Re: Female power in Esrolia and the Empire (was Holy Country)

From: Jeff Richard <richaje_at_...>
Date: Wed, 06 Jul 2005 02:46:09 -0000

> Now add the present situation in Esrolia. There
> a matriarchy does exist, an abomination to
> right-thinking Yelmics everywhere. If that land is
> added to the Empire, what will be the result? Will it
> cause an enhancement of the already obvious divine
> partiality towards the female sex? Could it pull
> Lunar civilisation further towards matriarchy, from
> its already disgusting and wrong theory that male and
> female are equal?

One thing worth keeping in mind - the mastermind and commander of the invasion of Esrolia was Fazzur Wideread. Fazzur is not Dara Happan - he's Tarshite, with a long tradition of powerful Earth Priestesses (indeed, Hon-Eel is the patron goddess of the Lunar Tarsh dynasty).

My impression is that the DH in the Imperial Court (especially the Assiday family) were not very supportive of Fazzur's Esrolian ambitions. They preferred to focus on destroying Orlanth once and for all and constructing the new Temple of the Reaching Moon in Sartar. Once Fazzur was removed from his position as generalissimo, the new DH warlord - Tatius the Bright - inherited Fazzur's Esrolian war.

> I would suspect that there are opposing forces in
> DH culture. One wishes to invade Esrolia to smash the
> matriarchy once and for all. Another is fearful that
> Moonson would allow this pollution to the Empire to
> persist, and that therefore conquering Esrolia would
> be detrimental to society at large.

Some might think this, but I doubt many DHs spend much time worrying about the Esrolians. They are nothing more than Orlanthi barbarians ruled by women. Once Orlanth is dead, they will hardly pose a threat. Besides, the DHs have ruled Esrolia before (under the Bright Empire).

Jeff