> >I agree, that the Somashi don't order other cults directly. But until
> >another cult receieve word from the Vessel of Light or the Council
> >of Five it has passed through one or more Somashis hands an minds.
>
> The other Five on the Wheel can communicate with their own
> priestly hierarchies and don't need Somashi messengers. Moreover
> the Five Priesthoods largely do their own thing as they have done for
> centuries. The Council of Five usually becomes involved when two
> priesthoods clash with each other and are unable to resolve their
> differences or in the case of something extraordinary happening
> (like a Teshnan conquering Melib).
>
> Secondly the Somashi do not expand at the expense of other cults.
> It is an article of faith that all the Five Gods are manifestations of
> One and the highest ranks of the Somashi priesthood know this
> in their own life-flame. Thus the Somashi are impelled by their
> own faith to ensure that all the Five Gods receive proper worship.
I read about the magical mirrors that stand in the Temples of Somash and that are used to communicate with each other. Compared with the difficult and slow journey through the jungle this gives the Somashi a advantage in communication above all other cults. The Voices say about Somash Temples, that they're "spreading his [Vessel of Lights] will throughout Teshnos". So spreading orders or something like that seems to be a special field of responsibility for Somashi. I think, that includes also the other temples - especially in rural areas far away from the next city (due to difficulty on jungle travelling).
Somashi seem to have a natural drift towards administrative and ruling position. This is part of their life flame until they recognize, that the flames are all the same fire (3rd teaching if I'm right). So isn't it likely to meet a Somashi in an controlling position, because it is his personality? The merchant in the Voices is looking down on the Solfites and wants them to be driven out by the guards. So there isn't much tolerance for his fellow brothers how worship Solf ...
By the way: Are Zitrs still connected to a specific cult? They seem to be aware, that all flames are of the same fire, so they have a awareness above the layer of the cults. But still they recognize the Vessel of Light as an avatar of one god ... hmm ... must think about this :-)
> >If we take the numbers of the Zitr into account it is very difficult
> >for them to have knowledge of everything what happens.
>
> There are less than a dozen Zitrs but the Nobles, who are both
> the ruling caste and the higher ranks of priesthoods, are more
> numerous and more active in protecting their own patch. And
> these Nobles are not just Somashi but include Solf drug-lords,
> Furalor Woe-priests etc.
>
> >(if I'm right, there
> >seem some differences in the number of Teachings and the
> >number of castes in both main rulebook and the Voices, too.
> >I can point them out in detail if you like),
>
> There are three teachings and four castes (counting the
> Zitrs). The fourth teaching in HQ voices is an error
> made by the in-voice proprietor.
Looks like the "Fence-Building-Problem": How many poles do I need, if I want to build a straight fence with three planks ... :-)
> >Some questions about the zitrs. In the Voices it is said, that they
> > identifiy your life flame. In the Zin Letters the priests (2nd Caste)
> > have the feat of identifying your life flame. As there are only a handful
> > of Zitrs it seems very
> >difficult for them to identifiy all new born babies. Is this a task of the
> >priests
> >instead or are not all babies identified?
>
> I haven't seen the Zin Letters but the Zitrs can read the details of
> people's previous incarnations, not just their life-flames. Secondly
> there is little need to identify the life-flame of new born babes. In
> Teshnan funerals, when the body is cremated the officiating Priests
> take a flame from the pyre and magically embed it within the soul
> of a new born babe. That's how the Teshnans keep track of who
> was who in a previous life.
I understand the Voices part "What happens after we die" as follows: You've to die to be scrutinized by your god and then it is determined how long you rest and whene you'll be reborn. Then the zitrs can trace the former lives. So I thought, that the place of birth of a dead Teshnan isn't known previous to his birth ...
If the body of a reborn person is known in advance, will it ever happen that someone is reborn as frog or bug? If this is happening by "flame embedding" it is done by purpose and is a kind of punsihment by mortals.
Also the last vessel was found amongst the beggars (I don't remember where I read this), so he had to be found, too ... or is this a special case for the Vessel of Light, as the last one has left the cycle of rebirth?
> >You stated implicitly (if I understand you right) that every caste is
> >looking in the appropriate lower caste for new members ...
>
> That's for promotion and to judge whether the new members are
> ready.
But you've to wait until you die, to join a new caste, right? The merchant in the Voices said to his scholar, that he has to master the First Teaching to be reborn as priest. Or his he not honest with his apprentice?
Greetings,
Alexander
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