Re: Glorantha Digest V2 #639

From: Allan Henderson <allan_at_chem.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 16:39:09 +0100


Hi,

ian gorlick says :

>The can eat some plant material, but it
>tends to be succulent leaves, seeds, berries and roots, material with a much
>higher nutrient content than the grass and leaves browsed by other herd beasts
>They are probably the only herd beast that does dig out roots. They also eat a
>wide variety of animal materials, grubs, ants, lizards, snakes, small mammals
>and birds.

I don't normally disagreee directly with people, and this is in no way meant to be offensive to Ian, but I believe that the Waha covenant is there to ensure that those who eat and those who will be eaten have radically different food sources. Thus, a large number of Bison and a large number of bison riders can live off the same piece of land without competing for food. Thus I believe that herd men will eat coarse plant material and will thrive on it in just the same way that the rhinos do.

>Herd men are much smarter than any other herd beast, so they can be trained
>for many tasks that others can not.

I do agree that herd men can be trained to do different tasks from say an impalla but not that herd men are any smarter than impallas. I would not portray them as being as smart as a chimp, but maybe just as smart and perhaps as obedient as a working dog.

>Herd men may not be the most useful of herd animals

I totally agree. Herd men are pretty poor animals, but they are the only tribe that can replenish their own herd beast numbers using magic.

>The big thing that separates herd men from true men is language.
<snip>
>As a result they live in a here and now existance without a future.

IMG the thing that separates herd men from human beings is that herd men are animals. They lack foresight, understanding, and can only react to basic stimuli.

Allan


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