Background on "Returned by Zalmoxis" (Getae trait)

[Morte66]

"This man was offered in his youth the honor of delivering his people's message to Zalmoxis, but the god rejected him and his impalement failed. Even though his family's position prevented his banishment from society, he is the last man to be trusted in this community.
-6 Influence, -3 to the morale of all troops on the battlefield"

Does mean what I think it means, i.e. that they impaled people for a religious purpose only this guy messed up and didn't die right?

I wonder how I'm going to work that into the AAR...

[Boyar Son]

If he died than theres no need to banish or trust him, hes already dead.

[Xtiaan72]

Tasty trait for role-playing. I've got the AAR in the back of my head as we speak!

[Rilder]

"This man was offered in his youth the honor of delivering his people's message to Zalmoxis, but the god rejected him and his impalement failed. Even though his family's position prevented his banishment from society, he is the last man to be trusted in this community.
-6 Influence, -3 to the morale of all troops on the battlefield"

Does mean what I think it means, i.e. that they impaled people for a religious purpose only this guy messed up and didn't die right?

I wonder how I'm going to work that into the AAR...

Easy, your general with that trait goes on a quest to regain his honor and forming a rag tag army of mercenaries and out casts/exiles he marched into enemy territory to destroy every enemy to his people.

[Xtiaan72]

You read my mind.....Cliche....but oh so fun

[Morte66]

At the moment he's commanding the fort on the border with Macedon, but that's only because he ran out of movement. Come winter, he's recruiting mercs then pulling back to Naissos.

[Artificer]

My only question is this...

How the heck does this man go to the bathroom? I imagine being impaled once upon a time would put a damper on such things.

[Watchman]

Eh, there's many ways to impale people. Vlad's favourite rectal entry is just one version - judging by the reliefs the Assyrians for example hoisted people up by the ribcage, and I've seen it mentioned the "barbarian sacrifice" version usually involved digging a hole, sticking a spear upright in it, and tossing the sacrifice onto that - obviously every now and then there'd be a miss (especially if the priest-type dude doing the job was getting old and infirm one suspects), or the offering would only receive minor injuries.

Betcha such fumbling also reflected ill on the priest guy...

[Maeran]

Well, no. The priest is a priest and can get out of it by blaming the sacrificial victim.

"Zalmoxis has rejected this wretch! You have insulted Zalmoxis with such a pitiful offering. But greater offerings may forestall his wrath..."

[Rilder]

Geeze I wonder what the trait would like if he wasn't returned by Zalmoxis...


"This man has delivered your peoples message to Zalmoxis and is implaled upon a rusty spear... -200% movment points +10 infuence"

[Watchman]

Well, no. The priest is a priest and can get out of it by blaming the sacrificial victim.

"Zalmoxis has rejected this wretch! You have insulted Zalmoxis with such a pitiful offering. But greater offerings may forestall his wrath..."I wouldn't be so sure about it. Recall that priests are ultimately performers; muck up an important show, and you're giving the audience funny ideas about whether you're up to the task or not. Many cultures could be quite intolerant of serious failures in ritual matters and for example end up sacrificing the priest (or whatever) to make good to the gods for his failure...

[Thaatu]

Religion and stand-up do have some similiarities. I hear that in some part of New York they sacrifice failed comedians.