> On an unrelated note, other than it still involves Praxian religion, what kind of people (or non-humans) initiate into Daka Fal?
Lots of people. Daka Fal was the first to die. Waha made him khan of the dead. He teaches how to follow the paths through the Wide Plaines (the Praxian other side) to visit our ancestors. The ancestors have the wisdom of experience. They know many things that help us thrive here, where Outlanders shrivel.
> Do they stay in the tribe, or do they go their own way?
They travel as part of the clan. They have the wisdom and magics of their ancestors. Our leaders have the wisdom and magic of Waha and Eiritha. Other have the wisdom and magic of Storm Bull, Horned Man, Foundchild, Helpwoman, Dog Brother, and many others. All together, we follow the Waha of Waha and Eiritha, because Waha and Eiritha show us how to live.
Greg responds differently:
> Daka Fal is a cult for the losers among the Paxians. They are largely out of
> the natural circles of power and rhythms of the majority. They find refuge
> in their own, unquestionable source, Daka fal, who also wields power over
> the leaders... They usually stay, but don't have to
I'd agree that there are no Daka Fal khans or queens among the major tribes. (Well, there was that one, but no one talks about it, and for good reason.) But a minority of elders will follow Daka Fal, Foundchild, and the others. Praxians accept this. Daka Fali have their uses.
For example, the best matchmakers are Daka Fali. Matchmakers in Praxian society have an odd job. They help make appropriate introductions between the young women of the clan and whatever bunch of young men are currently following it around in a bachelor band. Matchmakers can be male or female. Because the khan of the clan probably married into the clan, the matchmaker may be the first person he ever really met in the clan.
The real cult for losers is Foundchild or Helpwoman. These cults specifically appeal to people who do not have enough beasts to make a living at it. They entrust their beasts to a richer family and become hunter-gatherers. To me, Daka Fali are odd-balls more than losers.
There can, of course, be Daka Fali leaders among the independent tribes. I have no trouble seeing a Daka Fali Ostrich Khan, feathered armor and all. But a khan of one of the real tribes would probably want to take his head off for calling himself a khan. Only men descended from Waha can be a khan and those feather-wearing freaks are not.
On a completely unrelated note, Morocanth are never ground-men, even if they walk. They maintain palanquins to prove this. But they are a little like ceremonial chariots in other cultures. The Khan and Queen will be carried to an important meeting. Everyone gets carried to important ceremonies. While travelling normally, Morocanth walk. Their trained ground men use the poles that would otherwise support the palanquins to carry the clan's stuff. That makes a lot of sense, because Morocanth prefer marshy ground, where the travois that other tribes use won't work very well. A poor or young Morocanth's palanqin will be little more than a stool strapped to two poles. (Remember that good wood is rare in Prax.) Because of the double-use for the poles, the stool gets packed -- and maybe even broken down -- with the other goods while travelling. When they set up camp, I would expect the stools and chairs are in the tents. But you'd best not sit on someone else's chair. Either bring your own or sit on the ground (which mightbe somewhat damp, given the terrain that the Morocanth favor). Other tribes say that this just proves how deceitful and strange the Morocanth are. You may as well try to understand their family structures.
Chris Lemens
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