Re: Banned Cults in Carmania

From: Kevin McDonald <kpmcdona_at_...>
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 12:38:06 -0400


Antonio asks:
> I would like to know your ideas (canonical or not) about what cults
> are banned by the Hierophanth and the Magi in Carmania. I'm specially
> interested in Uleria's status (but I'd like to know more).
The Magi have not banned Uleria, but Her power is likely to be strictly controlled. Fortunate Succession (FS) states on pate 72 that the "Truth and Beauty" debates, where Love was considered to come *through* Uleria, were imported from Carmania during the New Light period - 700 to 850 ST. The Unity List (FS, p 94) depicts Uleria as the mother of Ganesatarus and Idovanus. Her power is thus transcendent and morally neutral. In my game, the part of Uleria that can be worshiped by mortals is considered to be an emanation of Idovanus - the vessel for His aspect of Love. I have viziers wielding Uleria's power through wizardry to bless weddings and other unions where they want to reinforce a bond between people. The "lower religion" portion of the Carmanian faith probably has many subcults of Uleria that do similar things. What would be banned might be the use of Uleria's power as an unwanted compulsion, particularly in ways that undermine society. Carmanians love order, and any use of Uleria that weakens the social order would be prohibited.

The strict control of Uleria in Carmanian religion probably doesn't matter as much in the modern era because Her major temple, in Ulawar, is under Lunar control.

Note: I believe that the relationship between Idovanus, Ganesatarus, and the Two (Vogmaradan and Uleria) has been a subject of debate among Carmanian philosophers, particularly in the early period. Was Idovanus really born of Vogmaradan and Uleria, implying Higher Powers? The Unity list refers to primal Pelandan entities such as GlorOranor, the All, and MaElsor, the Great Mother. Other Carmanian philosophies (Entekosiad, p 43) depict the Prime Mover as Idovanus, with Vogmaradan emanating from him (as Fek in the page 43 Idovanus myth). That would put Idovanus in the role of MaElsor! Anyway, my point is that these things were not nailed down for a long while and there may yet be diverse (sometimes heretical) viewpoints within the Carmanian faith.

~Kevin McD

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