Andrew B. (Could it be? Another fan of Peloria?) asks:
>Does this mean that there is no special hostility between the Pelorian
Lodrili and Argan Argar's troll worshippers?
None other then the usual animosity evolving from a mythic history of being eaten by digijelm. But they would have a common ground; Pelorian Lodrilli probably understand hunger almost as well as the trolls.
>By the way what are Pelorian marriage customs like?
A tremendous excuse for a party.
> In G:CotHW it said that a Pelorian is legal responsible for the actions
of his cousins and
in-laws to the sixth degree. IMHO in practise most Pelorians marry a
fifth or sixth cousin, combining their two legal obligations.
I imagine it would be difficult to find anyone of the appropriate status within reasonable travelling distance who _wasn't_ at least a sixth cousin.
>If everyone in the kin-group marries somone else in the kin-group a
community of responsibility is created.
It also helps keep the resouces (via dowry, bride-price, etc) in the family.
>Only powerful clans which can absorb others and unsuccessful clans which
cannot support themselves marry out.
This is more of the nature of a merger, creating a new endogamous kin-group,
than exogamy. It's by this means that the huge clans that rule the Lunar satrapies increase their power.
But it also adds to vulnerability (you now become financially responsible for the excesses of the other family's Uncle Billius...), and spreads out recources. I imagine these factors would reach an equilibrium in a successful clan.
>A related idea is that dead clan-members are reincarnated in the next
child born into the clan. The child receives the same name as their
predeccesor, though they may accrue nicknames of their own.
Intriguing idea. Rather than have it be a common occurance, it may be that a direct reincarnation is a rare event, occasionally fortold by the seers - perhaps as a result of a mythically fortuitous marraige, an alignment of stars, etc. Good scenario hook.
David Cake on Pelorian hells:
>Bad Dara Happans go down and down through the Hells. .... and only the
truly righteous
by Dara Happan standards (sorry,
Pelorian peasantry not eligible) get to go up to Heaven. ...
There is some scope for an Old/New Testament analogy here,
but I wouldn't want to unduly stress that idea.
I think it's a bit too Old Testament for Glorantha. Peter Metcalfe writes:
>However if one commits a act which is hallowed to one of the Demons
who dwell within the Hells, then one incarnates some Black Radiation
and is drawn down towards the Underworld to suffer. For instance,
ruling by Fear is Kazkurtum's Magic and so a Noble that ruled in such
a manner would be dragged by demons after his death to the Sky of Dead
Gods.
I think this is more the mechanism - the pattern one leads in life draws one
toward a mythic pattern in death. The difference is that in the Old
Testament the individual is judged; in Glorantha the path merely continues
after death. And in many Gloranthan religions, the paths after death are
often positive.
Sure, the Yelmies may tell themselves that their death-path is glorious and
heavenly, while the filthy peasants are doomed to more earth-bound ignomy,
but you can bet that the Lodrilli peasants take the opposite view. "Those
rich folk pretend to deny themselves pleasure to make up for their cruel
treatment of Grandfather's children. Wait till he has _them_ do the digging
in the UnderEarthWorld!"
John Huges:
>I'm no biologist, so Sandy or someone, what's a good rule-of-thumb for
Gloranthan variation? Around 5% over a hundred Km?
As Sandy has said, Gloranthan biodiversity and population biology depends more on magic than terran biology. I rather like the idea of small populations of exotic animals that are present for a mythic reason. (Hippos in the southern Oslir, aurochs hiding on KeroFin, bolo lizards in Prax.) More great scenario hooks. (What powers might a Sunlord or Lunar runie gain from slaying an aurochs on Kero Fin? Can the Orlanthi prevent them?)
Greatly looking forward to Australia!
Pam
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