Re: Insight, RuneQuest Sight, Illumination

From: Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 96 15:44:12 -0500


David Cake:
>IMHO Illumination is more about a deeper understanding of your own
situation >and your own self rather than the cosmos as large. I don't know about Insight >(perhaps Sandy mentioned it just to tantalise us...), but I suspect the RQ >Sight gives understanding of the cosmos, but little understanding of the self.

David's analysis is essentially correct IMO. Here are some grossly oversimplified definitions of a few of the various Gloranthan philosophical time-bombs.

        ILLUMINATION: enables you to see the universe objectively, to set yourself apart from it. Hence, because you are no longer "part of" the universe, you are like unto chaos, which is also Other. Because you are no longer part of the universe, you can see the cosmic joke. You can also succumb to solipsism. Disillusionment over one's "old ways" is common.

        RUNEQUEST SIGHT: enables you to see the universe subjectively, to perceive its structure and how it relates to itself, to see patterns within it and to use them.

        KRALORI INSIGHT: focuses on one's own place within the cosmos. Is neither subjective nor objective -- if you consider Illumination to be the equivalent of third-person (writing style), and RQ Sight as first-person, then Insight is second-person.

        EAST ISLES ELUCIDATION: joins the Dream world and the Real world, the Godtime and Since Time, the Hero Plane and the Mundane Plane, together into one comprehension and vision. No longer are these separate concepts to the Elucidated, but they fuse into a symmetric whole.

JOKBAZI
        I consider Jokbazi the aspect of Hell Chaos -- when Chaos entered the world from all directions at once, Chaos came from the North (Wakboth), from the South (Vovisibor), from the East (Uralog), from the West (Xamalk), from the Sky (Tyram), and from Hell (Jokbazi). There was also the Chaos from the Center (Kajabor), summoned forth when the Spike Broke. And of course the Chaos from Inside (Rashoran), and the Chaos from Outside (Krjalk). And their subtypes.

Peter Metcalfe
>The Teshnan Army is complete shit. Their last military action IMO
was the >complete destruction of Gio and its citizenry.

  1. The Teshnan army is quite crappy. No doubt about it. It essentially serves as a base around which their magicians cast their spells in battle. It is good enough to man the walls of a city to hold off beast riders, but that's about all.
  2. The Teshnan army is really more of a police force than an army. IMO, the attack on Gio was _not_ intended to be a complete destruction (or else the emperor would have felt impelled to raze the city after the inhabitants fled, in Eastern fashion), but to be the traditional Teshnan cruelty of reverse decimation (death of 9/10 the inhabitants).
  3. Yes, instead of 9/10, "only" 1/3 of the population was slain, but this was as much because of individual acts of disobedience (= kindness) on the part of the soldiers and officers as because the people fought back (they didn't). In fact, if the people had prepared for an attack, and manned barricades, the army would doubtless have proven unable to do significant harm to Gio. But then the solar priests might have burnt the town to the ground, so perhaps it was best after all to let the army have its way.

QUESTION: How does the cruddy Teshnan army protect itself vs. its enemies?
MY ANSWER:
        Beast Riders: hole up in their walled cities, and wait for the beast riders to go away.

        Amazons: hole up in their walled cities, and be thankful the Amazons are unable to conquer territory, just loot it. If it looks like the Amazons are going to breach the city walls or enter the harbor to burn ships, buy them off with slaves and wealth.

        Elves from Fethlon: hole up in their walled cities, and use magic to enchant the soil in vast "firebreaks", keeping the jungle from encroaching. Also remember to have the Emperor pay the elf-queens their annual tribute to keep them off our backs. To save face, this tribute is considered by the Kralori to be a stipend, paid to the elves because they are vassals of the Emperor. But these particular vassals obey no commands of the Emperor.

        Beast Men: sally forth to conquer or die. After embarrassing defeat, flee back to walled city and man the walls. Buy off beast man leader.

        Harstar: worry constantly. "When will he come?"         

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