Re: Secrets of the Than

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_1Qgh2VBMiSYFVqfkCy7D0Q4tMChVtNtXX1Jlxdpak1fHwpg8fZGYwC7mGtpdDKs-oyG>
Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:45:53 +1300

On 11/26/2011 4:29 AM, simon_hibbs2 wrote:
> Chaos is about the annihilation and denial of soul and the true self. Cannibalism that denies the common identity between the consumer and the consumed leads to Ogreism. "I am different from my prey, they are weak, they are cattle, they are humans. I am different, I am stronger and better, therefore I am not human."
Several objections arise here.

1. That Ogres are chaotic by being cannibals isn't a canonical fact but an assumption. Cannibalism is barely mentioned in the Cacodemon Cult Writeup - it's not a ritual obligation nor a way of worship but mentioned as a sign of an Ogre's blood-thirst that could reveal itself if it strays too close to a Cacodemon holy spot.
2. What is established is that Ogres are born, not made. Hence the link between the chaotic nature of Ogres and cannibalism isn't very strong.
3. There's too much stress being made about the intentionality of the act which is rather at odds with the amoral unthinking nature of chaos. An action should be chaotic primarily through the magical invocation of the power of Chaos rather than have it seep in through material acts.

IMO Ogres are chaotic because they have cacodemons rather than human souls. Their nature can manifest in ways other than cannibalism (ie "It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again")

> Headhunting magic that annihilates the soul of the trapped ghost violate the cycle of life and death, injuring not just the particular victim, but the universe.
Except that the Thanatari headhunting magic does not annihilate the soul. The Atyari have a magic which consumes the mind but the nature of the soul is unspecified and the magic is not related to the Than but brought from Kralorela by Treak Markhor.

> In contrast, an Orlanthi taking the head of a dragon does not deny the existence or nature of the dragon, any more than a hunter slaying a deer and wearing it's skin denies the right of deer to exist and be deer.

Except that it has been suggested that the Dragon's head function as a protective spirit. Now how is this any different from what the Thanatari do?

> Gagarthi are the outcasts that would steal the universe if they could.

Gagarth is destructive but not chaotic.

--Peter Metcalfe