> I thaought the Lunars were smarter than that. No
> surprise they lost the war...
The Lunars are primarily an urban folk, as well as being chaotic, arrogant, decadent, and largely comprised of minor characters from 'Carry On' movies, Italian light opera and MTV dance clips. :) (JMO). They don't really understand the nature of steads (halfway between a farm and a village) and so look to the few Sartarite cities and towns as the measure of Sartarite population, religious activity and resistence.
An important distinction here must be made between Orlanthi temples and holy places. Temples are usually holy places, but holy places need not be temples.
Orlanthi *temples* are homes to magical artefacts and spirits, and, during sacred ceremony, to the God himself. They may contain quarters for priests and devotees, and be the focus for clan and even tribal-wide religious activities. They are often foci or opening places for heroquests.
An outsider may have trouble distinguishing a temple or shrine to Orlanth from those to Barntar, tribal-level Thunder Brothers, other Lightbringers or even Earth temples with Husband-Consort shrines.
By contrast, *holy places* can occur anywhere that the winds blow - and may equally occur in the middle of a cow paddock or on some inaccessible mountain peak. There are signs for those with eyes to see that reveal a holy place. They are commonly but not always associated with hill tops and groves of sacred trees. Many are marked by impromptu altars and banners and crude carved idols, many are not.
A holy place is all that is required for Orlanthi worship and magic. Temples add power, magical assistance and priestly expertise, but are essentially icing on the cake.
John
nysalor_at_primus.com.au John Hughes
The purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe
for human differences.
- - Ruth Benedict.
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