Re: Why is the Wenelian tradition anti-bird?

From: Jeff Kyer <jakyer_at_djcPHIOy6myPLCDiZ64RIGYQ7MCaaqGHIt9nMn1HWvfdB8_VNQKtir48tVn3GcLgSqMUu>
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:43:59 -0000

>=> > Despite the myriad sources, none of these beasts, at least during my
> > research into the area, were avian* but almost all mammals and some wise
> > fish or reptiles such as Salmon and Turtle.
> >
> >
> and
>
>
> > * I'm not sure if there are any avian hsunchen aside from rarities like
> > Eagle.
>
>
> There are few non-mammalian hsunchen, wherein "hsunchen" means "the many
> peoples of Glorantha who have kinship with animals and shapechange. And, in
> old records, some peoples are called hsunchen who actually are not of the
> same class/category of legend/spirit power.
>
> Naturally there are different types of hsunchen too:
> --the ones who are equally human and animal
> --the ones who are mostly animal, sometimes being human which they consider
> a curse
> --the humans who can turn into animals, sometimes
> somtimes it is a curse
> sometimes a blessing
>

This is something I considred strongly when I was investigating the Wenelians and their mish-mash history. But I wanted to write something that was approchable and not a long nigh-thesis on a score or so of societies and cultures. That said, we could do with somore more detailed cult writeups for the region.

> Most of the time the changes have no moral connections--it just is how it
> is.
> And those poor folks who have only one shape! LOSERS!!

Yep. Which is why they are relegated to the fringes and periphery of settled areas. The morals are more in the eyes of the beholder. I know I don't want a bunch of baby-eating monsters on the border of my tribe. Better burn them out. At least the Black Oaks have the decency to be merely wrong rather than disgusting.

Now if there were Fox Hsunchen, then things would be different! =)

Jeff