I found Sandy's comments somewhat contradictory: <I don't believe there
is any such thing as electricity in Glorantha...> and <Gold, when
properly treated will glow...> If we don't know there's electricity in
Glorantha, how do we know that gold when properly treated glows? But the
apparent paradox and its sophist solution aren't important. Dwarves
crave gold because it has a multitude of uses, whether based on its runic
association with fire or based on its natural properties. For that
matter, is there a difference between its runic association with fire and
its natural properties which seem tied up in the Aristotelian element of
fire? After all, it's warm, it's malleable, it's found in the earth,
it's really pretty, and it conducts or fosters energy of many kinds:
heat, light, electricity, and (when properly tempered) magic. And when
alloyed with iron, copper, aluminum and other metals . . .
Nils, keep using your boddhisatva analogy. I'm working on introducing a
Malkioni mystic (NPC) into my campaign, and I'm one of those new thought
heretics who doesn't find much material difference between Christian and
Eastern mystics. My Malkioni draw from both traditions.