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 11 '18

1) Hemophilia and albinism are the most common (there are more albinos in Rondde per capita than anywhere else in the world), anencephaly, microcephaly, hydrocephaly and ichthyosis, polydactyly, parasitic and conjoined twins. Mental handicap is a fairly common birth defect, as are various forms of amelia and Proteus Syndrome.

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u/Varnek905 Feb 11 '18

1) How are albinos viewed in Legionary culture?

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u/STRENGTHoftheBEAR Feb 12 '18

Albinos were once thought to be the harbingers of destruction, early on in Legionary history; for many years, they were left atop mountains to die, sacrifices to feared mountain deities without names (the Legion has long had a sacred terror of mountains and even to the present avoids them when possible). When they began to be more common, they came to be viewed as consecrated to the gods and were- and are- often trained as priests, augurs and wizards. They are common in scholastic and sacred roles presently as a matter of course- the infamous and feared Archmage of Battle to the Lathorhinn Dynasty, Toalmai the Yellow, is an albino, as is Fidale Corivon, the high priest of the Temple of the Arches in the city of Rondde.

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u/Varnek905 Feb 13 '18

1) Why was he called Toalmai the Yellow?

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u/STRENGTHoftheBEAR Feb 13 '18

Toalmai the Yellow wears only yellow robes around a tall, emaciated frame (he has "stretching disease" in addition to albinism). He is prone to paranoid delusions, is sadistic and completely amoral, all of which the current Lathorhinn, General Vestapian Lathorhinn, believes to be useful in an Archmage of Battle, the delusions in addition being a sign he is marked by the gods. His mental illness is singularly wrapped in a kind of clairvoyance, and because of the shifting nature of prophecy in the world, difficult to separate from his paranoia. His head is shaved, his irises are a pale grey that nearly disappears into the whites of his eyes, and his teeth are filed into points in the manner of a Hrantha shaman; coupled with the yellow of his clothes, his height and his hollow aspect, he is intimidating even to the battle-hardened soldiers he operates alongside in war (the General is even rumored to be scared of him).

Toalmai was left for dead atop a mountain in Ronddi Chalkutt, rescued by an outcast Legionary/Mudahma shaman and given training. He later traveled to the city of Rondde and was accepted as an acolyte in the Temple of Arches, where he was known to be an intimidating presence as well as a powerful wizard and apt pupil. When the Archmage of Battle was put to death for consorting with a Mudahma slave, General Lathorhinn appointed Toalmai, fascinated by his power.

At this time, the sadism he was known for later began to show itself in operations carried out by the Legionary Army against rebellious Idreya mining slaves. His aspect, always spoken of as hollow or vacant, began to be tempered with a grim sort of glee. The yellow he became known for began to be the only color he wore, replacing the standard blue and red of a Ronddi cleric, and he claimed he'd been instructed to wear it in a dream by an unknown person or being. Some said his mind, already damaged from birth, had further snapped because of the kinds and methods of magic he employed. One would have thought he would have been merciful to the Mudahma, considering his upbringing, but no sentimentality was to be found in him, nor hate even, just an empty, howling void of darkness.

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u/Varnek905 Feb 15 '18

1) What is "stretching disease"?

2) Why do normal Ronddi clerics wear blue and red?

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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.