Jeffrey Kyer wonders about Mrs Eel's novelties:
>>Perhaps they were sent on-order from Karse or someplace in the Holy
>>Country?
Peter:
> The Court of the Demiverge of Rhigos is the most likely source of
> such contraptions.
Aha, my new story "Jaxarte and the Demivierge" has our hapless hero meeting this lovely lady in the flesh, so to speak. And I'm currently completing "Jaxarte and the Coders", which (obliquely) refers to Mrs Eel and her collection. "Jaxarte and the Demivierge" is going to appear in the Convulsion Program Book. The Coder story might get into the Tentacles Book, if I can finish it on time (how long have I got, Fabian?)
Christoph Kohring:
>Now, Peter, I think you are on to something here, even if only unwittingly !
>I had always wondered - like most of you too I'm sure- how the Demivierge of
>Rhigos managed to stay/become a half-virgin ?!? (Because, that is what
>"demi-vierge" means after all... )
Peter:
>I was under the impression that it came from the Greek Demoiourgos,
>the Worker for the People, based on Demos (people as in democracy)
>and ergos (worker c.f. the erg).
My story explains just who the Demivierge is, and why. In a nutshell, Rhigos is matriarchial like Esrolia proper, but with some important regional variations. The Demivierge rules Rhigos as High Priestess and Virgin Queen of the Voria cult. A hereditary matriarchy, the queens rule until they choose to bear an heir. The subsequent Festival of Fecundation is a time of great joy throughout the city, which is garlanded with specially plucked flowers. A key part of the celebrations are the Onanismic Games, where the queen gets to select her long-awaited First Mate. Men flock from all over Porthomeka to prove their virility. Events such as the Snatch & Jerk and Monkey-Spanking are always crowd pleasers.
The story explains why it is only in recent generations that her cult has become an obscene parody of itself and the definition of "virgin" has been taken to its current, deplorable bounds. Although I hadn't thought of it, I like Peter's idea that her current title is perhaps a pun or ironic twist on its original meaning. (These are all course, attempts at RW transliterations of the Esrolite/Porthomekan phrases).
Cheers,
MOB
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