What if the god king was female

[Edgedancer74 he/him]

As said in the title, what do you think would happen if the priests found a returned baby girl instead of a boy?

[alder24]

She would be the new God King. The priests were specific, they said if they find a Returned infant, it's a sign for them that the present God King served well and needs to be replaced. Returned infants are very rare, there were only 4 within 300 years. Moreover, they create elaborate stories in which the God King sacrifices himself to heal some disease etc, but is replaced by a new one. It's not a mystery. People know there were multiple God Kings, so new God King, who happens to be a woman, wouldn't be out of place.

Ch 55

Quote

We change God Kings whenever an infant Returns. It is our sign that the previous God King has done his duty, and should be allowed to live the rest of his life without bearing his terrible burdens.

 

[Mistchemist16]

You could argue that the priests would be so used to God Kings that they would simply assume female Returned infants wouldn’t qualify and overlook them. But more likely, she would be God Queen. Even if there was some slight bias, they clearly recognize that Returned infants are special and rare. The gender neutral language from Chapter 55 also helps.

Having a God Queen would also be pretty easy for the people to accept too. God Kings don’t work by primongenture or any inheritance conflicts else that have blocked queens on Earth. Plus, female Returned are well established and accepted. Maybe someone raises their eye, but then they just accept the same basic mechanism and move on.

It does also make me wonder how that queen courtship stage would work. Theoretically, whatever trick let previous God Kings have kids should work the other way. The pregnancy would probably have weird effects on the kid, but they would be Returned anyway, so not too wierd. And there’s always the classic Returned infant trick if the pregnancy is somehow impossible.

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Mistchemist16

[Honorless he/him]

...I believe Vivenna, Sisirinah / Siri and Fafen also had a brother, though I forget his name

So Queen Vivenna of Idris...

and Prince Consort (someone look up the guy's name), husband of... uh... Queen Susebr-... Queen Susan? Let's go with Queen Susan

[alder24]

5 minutes ago, Honorless said:

...I believe Vivenna, Sisirinah / Siri and Fafen also had a brother, though I forget his name

So Queen Vivenna of Idris...

and Prince Consort (someone look up the guy's name), husband of... uh... Queen Susebr-... Queen Susan? Let's go with Queen Susan

Ridger, I had to check.

This reminds me of a fun fact from Polish history. In 14th century Jadwiga was crowned as a King of Poland, not a Queen, because that was the title of the monarch. So the title God King could still be used, or just change it for God Queen (sounds so epic) Susebrana?

And if Siri was called the Vessel, how would Ridger be called? The Seed??