Reply to: RE>Troll "Culture"
Sandy, Sandy, Sandy, . . .
Matriarchy and KL Worship "instinctive"? I am afraid that I mus dissagree whole heartedly. Are Orlanthi genetically predisposed to Shout at each other till the small hours of the morning? It is a Cultural Trait. Just because Trolls have a relatively homogeneous culture doesn't mean they don't have one. Their culture is certainly as complete as any human culture, it is just OLD. Uz culture was thoroughly defined and solidified around the time Umath broke his first tooth. It is this Ancient Heritage, combined with the fact that renegade Trolls outside of hell Do Not Live Very Long, that leads to this consistant behavior -- not any lack of ability.
Uz are matriarcal because the Mothers are TOUGH. Even Arkat had to treat them with (some) respect -- and THAT is plenty of precedent for any fully rational, psychologically complete ZZ Berzerk to Kiss Up to them.
There are two main reasons for the consistancy of troll culture around the world:
The first is simply time. For the Uz, time is but a tiny piece of history. By all acounts, most major centers of population have residents who were alive Before Time. And most of the younger religious leaders can speak directly to spirits that remember life in wonderhome. Of course things will tend to remain more constant when you don't have all your leaders dying out every thirty years or so.
The second reason is their religion. Kyger Litor, the Mother of All Trolls is still alive and well (though wounded) and Directly Accessable to Uzdom. Worship of The Goddess is to a large extent what makes a Troll (perhaps even a cave troll or enlo) Uz, as opposed to Food. The Uz are very effective at eliminating dissidents (Yum!), and if for some reason there were a dark troll that escaped the "comfy chair" of the priestess's dinner platter, human "Monster Hunters" would make short work of Him/Her.
In addition, Uz Culture is simple, not because Trolls are incapable of complexity -- but because they PRIZE simplicity. WonderHome was simple. The Hurtplace is complex. Trolls strive for simplicity despite their complete psyches -- the simplistic outlook of the Uz is a Cultural Trait, not a symptom of not having a culture.
Sorry if I ramble, and apologies to Sandy for a possibly patronizing tone. You brought it on yourself, though -- If you hadn't gone and developed such a wonderful culture for these beasts, I couldn't have waxed so wroth at your denying it exists.
To conclude (finally) -- it is the beauty of Glorantha that the difference between a Friend and a Monster is Cultural, and not Intrisic. Trolls COULD be anything, but their culture defines their actions and their desires. I Believe that MGF dictates that the Uz are monsters because their goals conflict with Ours, not because they are inherently "Bad" -- or even inherently anything (except maybe HUNGRY)
danm.
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