Aeolian and Electric assumptions

From: POPEJ_at_cofc.edu
Date: Sun, 08 Oct 1995 15:40:38 -0500 (EST)


Two comments in the last digest seem to rest on interesting assumptions:
  1. Alain Rameau writes that discussion of the status of Aeolian in modern English is unimportant, as we know that it is a word in New Pelorian or Sartarite. How do we know this? I have always worked on the assumption that words in our descriptions of Glorantha which are obviously taken from terrestrial languages do not necessarily (or probably) represent the actual words spoken in Glorantha, but are translations. Thus, broo, Orlanth, and Danfive Xaron (however pronounced) are probably Gloranthan words; troll, dragon, Apple Lane, Aeolian, exarch, etc. are translations.
  2. Tim Torres seems to think that gold's glowing in Glorantha when properly enchanted is linked to electricity, based on his earlier comments and last digest's dictum "any metal, when 'properly enchanted' will glow in the dark." I've never thought of the RQ ideas of glowing metals as a 'sophistry' to allow for ersatz light-bulbs, but an attempt to work premodern beliefs about metals and their magical qualities into the game. Thus, glowing gold has nothing to do with electricity but everything to do with folklore.

Jonas Pope


End of Glorantha Digest V2 #147


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