Re: How many Sartarites are cult initiates?

From: Zachary Kline <zkline_at_QBwnJkPulYvgUg3opT4Iy7Mld3UligIJPDQq5hGQOJtYALjlkz9KT0UX_KhTFo_FVAP_b>
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 14:20:19 -0700

Speaking as a relative newbie, I would imagine those who aren't initiates still contribute to a clan's economy in the sense they farm, perform other manual labor, etc. I rather like the explanation below. YGWV of course. Perhaps those who are initiates of gods such as Issaries and not primarily farmers would tend to delegate their land amongst lower-ranking citizens, so it would still be useful to the clan. But this diverges considerably from the original question, which I daresay has already been answered by those wiser than myself. :) On Aug 8, 2012, at 2:12 PM, bryan_thx <bethexton_at_cDS7LhZ9MGFeJ8mSCz--koCCrBNyNhlLakuZrnpelECPpvCvzmTQWcqySucX3haz9KaxYiN_60zHBBzX1g.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

> IIRC correctly, Thunder Rebels also makes it clear that there is some cost to being an initiate, and that the poorest members of heortling society (stickpickers, etc) can't afford to initiate to a god. There will also be those not permitted to worship (outsiders who are resident with a clan, but not of the people, thralls, and no doubt a few even odder cases). And most oddly, to heortling eyes anyway, those who choose not to initiate to a god. I suspect they might get viewed a bit like we view people who are perpetual students..."why don't you grow up and become a proper adult and member of the community!"
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> I suspect that the Heortling village economy is entirely based on a 'typical' distribution of initiates, and the required time that people put into those cults forms much of the underpinning to how society functions, so those who are not initiates may be seen as being, to some degree, parasites, not making a full contribution. (just IMO)
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> > Thunder Rebels says Heortlings are initiated as New Adults (lay members in terms of S:KoH), and then "by the end of the third year, everybody has been selected by a deity. Sometimes the deity is unclear, in which case everyone knows that Orlanth or Ernalda has chosen the New Adult, who then initiates into whatever aspect and subcult is normal for their clan or occupation."
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> > That's consistent with Jeff's answer that the overwhelming majority of Sartarites are cult initiates. (Thanks for answering, Jeff.) S:KoH doesn't directly contradict Thunder Rebels, but it is ambiguous or mildy contradictory about it: it fleshes out the lay member rules from HQ2 Core Rules rules for Sartarites, and it gives an example of a lay member PC. I see that as a way of giving people flexibility for their games, and as an explantion how the S:KoH material fits into the HQ2 lay membership rules, rather than as a description of a phenomenon that has an important role in the Sartar part of "deep Glorantha."
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