Re: Hrestol's knighthood initiation

From: David Cake <dave_at_8ReNWH5kLgeMGbqC3cj-Fz3VO4UdOv1YpBpKHi6_m2FiJIh1R9GAcHJ9Z6s8koWtkVemSZF>
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 23:10:00 +0800

At 6:21 PM +1300 28/10/10, Peter Metcalfe wrote:
>On 10/28/2010 4:08 PM, David Cake wrote:
>> At 11:05 PM +1300 27/10/10, Peter Metcalfe wrote:
>>> I don't think the Dawn Aged Seshnegi were Brithini before Hrestol's
>>> revelation. They were Malkioni who believed in Solace after death and
>>> who had ordinary lifespans. The immortality of the Brithini comes from
>>> the Revelations of Now which Malkioni ultimately repudiated and the
>>> Seshnegi are the true followers of Malkion unlike the Godless Brithini.
>>
>> I thought the Dawn Age Seshnegi were pretty clearly
>> henotheists already?
>> Froalar ruled at the dawn, and was married to a land goddess,
>> and a notorious pagan.
>
>That was _after_ Hrestol's revelation, and a result of it.

        The Seshnelan Kings list says rather that
>After settling, he led the defense against the Pendali (a tribe of
>lion people), who were believed to have summoned the Great Darkness
>and its denizens. Early fatalities caused the people to adopt divine
>worship, and they sacrificed to Seshna, Worlath, and others. His
>wife, daughter and two sons were all fatalities.
>His wizards (who were still Zzaburites) correctly predicted the
>Icebreak and later, the Dawning, which was a cataclysmicly good
>event.

        which to me pretty clearly implies that Froalar (but not his wizards) was already indulging in theist shenanigans before the Dawn, and that divine worship among the Seshnegi generally was not a reaction to Hrestols revelation but preceded it by some time.

        And Revealed Mythologies says that most Malkioni at the dawn were henotheist - given which, it would be very odd if the Froalars people, some of the most notoriously prone to paganism in Malkioni history, were not.

        FWIW, I think that it sounds very reasonable that Hrestols rift with his divine stepmother that results in his exile is a result of his revelation, but I don't know of any evidence that suggests that the marriage was a result of it - rather, the I take it ultimately as Froalars reaction to the death of Xemela, as the Kings list suggests. Of course, Hrestols decision to seek a deeper connection with Malkion may be a reaction to his fathers perceived betrayal of his principles.

> As for the
>Seshnegi being henotheist before Hrestol's revelation, the issue is open
>as far as I can see.

	Well, I think what reference we have clearly imply that they were.
	In any case, either before or after Hrestols revelation, it 

is still very early Dawn Age. The Seshnegi embrace of henotheism seems to be in full swing by within a handful of years of the Dawn (Ylream is a son of Froalar and Seshna, and he becomes king, presumably as an adult, in 24 S.T.)

        Even if the Seshnegi weren't henotheists at the Dawn itself (though I see no reason to believe they weren't, and it makes quite a bit of sense that they were), I think we agree that it is pretty clear that they had already drifted a long way from the pure Brithini way during the late Ice Age. I think we are in full agreement that the Seshnelans at the Dawn followed Malkions New Laws and believed in Solace of the Body at the Dawn, and not the old Brithini way. The only real question is when exactly did Froalar embrace henotheism, clearly sometime between the death of his first wife (before the Dawn), and marrying his second (very shortly after it).

        In any case, Seshnela is very much established as henotheist by end of Ylreams reign. Within 50 years of that pagan priestesses are turning up to the First Malkioni Council and other such excesses.

	Cheers
		David