I like Herve's evocative post on behalf of the Humakti. It is good for someone to balance the esoterica with the subjective viewpoint of a believable Gloranthan. Will have to try it myself at some point.
/// Thank you. Sometimes some thread veer too much on purely technical discussions, not my favorite aspect of Glorantha. I love subjectivity.
However given Humakt's (entirely understandable and proper) hostility to Undeath in all its forms, are there a small number of "Van Helsing"-like Humakti individuals (maybe accompanied by small warbands), who draw on the detailed study of Undead Lords as well as more traditional swordsmanship. (If they exist in Ralios I could well believe that they have Arkati tendencies).
/// (back to Silkinister) You don't need to read "studies of undead lords", evil tomes which we burn. You need Faith in Humakt, Faith in your Blade, Faith in Death. Humakt gives you the dreaded knowledge you need to destroy undead, in the arcs your Swords describe while you practise, during daily meditation, in the creaking noises your pieces of armor emit. You must always listen to Humakt. He speaks in many ways. But not in books.
If there are, I would imagine that they are particularly lonely -- feared and kept at arm's length by others for being too clsely associated with Death, and considered as eccentric, introverted loners (and possibly worse), even by their comrades in arms.
/// Every worthy Humakti (Death Rune 1M+) answers to that description. "Normal" warthanes (ah), who mostly think of women and alcohol, shun and fear them. They do not have the strength to face Death in its simplicity, in its absoluteness.
Alternatively is the Van Helsing-type more likely to be a militant Lhankor Mhy with a specialist interest in hunting powerful Undead and/or Thanatar cultists?
"Sword Sages". Ah. I knew one who tried to distract his opponents with his uninterrupted adresses while fighting. Most useless feat I ever saw ; he died very early in his "defender of knowledge' career. When you fight undeads, you must focus. There's only you and your blade, which become one, and your opponent.
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