Practical Politics

Poul and Karen Anderson's The King Of Ys contains theological speculation, philosophical discussion, mythological reconstruction, historical fiction, military strategy and practical politics. Local leadership is needed when Ys goes under. Refugees need food, shelter and longer term resettlement. Factions must put aside their differences in order to cooperate in an emergency:

Gratillonius is a tribune of Rome and a Father in the Mystery of Mithras;
Corentinus is a minister of Christ, known to Bishop Martinus in Turonum;
Senator Apuleius Vero is a Christian and the Roman tribune of Aquilo;
Runa leads the surviving Ysan vestals.

Together, they are strong. People must survive whatever their Gods are doing - in fact especially when the Gods wreak havoc.

Two Ysans were away on spying missions at the time of the flooding, Rufinus and Maeloch. They will return to help. Rufinus is a survivor type. He survived as an outlaw and even survived challenging the King of Ys! However, I seem to remember that he will come to an unpleasant end because of a certain other member of our cast.