Re: Religion and Childbirth

From: jeffrichard68 <jeff.richard_at_...>
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 16:09:58 -0000

> Not a big deal, it's getting addressed overall. But just to be
clear, it was
> proposed that a woman would get support from the magic of
a "mother" cult if
> she had a relationship with that cult. Implying that one without a
> relationship would not. In general terms, not culturally
specifically. I'm
> wondering if that's true, or if mother's cults provide magical
support to
> all births (perhaps, as Jane says, expecting something in return
from
> non-members). Certainly if a player had their character persue
such a
> "trade" I'd allow a roll for it at least. But the question is
whether or not
> it would be perfunctory. Do these cults help out all pregnant
women in their
> communities, regardless of whether they know them through the
temple?

In general, *most* women in any community will likely be aided by whatever magical entity aids childbirth - even if they are not specialized worshippers of that childbirth entity. Take the Orlanthi - 85% of all women are Ernalda initiates. The clan Ernalda magic AND the woman's own relationship with Ernalda will aid her pregnancy. A Vingan will still be aided by the clan Ernalda magic, but Vinga is of less general use in childbirth than Ernalda (although a Vingan could call on Vinga to survive childbirth). Does this make sense?

Now a pregnant Humakti (don't laugh - it happens once and a while) will probably not be aided by the clan's Ernalda magic. Moreoever, Humakt is not exactly a patron of life. So a pregnant Humakti will more likely have a stillbirth or lose the child during birth than a pregnant Ernaldan. Babeester Gor... well, she isn't supposed to be having sex with men in the first place.

Other cultures generally have similar features. Maybe it is a spirit instead of a god, or maybe it is a liturgical blessing instead of a spirit. Most women will be aided by their culture's childbirth magic - unless they follow some magical entity that is opposed by the culture's childbirth magic. But those women are mainly player characters.

Jeff