Re: Carmanos

From: Nick Brooke <nick_at_etyries.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 18:32:28 +0100



Antonio asks:

>> most Carmanians are theistic while the Viziers are sorcerous >> and no misapplied worship is necessary. =20
> And what about Magi? I have understood that they don't=20
> practice sorcery. What kind of magic they do? Theism?

IMO (warning: pre-Hero Wars/HeroQuest ideas), their magic would be more = like
mysticism-cum-wizardry than "sorcery". Definitely not Theism, but = whatever
it is, the details are a Secret and the powers are Obscure.



Kevin writes:

> Much depends on what Carmanos was like, who his early supporters
> were, and why they supported him...

Good analysis. I *like* this piece. Suggest sticking it up on "Lions of Rhugandy" when you're happy with it.

> Did [Syranthir] bring boon companions with him on his quest?

To Castle Blue? I wouldn't have thought so. That'd be like Arthur taking Bedivere along on his boat trip to Avalon...

> The immortals of Castle Blue don't seem to have much connection
> with the High Gods, at least on the surface. It's a mystery.

Yes, Castle Blue is definitely a place of Mysteries.

> I believe that Carmanos had as much (or more) in common=20
> with Pelanda as he did with Fronela.

This was definitely my intent, as author of this story.

NB: Charmain =3D "Kshara-Mainya" =3D "Spirit of Sovereignty"

> Carmanos claimed to be the son of their leader, Syranthir.
> Was he able to prove this in some way?

Certainly. Who else could pull Syranthir's sword from the stone (or whatever)? :-)

> The Bisosae might have seen Carmanos as leading a Blue revival.

I *like* this. Thanks! That fits beautifully with my history.

The thing about Surandar, later on, is that he betrayed his Pelandan = allies.
There's no reason Carmanos couldn't have subjugated some Pelandan = enemies
before then. Besides, the Bisosae aren't "proper" Pelandans - they're southern hill barbarian types, not like the Turos'n'Oria High God bods (IIRC).
=20
> Many of the Ten Thousand would have been in the same boat. They=20
> didn't *need* to convert to the Carmanian religion, which was
> new and weird and kind of foreign. They *did* convert because
> a) it was in their best interest, and b) Carmanos was damned
> persuasive.

Great analysis. These would have been Interesting Times.

> As for Carmanos wanting or not wanting converts, I just can't=20
> imagine a religious reformer who would be satisfied with converting
> just a tiny few people (the monotheistic portion of the Ten Thousand).

Correct. The "exclusivity" is self-serving, and comes later on. I don't = see
this as a feature of the Life and Times of the Prophet.

Cheers, Nick

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