In a message dated 11/29/03 11:23:11 PM Mountain Standard Time, juuso@iki.fi writes: >RulingNations@aol.com wrote: > >>So what do you provide them, what do they provide you, and how are the >>interactions performed? > >You know, those are interesting questions, and ones that have not been >explored so far on this list. At least, not that I remember it. > >Here's my view/ideas on it; Keaton (or Bob) might see things differently: > >Gods and other highly magical entities live in the Dreaming. They can >visit Celandra (the "hard place") but they will not stay there long, >because "magic" is harder there than in the Dreaming. It's kind of like >diving with full equipment on: you can do it, but living your whole >life underseas is not something you would care to do. In Dreaming (and >especially on their own territory) the "reality conforms to their >wishes" (TM / Neil Gaiman), whereas on Celandra, the reality fights >back. I assume that gods and similar entities compete and cooperate in the Dreaming? >Some gods gather worshippers from Celandra. Why? For various reasons. >There's nothing in particular on Celandra which the entities in Dreaming >would need. The only unique resource on Celandra is its relative >stability; which makes it safer for less-powerful entities and which is >why there are occational migrations from Dreaming to Celandra. So, some >do it for love, some for the sake of tradition, some out of duty, some >because it gives them status, and some because people on Celandra can do >them services. Consider the two principles: 1) There's nothing particularly useful to Dreaming entities on Celandra; 2) Dreaming entities regularly affect Celandra. Taken together I think you'll see that they lead to situations that we simply would not be able to relate to. Since so much of Qaiyore is based on real history something needs to give. Personally I like the idea that there is something about human souls that is useful to Dreaming entities. Possibly the Authority of a mortal soul can be used to increase an entity's authority in the Dreaming? Of course, there's no real need to define _what's_ useful, as long as we consider that there's _something_ useful there. >Entities in Dreaming (can) provide their worshippers with >(1) a sense of direction: it's always so nice to have someone telling >you what to do. >(2) various miracles/magic. The kind of miracles performed varies quite >a lot. Each (kind of) entity from the Dreaming seems to have a personal >set of limitations/possibilities, and each entity can learn to overcome >some of those limitations. >(3) information / teaching / access to or through the Dreaming to other >places > >As already mentioned, the worshippers provide the gods (typically) >with status and/or services. Or, in some cases, just some sort of personal >sense of satisfaction. > >As to how: the god can personally enter Celandra, or work through a >channel (like in the latest Vision), or there might be a special >arrangement that allows the god to hear/answer prayers. > >Entering Celandra is always a bit hard. There are places where it is >easier, and typically such entrance points (or portals) are used. The >ultimate entrance point is a direct portal between Celandra and >Dreaming: anyone/anything can go through it. In Elyria during the war >against the Sorcerer, such a direct portal was opened - and kept open >for several years. This was not a good thing, and eventually the portal >was closed. Working through a channel is the same, but opening the >channel is easier, and working through it less efficient, than being >personally present. > >The Ladies have a close relationship with Ka'Shari. They probably have >other servants/worshippers on Celandra as well, but they haven't told >me about them (yet). I would suggest that the Ladies are the source of >the Ka'Shari fresh water on board (e.g. providing the magic / training >required to clean the salt from the sea water). The Ka'Shari provide >the Ladies with services and information from Celandra. There might be >other benefits to either side. So what is the nature of the Ladies? Do they have divine aspects? What are their servants and personalities like? Jefferson http://www.picotech.net/~jeff_wilson63/rpg/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
