Before cooking the meat, Trohdwyr invokes Aferhdi of the Deeps, Blyn of the Winds and Haawan who lairs on the reefs, asking only that they "...trouble us not..." (p. 366) He remains an old-fashioned pagan ychan, unconvertible to Orthochristianity.
Kossara thinks:
"Surely the Pantocrator didn't mind much, and would receive his dear battered soul into Heaven at the last." (ibid.)
Why should the Pantocrator mind respect for His deeps, winds and reefs? Kossara expresses the same benign universalism as Father Tomislav in The Merman's Children. See here.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree with Kossara! The Pantocrator would indeed show kindness and mercy to decent, upright pagans like Trohdwyr! And I'm interested to note how Dennitzan Merseians didn't follow the religion of "The God" practiced by Wilwidh Ocean Merseians on the mother planet.
Hmmm, were religious issues involved as well during the struggles between the Vachs, rival Merseian nations, and the Gethfennu leading to the unification of Merseia under the Roidhunate? Did some Merseians find the Wilwidh Ocean Vachs too much to endure? Again, this leads me to think some of the Merseians who settled on Dennitza did so because they were among the losers in pre-unification power struggles.
Sean
Paul and Sean:
In Frank Yerby's novel *The Saracen Blade*, protagonist Pietro is at the taking of a city held by the Cathar heretics. After the death of one heretic in particular, Pietro gives the man a grave marker reading (approximate quote), "Here rests a gallant knight and Christian gentleman, whom God, who comprehends mercy — WILL RECEIVE."
Kaot, DAVID!
Of course you will find at least SOME decent people among those you have strong disagreements with. Albeit, some of the ideas of the Cathars were emphatically distasteful.
Sean
Post a Comment