


David Weihne wrote:

> Various individuals have pontificated on ancestor worship. I doubt that
> there is any one answer. For example, I doubt that the stone age tribes
> of Vietnam expected that the Special Forces soldiers that they adopted
> would cease to belong to the US Army

FYI, my father was one of the Green Berets who worked with the Montegnards in Vietnam. He participated in a number of their ancestor focussed religious ceremonies and they certainly didn't care that he wasn't "part of the family." They pretty much adopted him. Technically he was worshipping their ancestors, and if there were magical benefits to be gained, I suppose he gained them (he came through the war unwounded).

That being said, HIS church wasn't very happy with it. Once, a U.S. Army chaplain showed up to conduct Christmas services for his team and found them all drumming, drinking and dancing with the Rhade. The villagers had thrown a "Christmas party" for them. He took one look at my dad and his team and said "I came to bring you Christ on Christmas but I see you are otherwise engaged." Exit Chaplain stage left. Enter nasty report into my father's permanent record.

> > Worshipping someone *else's* ancestors is rather silly
>
> Worshipping them as YOUR ancestors would probably be, but worshipping
> them in the context of, for example, a vassal of a Yelmic House giving
> sacrifice to the Ancestors of his noble patron, might be reasonable. If
> not directly useful (ie, no spells) it still might have political
> implications (ie, being a loyal vassal).

I played it this way in a house campaign. Every character had to become an initiate into the family cult of the noble house they were serving. I figure this is fairly common, especially in places like Carmania, Kralorelia (sp?) and Peloria. In fact, I figure most of these big powerful houses have special ways to initiate servants so they get limited benefits and to help further insure their loyalty.


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