Re: Tweaking the Age Distribution Table

From: moonbroth <nick_at_By5ROMhr_V7ccWfEtTwmTR5rjVW8sxjbdLC66NhoJ_97jIinaeqdCHTxnGzaPr4GA0HqajL>
Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2002 11:41:19 -0000


Yves wrote:

> In such well-studied warlike cultures as the Jivaros or Asmats,
> a whole 2/3 of twenty year old males don't make it to their
> thirtieth birthday

I don't think these extremely primitive cultures are good as a basis for comparisons with the Heortlings, however well they may have been studied. I'd run with the well established Viking/Celtic/Anglo-Saxon parallels.

In fact, I'd be happier going for a "generic Gloranthan" population distribution table, rather than start building separate charts for War Clans, Peace Clans, Peaceful Clans with Warlike Women, War Clans Benefitting from Lunar Hygienic Innovations, and the like.

> I also feel your children mortality to be somewhat high, as
> 4-years old would probably not stray far from the stead and
> its powerful healers, but it's probably more disputable.

I think the most notable effects of magical healing in Glorantha will be a significant reduction in rates for infant mortality and death in childbirth.

I don't think healers are necessarily present on every stead in great enough numbers to prevent accidental fatalities (in any age bracket), because "where's the fun in that?"

> One comment on diseases and malian influences: once again, and
> contrarily to the RW, men are probably higher casualties than
> women or even children, as they have much more risks to run across
> broo-contaminated areas

I don't think this is a major disease vector for typical Heortling men. (Mind you, I wouldn't compare typical Heortling death-rates to those of notoriously violent head-hunting tribesmen from the Amazon, either).

> Gloranthan epidemiology is fundamentally different from RW !

Quite agree.

Cheers, Nick            

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