Re: Western Reaching

From: Kevin P. McDonald <paul_mcdonald_at_...>
Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2000 12:07:18 -0400


> Jeffrey Kyer:
> > Wouldn't that mean that there might be a pre-existing Carmanian
> > Trade deity?
>
> I have said there would be one but it isn't named in the sources so suggested that he make one up. The closest mythlet in the Entekosiad (Gartemirus and the Merchants) isn't even developed.
>
> --Peter Metcalfe

After giving it a lot of thought, the "make it up" suggestion is probably best, if you don't want to use Etyries or Issaries. The Gartemirus proto-myth says that the Wise King got the merchants to "do the work, and pay the king, and enjoy it!". This suggests to me something along the lines of tolls, tariffs, and taxes. "If you give me a cut of your profits, I will improve the roads, build bridges, and keep the bandits away." It doesn't suggest much in the way of an actual merchant affinity.

In my game, I managed to talk the Karmanos player into Etyries and therefore dodged the whole question. For now... :)

Peter:

> But in Carmania, because he is a farmer god, his worship will be restricted to the farmer caste. Western Caste Laws, see.

So... the Carmanians are kind of absolutist, i.e. a god fits into a single caste just like a human would. They don't allow cults to transcend caste boundaries. Therefore, Turos can't be *both* a god for peasants and a god of Karmanoi, Hazars, ect. It becomes more important, then, to determine which caste worships which god. I figured that since Nick's website listed a masculine form of Maran Gor as a Hazar god, that he was talking about Turos in his Shaker aspect. If Turos can only be worshipped by peasants, then this reference must be disregarded. Further, I am not sure *any* native god/goddess could pass this test, which pushes the Carmanians back to sorcery, those gods they brought with them from the West (Humakt?), and those borrowed from Dara Happa (Durbadath). Of course, they may have just suppressed the peasant worship of any cult they wanted for themselves...

Another problem child for me right now is Arronius Jaranthir - Hazar or Karmanos? What about Charmain - peasant or upper castes?

~Kevin

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