>My only comment is that Heortlings who start down the path of total
>war (rape, killing and burning noncombatants and children, etc...)
>will very quickly find themselves becoming chosen by Vadrus, Ragnaglar
>and other gods that are outside the society. The Heortlings are such a
>magical and heroic (personal initiation and devotion being common)
>society that I don't see such people leading the rebellion.
Equally Orlanth is a storm god. When he gets angry he does things he wouldn't normally. And his brothers, like Urox, are even worse. Then there's when the women get angry. Ernalda is pretty nice but Maran and Babeester Gor will repay an atrocity with a worse one.
While I can see the leaders generally avoiding being closely associated with atrocities most of them are capable of letting loose those who's gods aren't as fussy. Nor is there a coherent leadership of the rebellion so there's endless opportunity for blaming other leaders for what your followers did.
What will hold them back is the complexity of Sartarite politics. Clans have both Lunar and rebel sympathisers. So this season's enemy may become next season's ally.
>There will be individual exceptions, but I don't think sickness of
>modern total war is appropriate for the struggle against the Empire.
There's nothing that's practiced today that hasn't been common throughout history. There was a period during the 18th Century when wars in Europe were fought using a fairly strict code but that didn't prevent the sacking of towns which fell to seige.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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