From: Alex Ferguson (abf@interzone.ucc.ie)
Date: Mon 21 Jul 1997 - 21:12:20 EEST
Mystic Musk Ox (TM) gets Teshnan:
> For some reason, a voice in the back of my head keeps saying: "Think Burma/
Listen to this voice, and nurture it. Feed it buns, if it seems to
> [Zitro Argon (in re: Dayzatar)]
I think Zitro Argon's cult resembles Tibetan Buddhism in some of its
> Thailand". I think it's the elephants that do it.
crave them. Throw in bits from elsewhere in Indochina and the trans-
Himalayan region, though, if it seems to suit...
wackier aspects. Lots of sitting around chanting in mountaintop temples,
and searching the land for Infant Holy Reincarnations. Steal freely
from the Dayzatar material (key similarities: extreme holiness and
practical uselessness, and certainly with lots of rituals which are
awesomely arduous and elaborate, but relatively magically ineffectual),
but don't be unduly beholden to it. I think the Zitroni are less
Materialist than the Dayzatar monks for one thing, though about as
Mystical.
Somash: seems like the archetypal Generic Sun God. ;-) Start with
Apollo, and work your way East... The comparison with Yelm isn't
necessarily that strong, as this is the Sun God "before" his
identification as Ruler. (There are theories about Sky Worship
"evolving" into Sun Worship, in conjunction with the rise of
autocracies.) I'd comment on the Obvious Analogue of Samash, if
only I knew the first thing about said terrestrial divinity.
> Calyz is the most popular, although I'm unsure what the cross-over is
> between Solf (Lodril), with Calyz being the god of smelting - I would
> have thought that this was a Solf type of thing...
I tend to think of Calyz and Solf as being (to be shamelessly GLer for
> and does a sub-sect of Calyz which is gaining support among
What a sick, wicked, and unworthy thought. I like it! But I suspect
a moment) a sort of Good Lodril/Bad Lodril thing, or if you prefer,
Calyz fills a sort of Mahome/Gustbran function, having "usurped" the
role of "Lodril" has in those areas elsewhere. Note that Calyz's other
functions both have more debauched equivalents in Solf's domain...
> the peasants really teach a self-immolation spell?
this is a Solf thing, actually. (Reasoning by the "Monster Man"
connection; equally, could be an autonomous cult without "official"
standing.)
> Is there anything on Calyz or Furalor (who at the moment I see as a mixture
> of Asrelia and Ty Kora Tek)
TKT is certainly the most obvious analogue, though given the cremation
connection, stealing stuff from Shargash (or any other stiff-sizzlers
that come to hand) isn't to be sniffed at... The Asrelia connection
may be less trong, though; do her priests Hoard stuff? Seems most
likely they Burn It All, so the wealth connection seems more implicit.
> or indeed Tolat?
Tolat seems to get mentioned around here mainly with "Shargash/" prepended
> It seems rather odd that seagoing vessels are "practically unknown", with all
to his name. For Teshnan purposes, I presume he's abjured/propitiated
rather than actively worshipped. Ritual crossing of the legs when his
name is mentioned would be a must.
> those islands around - is this due to apathy, fear of Trowjang Amazons, fear
of
> Yellow Elves, fear of Kralori warfleets, a leftover effect of the Closing,
> or all of the above? Although Dombain is referred to as the main port of
> Teshnos, so does the statement about vessels refer only to military ships?
I'm not quite sure quite what statement you're referring too. There is
something to the effect of there only being one "naval" vessel, though,
so yes, I think it's primarily a "military" thing. I doubt they have
anything much in the way of a deep sea fleet, in any case. Their attitude
about the Closing seems to indicate something of an Isolationist streak,
(though a mild one by Kralorelan or Vorumainin standards...) doubtless
related to the Hisgoranstor debacle. What you say about the Amazons is
certainly true, though the Yellow Elves are boringly friendly. Now much
it's necessary/permitted to actually visit elf-held islands is a
different matter, however.
> Finally, what is the true story behind the Harstar affair, and what is the
> famous "lethargy which permeates Teshnos"?
Dunno. I'm sure there's been at least on "Dope on a rope" theory to
account for this, though. Or this may just be a mythic cause/justification
of a generalised political lack of adventurism...
Good luck,
Alex.
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