That would make just about all initiations take place at funerals, no? You transfer the life flame into someone of an age prepared to accept it? In that case I'd make the "proper age" somewhat variable, of course. Or, really, if you're important enough, you can take anyone?
It seems this approach requires some clout. I presume it isn't available to everyone? If you have the clout you can pick when you go and into whom. If not, well, then you have luck of the draw?
It does mean the population would have to stay fairly stable, no? Too many children and they never get a life flame from anyone. Perhaps that's fine, and a new flame starts from scratch in that case. War is hell and lots of flames are forced into the nearest vessel without anyone to guide it.
I guess if we view it as a process that goes on its own, but the Teshnans have learned rituals to guide it then social disruptions just result in things getting out of their control for a while. (Which means lots of people not sure whose flames they have and such.)
A largely-controlled process with some room for errors, overload, and just "it not going right" seems like it is playable.
LC
Peter Metcalfe wrote:
> Robert Thornton wrote:
>
>> If reincarnation is controlled and does not always occur at birth, I
>> wonder what would happen to the displaced souls.
>>
>
> No soul is displaced (and technically a life-flame is distinct from a
> soul). The effect is like adding two flames together.
>
>
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