Re: Glorantha Digest V1 #53

From: Sven *Erik Sievrin <erisie_at_utu.fi>
Date: Tue, 13 Dec 1994 18:20:47 +0200 (EET)


Loren Miller:
> Who is the patron of rice noodles? Rice Krispies?
Yea, and what about fried rice?
> Great story about Just Slow! How much was original and how much was
> taken from earthly folktales? Actually this is something I'd like to
> know about all the folktales and myths that people write for
> Glorantha. I think it's important to state which folktales were
> literary inventions and which were adapted from earthly folktales, for
> earthly folktales will inevitably (IMO) have more of a resonance of
> truth than will invented ones.

Thankyee! The "story" part of the story has no earthly precedent as far as I know. The idea of an unfair god of death is something I think must exist somewhere, though. I do not know about an earthly precedent, as I said, but it is an important part of folklore in Tuilyria, a country in a fantasy world of my creation which has much of its folklore and basic structure stolen from ancient China. Same goes for my earlier ideas about bureaucratic spirits, but in that case I THINK there is a precedent in the RW Chinese beliefs. I just cannot remember wher I read it. The style of the story is what I think is called a "skaelmsaga" in Swedish - usually stories that deal with "common people" heroes cheating stuffy and stupid nobility and burghers. Reineke Vuchs comes to mind. That is another reason why no mandarin would like it. The naming style is borrowed from the novels of Barry Hughart (sp) ("The Bridge of Birds", "The Story of the Stone" and "Eight Skilled Gentlemen"), which concerns the exploits of the sage, ex-master criminal and universal genius Master Li and his pupil and assistant Number Ten Ox. The setting is an imaginary China of the past, and I have no idea how much of Hugharts many musings on Chinese culture are authentical - they are fun, nevertheless.... I know that the bit of the two souls of a human being is authentic Chinese belief, as well as the practice of giving money to the dead cause they might need them in the afterlife (though I do not know too much about the Kralorelan beliefs in that area. Yes, honest and right-minded citizens go to await the Passing By of the current Emperor, but what about the dishonest and wrong-minded? What happens to the souls of infidels? Foreign Devils? The Beast People? My suggestion is that all the bastards reincarnate, and are doomed to live in this imperfect existence for ever - and even worse OUTSIDE KRALORELA! Kralorelan citizens may have some kind of "hell" for purification through punishment, though. And what does the right-minded DO while waiting for that passing? Play the harp and sing hymns? Educated and higher-minded Kralorelans might answer something like "they merely exists, in a state of undescribable bliss", but what would the farmers and craftsmen say?

Peter Metcalfe:
> It depends what sort of spirits they are summoning. I personally prefer
> they mainly appease the spirits of say the woods by leaving out offerings
> and such like. No need of shamans, a bowl of milk for the tiger spirit of
> the jungle would do just fine. Some modification of the Kami rules in LoN
> would work fine for learning spells (say spirit communication). If in
> exceptional circumstances, they need to summon a local spirit, I presume
> the chief villager has access to summoning rituals to call the spirit forth.
> These I would say are sorcery spells (using RQIII rules) but the Chief
> Villager would be horrified to learn that it was sorcery.
Seems fine, though probably not based on same theories as the Western thing. Based on knowledge of the intricate etiquette of the spirit world, perhaps? (Ki-Etiquette?) Hhhmm, I should have thought of that bowl of milk myself (Though if I were a _tiger_ spirit, I would prefer something else than milk :-)). Idea development: what if they do nor know any spells or anything? See it like this: Kralorelan spirits, reflecting the Kralorelan mindset, are polite and follows protocol. If you go out in the woods, or to the graveyard, or whereever, and asks the spirit in a correct way to appear, cause I would like to speak to you, please, sir, the spirit may well appear of its own accord. And if you (as I) need a stat of some sort to determine success, Spirit Lore or Summoning, or Etiquette/Courtesy/Kralorelan Culture, or suitable Cult Lore ought to work all right..... This should perhaps fit fine in other parts of Glorantha as well. Though some spirits may of course only appear to certain people (The village headman, for instance. If Lazy Mu, the village drunkard, should try to make the Lady of Mulberries appear, he may get a curse as the answer, without the Lady turning up. And I thought Sandy said Kralorelans did not know any "spirit magic", but I am still confused about that.......

Erik (or Sven)
who soon will leave this list - but it is not your fault :-(


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