>Many, if not most, Gloranthan myths are not based upon the historical
actions of the >gods, but are explanations of why things are the way they
are. If people die, there
>must be a reason, so a myth is created by the priests. If people get sick,
>there must be a reason, so a myth is created by the priests, etc.
Hip hip hurrah! Eric has summed up my view on Gloranthan Myth and Culture precisely.
Of course in Glorantha, myth does not mean "falsehood" but instead must mean "fundamental truth". The mythic rationale that interprets the world is subjectively (and, in many cases, demonstrably) TRUE to the initiate and not something that can be dismissed as mere folklore.
Making things more complicated (and hence more interesting) is that each culture has its own mythic truth and that there is no reason that these mythic truths have to be related. The Heortling mythos does not and should not correlate with the Raibanth Dara Happan mythos, however that does not mean objectively that the Dara Happans are right and the Heortlings are wrong. Both are demonstrably true to their respective culture.
The monomyth was/is an attempt to determine the commonality between the myriad of mythic truths. As such, it is helpful for gamemasters, God Learners and Digest dilettantes. It is not the way most Gloranthan's view the world or their mythos.
>ps Runes, Phooey.
Again, hip hip hurrah! Let the stalwart and honest carls of the land and of the herds gather the arms and set fire to the insidious scrolls of these blasphemous God Learners and their debasing runes!
Yours truly,
Jeff Richard
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