What makes me cringe about it though are the people who won't recognize it as purely entertainment. By and large it's the same crowd that thought they had learned some amazing ancient secret after reading the DaVinci Code and wouldn't shut up about it.
Suggest they read Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. Best ancient conspiracy novel ever.
Isn't the Chelexian "race" the purest descent from Azlanti (or at least claimed so)? I imagine any mixing of blood would be looked on by the proud Chelexians as dilution at best and miscegenation at worst.
Unless The Great Beyond (which I haven't read yet) says otherwise, the PF Campaign Setting says that only those that deny their own afterlives are locked in the boneyard.
I get the impression that what's intended is not so much atheism, but the more extreme nihilism. It's not just cursing the gods, it's denying the gods, the universe, and one's own metaphysical self.
In one of Jack Vance's space operas, the protagonists land on a planet on which people walk on stilts, because the dead decompose and become dust, and it's disrespectful to walk on the dead.
If the 3E/OGL audience doesn't renew (witness Pax), then KQ becomes a 4E/Pathfinder magazine by default.
Well, I'll continue to pitch OGL (and generic) content. But I'll also continue to read 4E (or whatever game system) content, because cause good writing is good writing, regardless.
So your friend's argument is that no one would ever make a wager where the odds were stacked against them? Clearly he's unaware of Las Vegas, state lotteries, and sports betting.
"Of all questions, why? is the least pertinent. It begs the question: it assumes the larger part of its own response; to wit, that a sensible response exists." (Jack Vance, Rhialto the Marvellous)
In the book, Ozymandius represents the philosophy of Solipsism - that reality conforms to to what you believe. Thus through force-of-will he made himself the not just the smartest and richest, but also the most athletic man in the world.
Spoiler:
He also represents negative solipsism: controlling people by making them believe something that isn't strictly true.
Spoiler:
Maybe it's because I dislike the philosophy of solipsism, but I liked that in the book, even after he became the richest, smartest, strongest man, and brought about world peace, Veidt still needed approval from God/Superman/Dr. Manhattan. "I did the right thing, didn't I?"
The Norse sagas have several stories about the god Loki, and also a king named after him, who is referred to as "Utgard Loki" which roughly translates as "The Other Loki".
The Kalevala (Finnish epic) includes a god and a king named after him (in this case Untamo, the dream god), but they're only distinguished by context (and never appear in the same story).
Somewhere it was mentioned that there are people with the surname Cailean: either relatives of the mortal Cayden or orphans who adopted the name (no pun intended).
My suggestion for naming someone after a deity: Add some random syllables to all or part of the god's name and claim it means "favored by [your deity here]".
Racism is the belief that one race is better or worse than another based on genetically inherent capacities.
I guess it depends on your definition of racism. Many people consider that racism is simply making a difference between two people based solely on race (ie the "color" of their skin).
I think of Calistria's wasp aspect as akin to the wasp in the Finnish Origin of Iron (as recounted in the Kalevale):
Spoiler:
"Many things the blacksmith needed,
Many things he could not fashion,
Could not make the tongue of iron,
Could not hammer steel from iron,
Could not make the iron harden.
Well considered Ilmarinen,
Deeply thought and long reflected.
Then he gathered birchen ashes,
Steeped the ashes in the water,
Made a lye to harden iron,
Thus to form the steel most needful.
With his tongue he tests the mixture,
Weighs it long and well considers,
And the blacksmith speaks as follows:
'All this labor is for nothing,
Will not fashion steel from iron,
Will not make the soft ore harden.'
"Now a bee flies from the meadow,
Blue-wing coming from the flowers,
Flies about, then safely settles
Near the furnace of the smithy.
"'Thus the smith the bee addresses,
These the words of Ilmarinen:
'Little bee, thou tiny birdling,
Bring me honey on thy winglets,
On thy tongue, I pray thee, bring me
Sweetness from the fragrant meadows,
From the little cups of flowers,
From the tips of seven petals,
That we thus may aid the water
To produce the steel from iron.'
"Evil Hisi's bird, the hornet,
Heard these words of Ilmarinen,
Looking from the cottage gable,
Flying to the bark of birch-trees,
While the iron bars were heating
While the steel was being tempered;
Swiftly flew the stinging hornet,
Scattered all the Hisi horrors,
Brought the blessing of the serpent,
Brought the venom of the adder,
Brought the poison of the spider,
Brought the stings of all the insects,
Mixed them with the ore and water,
While the steel was being, tempered.
"Ilmarinen, skilful blacksmith,
First of all the iron-workers,
Thought the bee had surely brought him
Honey from the fragrant meadows,
From the little cups of flowers,
From the tips of seven petals,
And he spake the words that follow:
'Welcome, welcome, is thy coming,
Honeyed sweetness from the flowers
Thou hast brought to aid the water,
Thus to form the steel from iron!'
"Ilmarinen, ancient blacksmith,
Dipped the iron into water,
Water mixed with many poisons,
Thought it but the wild bee's honey;
Thus he formed the steel from iron.
When he plunged it into water,
Water mixed with many poisons,
When be placed it in the furnace,
Angry grew the hardened iron,
Broke the vow that he had taken,
Ate his words like dogs and devils,
Mercilessly cut his brother,
Madly raged against his kindred,
Caused the blood to flow in streamlets
From the wounds of man and hero.
This, the origin of iron,
And of steel of light blue color."
I would argue that many cultures that practiced cannibalism (such as the Maori and the Aztecs) did so not because it was culturally acceptable, but precisely because it was considered abhorrent. Institutionalized cannibalism, much like pathological cannibalism, is not about the eating, it's about the show of dominance. I've not just killed you, I've consumed you. This sort of cannibalism when practiced by an army, is a form of terrorism; the evil of the action is not in the consumption, but the fear and loathing it creates. Which is why I would also argue that cannibalism committed without the intent to terrify is not evil.
You know what's evil? Pumping a dead body full of chemicals, then arranging it in a box for viewing before burying it in the dirt. Is that any way to treat the honored dead?
"For 25 years, MY LITTLE PONY has given little girls a world of surprises and spontaneity, sunshine and silliness. With her MY LITTLE PONY friends little girls can choose from a number of fun online games and activities, videos and more! In Ponyville, the choices for fun are endless."
Not only is it sexist, it's ageist too! I'm literally vomiting with indignation as I type this!!
Assassins should have abilities to counter standard (and typically magical) defenses ("...and stay dead" is a good start). At the moment, without spells, the assassin just feels like the rogue equivalent of an archmage and the like.
