On Apr 6, 2005 2:38 AM, Sam Elliot <sam.elliot1_at_...> wrote:
>
> I get the impression that everyone is assuming the "death" in
> deathsong berserk has to be the Humakti's?
>
> If you interpret "berserk" as some trance-like state entered during
> combat (pretty common in such situations, as far as I understand it,
> actively "berserking" just a quick route to same). I'm sure the
> original roots of the word have little to do with the actual state of
> mind of the person or his specific intentions. That is, if a nutter is
> running at you with a bloody sword or axe and a maniacal gleam in his
> eye - you're not going to dispute what sort of nutty he is.
>
> If you marry both of these with the word "song", you have a
> maladjusted blokey killing other people in a more efficient way than
> usual, making anoise as he does so and unlikely to remember it all
> clearly at the end.
This makes me think of the "Ingomar uses Death Magic" story-bit from
the HQ rulebook.
Humakt's "maniacal gleam" could be relentless surcease of emotion and
an inability to distinguish friend and foe, only life from death -
coupled with a mechanical compulsion to make life into death.
The Humakti using this magic might just tune into the song of Humakt -
which is the Dirge For All Things.
Aside: Hrm - anyone got any good mythical associations between Donadar
and Humakt?
--
John Machin
"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
- Athanasius Kircher, 'The Great Art of Knowledge'.