Always fun to discuss how they manage to keep that hodge-podge of cultures together. :)
> So, there is bound to be general worry in
> those parts that someday the feminine influences in
> Glamour might grow so great that Moonson becomes
> steered completely by the priestesses surrounding him.
> Or even worse, that an Empress is crowned. Jar-Eel
> for Moondaughter, anyone? Added to this would be the
> ever-present fear of the Dark Earth goddesses. Push
> the peasants too far, and Gorgorma and her sisters
> rise. A nightmare for any Dara Happan noble, and one
> of the things that keeps them in check.
>
> 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?
Or worse. Right next to Esrolia is the Shadow Plateau. Trolls. In numbers. Matriarchy AND Darkness Worshippers!! (Of course, the Lunar Way already includes Troll lands, but you don't want more.) One interesting thing is that the Shadow Plateau has been ruled by the Only Old One and then the Pharaoh since before the Dawn. So obviously they will accept male rule.
> 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.
It's the Lunar Empire. There are going to be Dara Happans who think each of these things, and there are going to be ones who think assimilation (and the matriarchy's ultimate submission to Moonson) is the obvious correct solution. And they will all have their own agendas and mess around with each other.
Let alone the fact that the whole Heortland/Esrolia invasion is being pushed by Fazzur, who is Tarshite. Which is a whole new set of factions to play with.
> The sacrifice of Kings of the Husband Protector
> cults would form a part of this greater ferment. If
> the Moonson is to be accepted as the new paramount
> King, then it is not at all impossible that he might
> be considered the most worthy sacrifice. And to bind
> a new land to her Empire, might not the Red Goddess
> herself be most willing to spend her Son in this
> fashion? After all, he comes back... Or in
> realpolitik terms, there's bound to be factions at
> court that would find it convenient to change
> Moonsons. What manouvring might not be going on in
> Moonson's harem?
Pharaoh seems to have found a way to survive the process, separate from his ability to come back in a new body. So this may not be much of a problem. But political manoeuvring of this sort is always a fun idea.
> It's true that Tarsh used to have the sacrificial
> custom, but seem to have stopped since Hon-Eel's line
> took over. That's a comforting precedent for the Dara
> Happans. However, marrying the Feathered Horse Queen
> is still considered the legitimate way to become the
> King of Dragon Pass, so that can't reassure them very
> much.
I'm not sure anyone in DH cares about becoming King of Dragon Pass. Marrying off some woman to Moonson so that he becomes the rightful king hardly seems a threat. As for sacrifice in Tarsh, don't the corn rites require sacrifice? Things really didn't change much from Maran to Hon-Eel in some ways.
> All in all, I'm sure that the situation on the
> ground in Esrolia is very confusing indeed, which
> should provide some great opportunities for players
> and their PCs.
Of course. The very fact you thought this up convinces me that somewhere in the Empire someone else has thought it up, which means it is going on. (I firmly believe the Empire often doesn't know that it is working at cross purposes with itself.)
LC
Powered by hypermail