>>Alex (only semi-singular).
So, explain to me why having (for argument's sake) 1 out of 7 parts (i.e. the physical part) as comming from a worthy member of the lunar nobility (or even a belt-buckle saleman from Rinliddi) makes the rest of the emperor less unique. As Peter, Alex, Joerg, Nick, et al., (I feel like I should be putting a reference list at the end of this ;) have said if the emperor's "Great soul" is continuous then you fulfil the requirement for lunar continuity and if he partakes of the Antirius soul then he fulfils the DH continuity requirement as well. Hell, all that is required to keep the continuity with the RMM stuff (LARP, TotRM, etc) is for one of the parts to have the possibility (not a requirement) of being supplied by somebody who happens to be a pre-existing person (maybe a high-up scheming noble, or powerful heroquestor or even a nobody in podunkville Darijin). Please explain to me how this, in any way, reduces the "uniqueness" or "singularity" of the RE. We already know that he is not completely contiguous after Sheng so his singularity cannot encompass his physical form.
I can't recall anyone saying that the person whose body the emperor finally becomes/inhabits/incarnates in (choose you favorite terminology) is the absolute determinant of the new emperor's personality/goals/policies. However, like adding a spice to a recipe, it can certainly have an influence. On the purely physical level, if the person who becomes/embodies the future RE is a 250kg sloth who has to be borne around on a palaquin by scores of groaning slaves (unlikely, but just for argument's sake) then the new mask is unlikely to be a marvelous horeman/battlefield leader in the role of Ignifer.
> >That he's an unchanging continuum? Obviously not, surely.
>
> Obviously not but it is not obvious enough that it doesn't need exploration.
> If he is not unchanging is he a continuum? I believe he is a continuum and
> this is a product of his singular nature.
Huh?????
> I have believed in the past that the RMM model was based on the idea of
> mortal men taking on the mandate of heaven (sorry, of the moon) and becoming
> Emperor, the mandate being a set of powers that the Emperor gains but having
> little or no impact on his behaviour.
I remember in the post-Moonson wrap-up the GM's being very pleased at how the New Emperor (who used to be Julan) managed to take on a number of attributes of the old...
> They seem to be saying that that is not how it was at all. However, I've
> been told that all of this was GAG. It therefore perplexes me as to how I've
> managed to miss this GAG and see a different view expressed or implied, even
> though I've been on the digest five years and writing for Gloranthan product
> for 4.
Considering that you're apparently the only one that got this impression from the RMM work...
> I do have to defend my position till argued out of it. I won't accept a POV
> unless it makes sense but if it makes more sense than mine, then I'll toss
> mine happily.
Well, if you actually stated your position clearly then we could probably all get to a consensus pretty quickly. Just as happened in the Rathori/Arrolia debate when we defined the basic positions and realized we were arguing from different assumptions. Unfortunately I haven't managed to find a definative statment of what presicely your position is, other than: He's singular and unique (not terribly helpful) and he's not some jumped-up noble (which nobody was proposing in the first place).
Possibly, by the time this appears the debate will have moved on from this (although from the evidence so far, probably not...)
Cheers,
Yak
- --
Dave Pearton
pearton_at_u.washington.edu
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"Its habit of getting up late you'll agree
That it carries too far, when I say
That it frequently breakfasts at five-o'clock tea,
And dines on the following day.
The Hunting of the Snark, Lewis Carroll
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