[Dragaera] Dragaeran reincarnation

[Jon Lincicum]

Howard Brazee wrote:
 
>I wonder what their religion or religions have to do with their concepts 
>of the right way to live.  I wouldn't be surprised if they still have 
>some Eastern type religions assisting them in finding their places.

The only rough equivalent to a real religion in Dragaeran society that I can see is their unshakable belief in the Cycle.

This is akin to an eastern mysticism more than to a western hierarchal religion, so I would tend to agree with this assessment.

At the same time, they do pay honor to the gods, it's just not what we would really call "worship". It's more like a partnership. "I'll honor you and build temples to increase your influence here on Dragaera, and you watch over me and my family with your exceptional powers and skills." There's something in it for everybody.

>I agree.   Which means, whatever you are you are, and will be forever.  
>If you're a hero, you will come back a hero.  If you're scum, you will 
>come back scum.   Assistance in acceptance could be the source of some 
>religion.

Is this a denial that a soul can be redeemed? Can the reincarnation of a soul who was, say, a traitor to his house perhaps atone for his prior misdeeds--say by saving Dragaera from the threats of the Jenoine, or something?

How might this be applicable to Vlad, for example? Will he always just be scum, just because a prior incarnation once did some particularly nasty things?

>We do see a case where someone has reincarnated across species.
>
>I wonder if excommunication from a house is permanent, or just a life 
>sentence.

Hmmm... Are you asking if they would kick you out of a house, just because you reincarnated with the soul of someone who'd been kicked out previously? 

I would guess not. Mostly because the Dragaerans a) would not really know who you were previously (the fact that Aliera knows who she was is due to Sethra, and the fact that, well, she's Aliera. Knowledge of one's prior incarnations does not appear to be a common thing). and b) Dragaerans would probably figure that the soul of a traitor would not be allowed by the LoJ to reincarnate as the member of the House he's been kicked out of previously. Unless he had somehow paid his debt. (Say, by serving a few tens of thousands of years as a Purple Robe?) 

>I suppose the most frightening thing would be to be incorporated into a 
>GW by someone whose goals weren't yours.  

Given that GWs bond with their owners, and have a "link to something beyond this world", it seems like fate would intervene to prevent this kind of thing from happening. Or at least, I would imagine this is the case.

>I don't understand the fear of soul destruction, I suppose it is 
>genetic.    Unless there is some theology that has an ultimate 
>destination for a soul that they believe must be reached.

Hmmm... Most of Earth-based religion preys upon the fears of the common man that if he does not do the "right things" he will suffer some horrible fate to his immortal soul. It seems to be pretty effective at convincing large portions of the population here on earth to do things in the interest of the religion, ahead of their own material needs. 

I imagine that this same fear works on the minds of Dragaerans, even if they don't have the same formalized religious institutions that have grown up around this fear in our society. 

Majikjon