Re: The Imprisonment of Orlanth

From: Andrew Larsen <aelarsen_at_facstaff.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 14:34:54 -0500

> From: Neil Smith <neil_at_wimp.freeuk.com>
> Subject: Imprisonment of Orlanth
>
> I was re-reading KoS the other day, and it got me thinking about the
> imprisonment of Orlanth. He was imprisoned from 1621 (fall of
> Whitewall) to 1624 (battle of Milran).
>
> What effect did this have on the Orlanthi?
>
> How did it affect their magic? I would presume all DI attempts would
> fail, as would all worship ceremonies. (In RQ terms, this would also
> mean that no Orlanthi would regain their divine magic.)
>
> Did it affect Orlanthi in Ralios and other areas?
>
> Neil.

    In my current campaign I linked the imprisonment of Orlanth to the capture of the cities of Sartar. Each time the Lunars captured one of the Sartarite cities, they performed a ritual to consecrate his temple to Molanni. Each ritual had the effect of partially restricting Orlanth. When Whitewall fell, the only remaining free Orlanthi temple was the Old Wind Temple (which in my game has a hidden location which the Lunars haven't yet found). So at this point, Orlanth is almost completely bound. This means that it is hard for him to do DI and Divination. Cutting off all Orlanthi rune magic seems mighty harsh, but perhaps it takes longer to recover. The weather in Sartar has turned ominously gentle.

    One of the PCs had a vision of Yara Aranis throwing chains around a storm cloud to pull it to the ground. One of her 6 arms has yet to cast its chain, because the Old Wind Temple remains free. This has led the players to a desperate effort to keep the Old Wind Temple hidden until the other temples can be reconsecrated to Orlanth.

    Another option I'm considering is having the PCs do the Lightbringer's Quest to win Orlanth's freedom as their prize. I'm not sure about the problem of Orlanth asking for his own freedom at the end of the Quest, though.

Andrew E. Larsen

---