Re: The Importance of Caste (or Why Wizards Don't Rule)

From: David Cake <dave_at_Hu3xz0pdsoaHLFrNyih-CAFjRT0lVlpQVI8kgto0SERgJzXlTRpaAAFiX_68u95E1TFFGpP>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:40:09 +0800

        Think about the original question, it seems that there is an alternative possibility that achieves Peters original goal quite happily (and looks to me as if it might be Gregs answer to the same question), which is that Revealed Mythologies says 'Wizards must remain free of all blood, especially the blood of foes, because of the lethal taint of impurity".

        So, might I suggest that the answer to Peters original question (why doesn't a Bandan wizard engage in combat themselves) is because of the danger of impurity if they spill blood. I'd presume such impurity is ritual/magical in nature, and that there are probably rituals to cleanse it, but that if such ritual impurity prevented the casting of certain spells or made certain magical activities dangerous, it would be a huge problem when engaged in magical battle.

        Of course, knight castes (of whatever tradition) wouldn't have the same issue.

        it makes a nice resonance with the way the Sedalpists base their society around how only knights should bear the ritual impurity of contact with non-humans.

        This seems a much neater and flexible solution to the orignal problem to me. More interesting, a better fit to the existing rules, explicitly based on what we know about the Rokari fighting orders from RM.

	Cheers
		David


           

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