Re: Omniscience & Orlanthi virtues

From: David Dunham <dunham_at_pensee.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 11:30:17 -0800


Robert McArthur wrote:

>After finally buying RQ3 I see it follows the list's line that Gods, for those
>who believe in such things, do not know what the worshipper is thinking. They
>only know what the worshipper has actually told them while praying. Somehow,
>and this is not elaborated in either place, they also know when the worshipper
>becomes apostate (without a priests excommunication).

Because they stop praying.

>To give an example, if we take the Pendragon Pass virtues, then every Orlanthi
>will be, in the 5 virtues of Orlanth, exactly the same (within 1 or 2 points).
>I find this both boring and detrimental to MGF.

Not at all. There are other cults besides Orlanth, and they have radically different virtues. Even among Orlanth-only initiates, the virtues are ideals. Yes, you'll tend to have them (since everyone in your culture does), but not everyone lives up to the ideal. "Yes, I know Orlanth is valorous, but I just got scared when the Mokevogi started waving my cousins' head at us, and I figured it was smarter to run away and get back at them later."

>So, my proposal is that each language spoken on Glorantha actually includes
>a ceremony which allows a particular God to know what is being said in that
>language. For example, Issaries knows every word ever spoken in Tradetalk.

I suppose, if you think it's desirable that the gods know everything that goes on. You seem to think this is really important, without explaining why. I see no reason Gloranthan deities, which have narrow ranges of specialization, need omniscience. They certainly don't have omnipotence, even within their specialty.

>IMHO this stimulates MGF. Referees can now decide appropriately what the God
>does know in relation to a divination.

If it was said, it's known. Doesn't seem to leave much room for GM interpretation. I think it's bad for Maximum Game Fun, because otherwise Divination is way too powerful. (Oddly, about half of all Divination requests in my game could be summarized "what was he thinking?") I find more MGF when players have to think for themselves.

I'm pleased to announce that my Glorantha site now includes the New Lolon Gospel page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha/nlg.html>. Check here for information about Harald Smith's Imther-related fanzine.


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