Peter Metcalfe:
>>In addition, important male positions (such as General, Chief
>>Scribe etc) in Esrolia are held by Eunuchs and they are absolutely
>>loyal to their queens. This loyalty is cemented by magical rites
>>that the queens perform with the still-living members of their
>>eunuchs, and also allows them to cast any men's magic that the
>>eunuch might know. There are other implications of this magic
>>but they don't have anything to do with keeping men in check.
Excellent stuff Peter! This ties in very well with what it sez in "Notes from Nochet" about the eunuchs of Esrolia (from Tales #9):
>[XXIX. 21-007] The use of eunuchs as court functionaries has long been a
practise
>in the theocratic queendom of Esrolia. The custom was taken from the East,
and,
>over many centuries, expanded upon; there are now 33 distinct grades.
>
>[XXIX. 21-008]
>[This entry is regrettably no longer legible. It listed, in graphic
>detail and with diagrams, the distinctions between the 33 various types of
>eunuch, ranging from the enigmatic "false" eunuch, through to the most
>extreme measure - the eunuch who has had all his privy parts
>removed; a split bamboo tube is inserted into the bladder so that
>unfortunate may pass water. Theo. P.]
>
>[XXIX. 21-008.a] The operation itself is cheap, quick and simple, though not
>without a fair measure of pain (particularly if the patient is mature).
>The cost of the procedure is fixed by matriarchal statute at 5 taels* of
>silver and can only be carried out by a eunuch-priest of the Asrelia cult.
>Though the statute forbids a higher fee, this charge does not include the
>return of the actual severed parts, for which the canny surgeon may demand
>upwards of 150 taels. As no eunuch may serve at court without a
>sealed jar containing his missing organs, it is imperative that he
>get them, and so must pay the price. There is a flourishing black
>market in these organs: frantic eunuchs will pay any price to get their
>parts back - indeed, anyone's parts - if theirs go missing or are stolen.
>
>*An Esrolian tael - an ancient unit of measurement no longer used except a
>payment for these operations - is worth approximately 23 guilders, Theo. P.
More Peter:
>>However all ranking eunuchs are loyal to one and only one queen.
>>They do not feel any such loyalty to another queen (there are
>>at least a hundred in Esrolia) or to the country as a whole.
>>This prevents the formation of pan-queendom governmental structures
>>other than what the Queens themselves consent to.
Presumably, eunuchs can transfer from one Queen to another, but only they can bring their severed parts with them. This would either require the consent of the Queen, or more drastically, theft.
Eunuchs who leave their queen's service without their parts, or who somehow lose them, often gravitate to the court of the great Demivierge of Rhigos, who is of course unable to use the same magical rites as the other Queens.
Cheers,
MOB PS. Ulerian Allied Spirits
Martin Crim reckons:
>1. use awakened dove as allied spirit. I believe this is from the
>official write-up, long version.
Odd, a "Ulerian" Jaxarte bumped into down in the red light district of Nochet claimed to use a gerbil.
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