TRIBES OF SARTAR Dave Dunham and I are trying to reconcile our slightly different Sartar tribe lists. Since the source for both of us was Greg, the lists (naturally) are different. We're doing our homework, and a further divination at the Temple of the Chaotic Wyrm may be in order.
We'll let you know what we come up with.
DINACOLI Joerg, thanks for your information on the Dinacoli. The fact that they do share the Tarshite language and follow Yelmalio makes their switch to Ironfist much easier to understand.
A retrospective reality adjustment to my own campaign is now underway.
PAVIS MINT Sandy, responding to Greybeard on the fabled Pavis Mint:
> All the flavours except those with ground trollkin emit
> little sparks when you chew them in the dark with your mouth open.
Oh No! EXCEPT the ground trollkin. If only the trollkin would as well, thus proving my theory that Trollkin (and trollkin urine) are a rich source of phosphorus :-).
BRAVEHEART: NOT SCOTLAND BUT SARTAR Like MOB, spurred on by Digest Reports, I saw 'Braveheart' yesterday in the company of my wife. Now Pippin has only recently read Marlowe's Edward II, and we've both seen Derek Jarman's film of the play, so it was interesting to see the era given the Hollywood treatment by way of comparison.
My reaction: fairly entertaining story, good portrayal of everyday life, very smelly history. In fact most of the story was pure mythology - mythtory. (Gloranthan Angle No.1). I don't know much about William Wallace (played of course by Mel "it's short for 'Mel'" Gibson) but the little I've found in Churchill seems to indicate he was indeed the Good Orlanthi Cattle Raider/ Freedom Fighter that the film portrays. I'm interested to find out more. However, Braveheart seems to have telescoped some of Robert the Bruce's exploits into Wallace: it was Bruce, for example, who was in the habit of taking out traitorous Scottish Lords/ Lunar Sympathisers. "I doubt me I have killed the Red Comyn". And the celebrated battle scenes? Well they got the "sciltrons" pretty right, but everything else was pure frp. (And I loved it).
For me, the film's best characterisation was in Patrick Macgoohan's portrayal of Edward I, 'the hammer of the Scots'. Very one-sided (of course!) and they got his final illness wrong, but what the hell. Ol Longshanks is one of my favourite English kings.
Edward II got very short shrift (not unexpectedly), being portrayed as a limpwristed homosexual. A pity in some ways, because his story (and character) is complex and many-layered.(Piers Gaveston aside, Edward begat four children upon Isabella, and she did not turn against him until the arrival of the Despensers). Speaking of which, what of the beautiful She-Wolf of France, hapless movie lover of our brave Scot? Well historically, she was only nine years old when Wallace karked it in 1305.
Hollywood. Still it was worth it to think that Edward III was a Scot!
Makes you wonder what the truth about Arkat/Argrath/ Conquering Daughter/... REALLY was, doesn't it? Mythtory.
Major irritations: expecting Sean Connery to appear at any moment (he didn't, apart from in the shorts for First Knight beforehand), and the soundtrack's assumption that the only Scottish tune known outside Scotland is 'Loch Lomond'. It would have been completely in character for Braveheart to have a Rod Stewart or Annie Lennox soundtrack. At least it wasn't Clannad.
The good bits: supporting characters (I can see Hamish popping up in lots of campaigns), the clothes, the colours, toning down the chivalry/kenigiting, lots of mud/rain/wilderness (including the odd sheep stuck halfway up a cliff) and the battle scenes (Gloranthan Angles No.2-753).
All in all, fairly standard hollywood epic, including all the cliches we know and love (MOB went through them), but despite that possessing a certain soggy charm. A must see for all involved in a barbarian campaign. 6 and a 1/2 out of 10. The greatest Gloranthan film since Priscella Queen of the Desert.
Go see it. And when you're there, give a hearty cry against English tyranny, Lunar treachery, American Cultural Imperialism and Scottish dress sense. In whatever order you like.
Scotland, err Sartar Forever!
Cheers
John
End of Glorantha Digest V1 #310
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
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