I asked:
> > Which darkness cults, if any, do the Magi permit Carmanians to
worship?
> ...
>
> Greg replied:
> > None.
>
> [Kevin McDonald pointed out the references to Carmanian darkness gods in
> the extant description of the Battle of Four Arrows of Light.]
There is no contradiction here. The Magi themselves are allowed to work with Darkness entities. In times of desperation, they would command these entities. (or try to)
> My question was prompted by some references that also indicate darkness
> cults. In particular, Glorantha: Introduction to the Hero Wars, page
> 120: "The Carmanians used to worship gods of light and darkness... both
> are pure--they exist uncontaminated by the Lie... Before they were
> converted to Sedenya the Carmanians maintained a balance between light
> and dark, worshipping neither one [contradicted by their worship of
> IdoVanus]...". Gregged!
Perhaps so. The joint worship referred to could refer to the Magi. They---the ruling class of spirituality---could claim to be the "real worship," their sorcerous powers embracing the entire set of runes. Meanwhile, they forbid the lower classes, who still worship those inferior gods, to indulge in any activity that might stir up the Darkness.
It was the Lunars who introduced the balanced way.
> The description of the Carmanian Pantheon in
> ILH-1 makes no mention of this equal-handedness.
Correct.
> The extant descriptions of the 'evilness' of the Carmanians make much of
> their use of Darkness magic.
I am not sure which descriptions you refer to. Citing sources is always valuable.
> I guess we must discard those as no longer
> canon too, since it is one thing to exaggerate the monstrosities of an
> enemy, quite another to try and brand them with accusations that make no
> sense whatsoever.
The Carmanians were terrible oppressors to the Dara Happan lands. There is no exaggeration or nonsense there at all. Their actions were like William the Conquerer in York, or the Assyrians almost anywhere. They did not need darkness magic to do that. They did not need Underworld powers to do that.
> A situation I prefer, as it makes the triumph of the
> Lunars over the Carmanians much more morally ambiguous.
I don't think there is any shortage of moral ambiguity anywhere in Glorantha.
--Greg
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