Re: Opposing runes and the circle of elements - Lodril

From: Guy Hoyle <guy.hoyle_at_lCF6I2PI8travS_DztVZ1eSYAJyaBmgybEfI1dNbr8zpA8x9bIPc57N02o2dFg-mrC>
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:35:20 -0000

> Look at the magics of Lodril in the cult writeup you just referred to
> and ask yourself whether they are good for farming or peasantry in general.
>
> Heat Metal
> Create Bonfire
> Create Wildfire
> Cremate Dead
> Earthwarm
> Firespear
> Reduce Flame
> Suppress Lodril
>
> Real useful for the god of most adult males in Peloria and peasants in
> particular (described as such as far back as Gods of Glorantha which was
> published in 1985!).
>
> So if the fire associations were more vivid in your memory, it's because
> there was a big disconnect between what was written about Lodril in
> glorantha and what the rules gave him in terms of magic.

Admittedly, each of them is useful in farming and peasant life, as you say. However, I'm more interested in arguing that Lodril has associtions with Fire, not that he has no peasant/farming assoictaions. Every single one of those (save "Suppress Lodril") is related to fire and heat as well as Earth. Metal is not especially associated with Earth; it often has associations with other elements, and Iron is not associated with any element at all. Bonfires, wildfires, and cremation are not specifically associated with Earth. EEarthwarm I'll give you. Spears are associated with the sky. And Reduce Flame is ambiguous; I'd argue that control over fire includes reducing it as well as inreasing it. So I'd say that, according to this writeup, Lodril has at least as many associations with Fire as he does with Earth, if not more.

Guy (Hoyle)