Peter
>IMO there is a thin line at best between the ancient tradition of
>head-taking and Thanic Headhunting. Just as all rape honors
>Thed, so headhunting benefits Than.
David >Its the intent. Not all sex benefits Thed.
>There are significant differences between what head hunters
>and Thanatari do. For a start, head hunters remove the head from a
>dead person, not a live one.
I have to agree with David. LoT states that Than "...gives the ability to
steal knowledge & magic from the heads..." IMO this is the crux of the cult.
My interpretation of the cult is that what the cultist wants is knowledge,
not heads. SotB p75 "so long as beings desire the mastery of skill & cannot
or will not seek this mastery themselves,..., for Thanatar represents the
covetousness of one being for the abilities of another". Notably Tien's
greatest act is the stealing of the head of the Mistress of the Light of
Knowledge & sealing the soul in it "...from which Tien drew her learnings &
skills". The emphasis seems very much on the theft of knowledge. The
head-hunting is a means to this end, a convenient (although neccessary)
vessle for the bound soul. It's the binding ritual, & attendant knowledge
theft, which is chaotic; not the lopping off of heads or Harreck would be
even worse than he already is. The ritual is only available through a
chaotic god, did LM provide it you'd probably find that it was a funery rite
with elderly Mhyts volunteering for the greater good & all seen as a great &
wonderful sacrifice along the lines of Israel Regardie's mates in WW2.
Binding souls raises the question of cutting off heads to impede the soul's
journey. Although it could be argued that it is not far removed from binding
spirits, including ancestors, my take on this is that impeding the soul
requires a ritual, this is definitely suspect & reflects badly on the whole
headhunting practice.
But the taking & display of heads is too common across human cultures,
including cultures far more "civilised" than those of Glorantha, to rule it
out. As proof of prowess, or acknowledgement of killing, or deadly insult
(or all three & then some) the taking of the head is the most practical
option.
Thane "Oh Chieftain I have slain the outlaw Braggi as you commanded"
Chief (John Cleese?)"But this could be any buggers toes. Couldn't you get
better proof?" possible as MGF, maybe.
Besides its a nice way to sneak really nasty stuff into your clean(ish),
upstanding Orlanthi clan, "Our Champion always takes heads. He's not a
Thana-watchamacallit. Oops". Adventure hook - dealing with the great stack
of mad head ghosts that have been piling up where he dumps his empties.
I'm going to steal Gian's ogre idea as well, sanctioned ritual cannibalism
provides too good a cover, particularly if the Ogres are sic-ing the PC's
onto essentialy innocent, if repugnant, ritual cannibals. Talor would laugh
like a drain.
D
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