Re: The Paps

From: David Cake <dave_at_F5fgbC2IaJMWQ_AvXHx6N6YnC0j70RUm7Tpr3NGKaDnw2rX0t-mdcAUSs0l3jof9DemjiV5>
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 14:41:01 +0800

At 1:19 AM +0000 4/5/11, Mark wrote:
>>
>> When the cult was written up for RQ3, the
>restrictions on the love life of Maran Gor cultists were documented,
>but no such restrictions mentioned for BG.
>
>Her entry in the Porsopaedia, though, is quit frightening. "Once she
>slew so many defenseless inhabitants of Healing Valley that she
>waded breast-deep in gore, drinking the blood of victory and
>slaughter."
>
>I think she's been portrayed as an extreme deity for some time now.

        She was always an extreme goddess, a fearsome and monstrous one. My difficulty with the current writeup is nothing to do with her being transgressive or frightening.

        Rather, it has to do with her changing from being a goddess of terrifying passion, to a hate filled empty robot. RQ BG appeared to invoke fearsome goddesses like Sekhmet, Kali, or the Morrigan, goddesses of rage capable of horrific destruction, but also other passions.

        HeroWars Babeester Gor are more like Daleks, with no emotional range at all, and precious little mythic resonance. Goddesses like Sekhmet and Kali (both of whom share the 'drunk on the blood of the slain, begins a destructive rampage' motif) have a strong ecstatic element, and a strong association with the passions of life as well as death. Remove that ecstatic element by removing any capacity to feel positive emotion, and instead of the frightening but transformative possibilities of ecstatic uncontrolled passion, the drunk on beer story sounds more like the empty bitter loathing fuelled rage of the angry alcoholic.

	Cheers
		Dave