omens, aurochs, and lions
- - Bruce Mason inquired about good and bad omens to which Martin responded
with some good Orlanthi material. So trying to do the same for Imther--
- - The number three is a good sign, for it symbolizes the three points of
Truth. More recently it has been strengthened as a good sign because the
Conquering Daughter uses the number three very heavily in its iconography.
- - The number five is the most favorable number. Khelmal was part of a
company of five who fought at the Hill of Gold and Khelmal completed five
tasks to save the world. There were initially five companions who set off
on the Lightbringer's Quest (though two others joined later).
- - The number seven is a cosmic balance--three and three around a center
point. It can be positive as with the final number of Lightbringers or
negative as with the seven winds which assailed Khelmal.
- - The number two is considered a bad omen since one half is inevitably
evil. Twins are not favored in Imther.
- - Letting a hearth fire die is a bad omen.
- - Losing control of a bull or ox is a bad omen.
- - Having a joke played upon you on your marriage day is a good omen (though
knowing or planning the joke to avoid embarrassment is bad and leads to bad
events).
- - A cloud covered sky is a bad omen, though a single shaft of sunlight
through a heavy cloud cover is a good omen.
I know I've thought of others in the past, but can't bring them to mind at
the moment.
- - Sandy asks the question: where are the aurochs? and suggests Balazar or
Fronela.
I think eastern Balazar, perhaps into the Bear Hills, is likely (often
mistaken initially for the 'Wild Cattle' encounter in Griffin Mountain),
but then extending their range into the Elder Wilds. These herd beasts
would be targets only of trolls (and quite a challenge for the men of
darkness) or the occasional horse nomad venturing south.
Another possibility is Garsting/Jarst, perhaps in the foothills of the Jord
Mountains. I don't think there is much woods here though, so if aurochs
are mostly forest dwelling then they probably wouldn't be here.
- - While I'm on the subject of locating creatures, where are the lions of
Durbadath (sp?), the lion god of Dara Happa?
I'm envisioning here the
asiatic lion (significantly less mane than the African) which once roamed
from the Balkans through Anatolia to the Caucasus and Persia. My thought
is that these lions once were common throughout Peloria, but have been
largely wiped out in the Oslir valley. They are also rare, if not extinct,
in Imther (hence the death of Basmal at the Hill of Gold myth). I think
they are still found in the Jord Mountains, though, and upon the Hungry
Plateau. I would also venture that they can still be found in Garsting and
Jarst, though they've probably been driven from the Arcos Valley itself.
They do not venture south into Balazar because of competition with the
Sabretooth Cats there. Any thoughts?
Harald
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: Fri 10 Oct 2003 - 01:49:55 EEST