7th Council, plausible, or just amusing? from Alex Ferguson on 1995-03-01 (Glorantha Digest Vol 01)

From: Alex Ferguson <alex_at_dcs.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 95 11:30:22 GMT

Martin and MOB both call the Council of Florence as a friendly witness in analogising Malkioni Oecumenical (watch those vowels) Councils. Martin points out that it was just a political stitch-up, to which MOB obstinately agrees. ;-) Obviously an exact parallel of this event, say, Ethilian ai Demibras turning up unaccompanied in Leplain looking for aid in fighting the Kingdom of War, wouldn't have been very interesting as a freeform game

MOB euphemises:
> The 7th Council was fortunate in that a very wide swathe of Malkioni
> showed up, for a variety of good reasons (see the Sog Uni Guide).

"Fortunate" is putting it mildly. One of the most "unrealistic" (and unsurprisingly, gameable) parts of the Council was that so many people were not only invited, but given voting rights. You had to be _total_ anathema like Jon Quaife^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H the Vadeli not to get a vote, and have to turn up as a mere observer. This could be an exceptional circumstance of this Council in particular, convened as it was by the Unity-berserk Notsolor. More typical might have been the 6th Council, convened on Rokari territory, not inviting the Castle Beermats and not giving the neo-pagans a vote.

> If what
> happened at this council - both times the freeform was played - is true,
> it is highly likely that the Rokari would refuse to attend an 8th
> Council, if one was called in the near future.

Or alternatively, will be convening one under their own auspices ASAP, with a more "realistic" set of invitees and voting allocations (to wit, stitched up in their favour). More reliable men on the Committee of Caste would be a good idea too, guys <grumble, grumble>.

Alex.