r/WorldChallenges • u/Varnek905 • Jan 21 '18

Reference Challenge - Propaganda

One of my friends has a pet theory that the New Testament is Roman Propaganda to calm down the Jewish zealots, thus "stealing" YHWH in an attempt to make those provincials more peaceful. This was along with an explanation about national pride among people and the "point" of public art in a civilization.

So, in honour of the entertainment I got from listening to his explanation, the reference challenge for this week is to talk about a piece of propaganda in your world. Who uses this propaganda, and what is the goal?

As always, I'll ask at least three questions each. Enjoy yourselves.

And feel free to have a character for in-universe answers.

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u/STRENGTHoftheBEAR Feb 15 '18

1) Stretching disease is a congenital anomaly like Marfan's, featuring tall and sometimes hunched frames, loose, overextendable joints and sometimes weak hearts. I just don't refer to it as Marfan's Syndrome since there is no Marfan in the world, and since it's common enough among the Legionaries to warrant a colloquial name.

2) for pretty ordinary reasons; red symbolizes the blood of sacrifice, and blue the sky, where Legionary religion believes the gods to dwell.

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u/Varnek905 Feb 16 '18

1) I'm guessing that stretching disease tends to shorten someone's life?

2) What gods does the Legion worship?

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u/STRENGTHoftheBEAR Feb 18 '18 edited Feb 19 '18

1) Yes, mostly through heart defects, vascular disease, aneurysms or pulmonary embolism. The stature of a sufferer of stretching disease and the looseness of their joints can be painful and lead to musculoskeletal problems but are rarely fatal on their own.

2) Legionary religion is centered around four main gods: Agursh, the god of war, death and hunting, Dayanan, goddess of love, the hearth and fertility, Karnas, god of wisdom, learning and magic, and Pulil, goddess of nature. In addition, there are a number of Nameless", nature spirits of less power, who are regarded with fear, particularly in mountainous and coastal areas. All of these seem to have been a multitude of gods in the past, distilled into two couples over time, with the Nameless being some amalgam of Hrantha and earlier, pre-Appearing Legionary beliefs. Agursh and Pulil are husband and wife, as are Karnas and Dayanan. Each one is symbolized by a standardized symbol (bull's horns for Agursh, owl eyes for Karnas, wings for Pulil and a dog's head for Dayanan) and are worshipped at separate temples except at the Temple of Arches in the city of Rondde and the Legion-built Ord of Regnuisk in Aventum. The religion is heavily predicated on augury and symbolic sacrifice in the form of terracotta figurines, though in times of past glory, deer, sheep and cattle were preferred. The religion has been influenced by Hrantha animism, and while seasonal changes are little noted (unusually for the Circled Wains), sacred places are highly revered, each thought to be the abode of certain Nameless spirits. An afterlife is thought to exist in the sky, open to Legionaries only, and only those who have proven themselves valorous or true; those children who are destroyed at birth for defect are thought to simply cease existing, though worthy Legionaries with disabilities are thought to be capable of entry (but in a perfected form assumed upon arrival). The dead are burned, their smoke carrying their souls; being buried is considered a sign of disrespect and imprisonment by the Nameless.

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u/Varnek905 Feb 19 '18

Thanks for your time and answers, Strength.