Ghosties, Ghoulies & Long-legged Beasties

From: John Hughes <nysalor_at_...>
Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2001 22:35:03 -0000


Heys folks

Wulf mused about ghosts, and Peter gave us a Glorantha-wide definition.

Wulf:  

> d) if there are NO ghosts of theists, is there a theistic
equivalent?

Many Gloranthan cultures have more complex understandings of 'soul' and 'spirit' than simple body/spirit dichotomies. The Solars and Lunars have a seven-fold split; the Heortlings have a less systematic but equally pervasive concept of 'breaths' or 'winds', which is part essence, part memory, and part experience.

A person has many breaths, but places have breaths, buildings have breaths, even objects have breaths (that's how sacrifice works). Breaths can wander or be stolen. People in love or enemies may share a breath, power animals and daimones may share your breath, and with time you may breath deeply of your god.

So in muse-mode: in Heortling belief and practice, a ghost is not not necessarily a 'whole' person or spirit. It could be part of a dead person, or perhaps produced by a traumatic event such as a fight or battle. (Perhaps the Eternal Battle is partly this: the breath of a GodTime battle). Conceivably, a living person could leave behind a ghost - one of their breaths! (They'd be feeling poorly though).

More in Thunder Rebels... stay tuned.

John

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