>Wait a tension-popping-minute here. I never meant anything about moral or
>even ethical truths.
Fair enough, I think I probably over-extrapolated what you meant.
>I think the ultimate reality of Glorantha is impossible for a mortal (or
>immortal) Gloranthan to understand. The belief systems of Gloranthan
>religions and cultures are valuable (and not flawed) in that they offer a
>working model for the people to interact and make sense of the world
>around them.
>
>I as the GM, still need to understand what makes Glorantha tick behind the
>scenes. I need to know both things, the belief system of the individual
>and the underlying mechanics of Gloranthan reality.
If mortal Gloranthans can't understand it, then what makes you think mortal earthlings like us can? Surely we're considerably less well equiped to understand it. For the record, I actualy disagree and think that both mortal Gloranthans and mortal us can understand the metaphysical underpinnings of Glorantha, but that is no easier than it would be to fully understand the metaphysical philosophies of our world. It's the stuff doctorates of philosophy are made of.
The thing is, I don't feel that I need a doctorate in philosophy to run a game of Call of Cthulhu, or Nephilim, and I don't think I need one to run games in Glorantha. I don't think I ever will have a perfect understanding of Glorantha, or run a perfect game, but if some of the occasional games I do play in have a few perfect moments, that's enough.
Elsewhere, Mikko says :
>:It doesn't seem reasonable to me to have pre-packed Ultimate
>:Truths that are unavailable in the game world; if we did have them,
>:it would for me cheapen trying to get inside the heads of the poor saps
>:that are labouring under some inferior perception product.
>
>*non believing stare* Really? Personally I think it would make for better
>gamemastering and lessen the number of gray hairs I get thinking of the
>prezel that is the Sun of Glorantha.
I simply don't see the problem. The adventurers in your games are Gloranthans, and as such all their experiences of Glorantha are subjective experiences. When I play a Gloranthan character, I know what his beliefs are, I have at least a rough understanding of what his cultural prejudices and expectations of the world are, and that's enough. Why would anyone, even a GM, need more?
>I think I think... Therefore I think I am.
One of my favourite tag lines.
Simon
Powered by hypermail