When is a human not a human?

From: Mark Sabalauskas <marks_at_max.tiac.net>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 21:09:45 -0500 (EST)

> Chris Lemens rightly questions why elves should be alien
> hive mind creatures:
>
> The answer is that this is a part of the long process of
> Gloranthification, whereby all known races will eventually
> be converted into alien entities, whose complex non-human
> mentalities, or bizarre social structures make said races
> inappropriate for use as player characters.
 

        I think a case can already be made that the so-called Gloranthan "humans" are not like us. After all, they have an built in instinctual fear of chaos, while we think chaotic patterns make great screen savers. Also, it seems likely that living in a world where magic "works" would have all sorts of unanticipatable ramifications for society and psyche that we couldn't begin to understand. This, no doubt, explains why Gloranthans find great spiritual significance in the question "What is the difference between a Silent Movement?"  

                Mark
 

P.S. Also, maybe it would be a good idea if Gloranthan elves and dwarves were fond of each other. Then they'd be much less like their counterparts in trashy fantasy novels. Sure, it would contradict everything published about them to date, but what the heck, when has that ever stopped us? No doubt the earlier material is true, but only from the perspective of a obscure Sartarite subculture that includes some, but not all, of the Lhankor Mhy scribes who "wrote" the game books.                                                        

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