Re: Arena combat. Origins.

From: Greg Stafford <Greg_at_...>
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 09:15:26 -0700


At 02:00 AM 6/9/2001 +0300, you wrote:
>Ritual combat to honor Shargash sounds very proper to Alkoth. Not that
>sissy thing that heortlings do, fighting captured chaotics or enemies,
>but two brave volunteers honoring their god in a fight to the death

This brings up an important point to keep in mind when discussing these things:
When your god is imminant your actual success is less important than manifesting his presence.
Let's look at the Aztecs for example. You are a great jaguar warrior and prepare for battle, go to the fight against another foe who knows the warrior code. You are captured, taken home and slowly torgured to death. Huizapoctli doesn't care that you lost, as long as you maintain the warrior code in battle and while dying. You suffer no dishonor for losing, only for weeping when your fingernails are torn out slowly. Such would be the manner of combat in the Alkoth arena.

Note that ANY disciplies of any deity would be similar. Their actions are to BE their god.



Greg Stafford, greg_at_...
Issaries, Inc. 900 Murmansk St., Suite 5; Oakland, CA 94607 Phone: (510) 452 1648 Fax: (510) 302 0385 Publisher of Hero Wars, Roleplaying in Glorantha See our site at: <www.glorantha.com>

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