Akhôrahil

We actually had an in-game discussion in Ars Magica whether it was the substance or the accidences of pork that needed to be altered for a Muslim character to be fine with eating it.

One thing I could see here is a pavise-style shield - it’s more like a mobile cover to allow you and a patient something to duck behind, and taking cover from missile weapons is presumably okay. And even if you can’t carry it, an assistant could carry it and set it up or hold it for you. At this point I don’t believe it’s beyond even the spirit of the rule. You’re allowed to travel with and be protected by others, after all. (Also, missiles are a problem in a way melee weapons might not be in a society where they don’t attack CA healers.)

The ”mal” parts of Yelmalio, Elmal, Eurmal, Flamal, Malia, Dormal, Malkion, Artmal and Pamalt all mean the same thing. What? Only Lhankor Mhy knows, and he’s not telling.

Does Humakt do the Underworld, or does he just send people there? I could also imagine Humakti ghosts (the kinds the spell creates), raven and wolf spirits, and Sword Spirits.

I think it's relevant to distinguish between what the cult demands of you and what Chalana Arroy does (and will send Spirits of Retribution for). I could easily imagine a situation where Chalana Arroy just goes "Did you hurt someone? No? Then it's all good, who cares if you're carrying a shield?" while the cult's position is "Shield use? That's an Excommunication!". The god probably has pretty straightforward demands; the cult makes intricate rulings (which will even differ between different cult organizations).

It's a dwarven heresy, though! 🙂

Proper Peaceful Cut slaughter doesn't kill the spirit either, and presumably the overwhelming majority of a CA cultist's diet does kill the plant (I don't imagine them as fruitarians), so this can't be the crucial factor.

In a way, it might not even be a proper ghost yet - the spirit hangs around the body for seven days regardless (so it's not hard to find it), and the idea is to send it packing with the proper burial ritual so that it doesn't stay and add to the ghost population.

If the idea is that it's about mass, everyone should just add lead weights to their short spear to get the damage up. This doesn't seem like it would be a good idea, though, in multiple ways. The force you can put into a stab depends on your physical strength, so F=MA just means that the heavier spear will move more slowly and hit with the same force as a lighter one (assuming it's at least heavy enough for you to put all your power into). You want your weapon to be quite light - you hit with the same force, but more speed.

"Is Eris true?" "Everything is true." "Even false things?" "Even false things are true." "How can that be?" "I don't know man, I didn't do it."

It would super interesting to see someone reproduce the longer bronze swords (especially that incredibly flimsy-looking long bronze rapier), put them through intense combat testing, and see if they actually work and don’t break.

Also, Ralzakark wants to rule, and ruling chaotics is super annoying. Much easier if they go for cults where they have to behave.

With CA, I think it’s not a case of them condemning violence for everyone (although they may lament it), and more a case of ”I won’t do such things”. If the question of war comes up in the clan ring, the CA representative might be opposed and remind everyone of the costs, but not condemn the whole enterprise as unethical. (I think, at least.)

While true, their Chaotic nature means it would be rare to impossible for non-Illuminated Broo to manage to keep the rules. They have uncontrollable urges that act in opposition. Illumination can help here either to make it possible to follow the rules, or allowing to break them.

I wonder if it's considered poor form to hold a CA healer for ransom. Non-violence might be good for the soul, but it makes it easier to capture you. And you likely don't get to stop healing everyone who needs it just because you're their captive, either.

It would be like if someone was both buried and in the Underworld at the same time!

Dorastor implies that it's the Illumination that allows Ralzakark's Humakti (and by extension, any Chalana Arroy) cultists to function, whether this is because they can avoid cult restrictions or because they can now choose to control their chaotic urges. An Illuminated Chalana Arroy "healer" who uses her magic and knowledge for evil would be pretty terrifying. (Lords of Terror also has a Humakti Scorpion-Man Queen who uses Illumination to bend her geases.)

You have to be allowed Spirit Combat under Chalana Arroy, or else Resurrection couldn't work (as you have to beat the unwilling spirit back into the body using Spirit Combat). Likely it doesn't qualify as "harm". Well, or "living" for that matter. And not only that - CA cultists who use Resurrect even need to be decent at Spirit Combat in order to succeed.

I have a CA healer in my campaign whose approach is "that's not a real injury and doesn't even properly hurt, don't be a baby about it".

At least this is where Seasonal Experience partially saves your bacon.

This is the way.

Fighting the impossible fight is right up their alley.

Not sure, that's part of the question. But Beren the Rider likely brought the Elmal cult into the northern Vingkotlings? If Elmal was then spread by the Theyalan missionaries, he might have gone quite far. Not a clue about Ralios or Fronela.

What's the status of Elmal in Orlanthi areas that never had the Monrogh Doctrine revealed to them? Ralios? Fronela? Talastar?

”That’s not a knife - this is a knife!”