>The Brithini and the Mostali are amoral. The Brithini have only their
>Law, not a moral code. The Mostali have their Specifications and
>Procedures Documents and no notion of morality. We've got amoral races
>already. So it doesn't strike me as all that interesting to have the
>Vadeli be another amoral race.
The Mostali are *not* amoral. They find plenty of things bad, (sexual intercourse frex, open commerce with outsiders, eating living things) and seek to re-educate those who have heretical ideas. They do have a morality but it is vaguely tangential to most human mores.
But as you say the Brithini are amoral, then we have a somewhat unbalanced scheme in which there are two sister races: one which is Amoral and the other which is Evil. Now the fact that the Brithini are amoral is firmly set in stone (subject to radical gregging), so that leaves the Vadeli. So rather than present the Vadeli in terms of evil, I think it is better to strike for the Noble Lion/Disgusting Hyena comparison (which is why I reject the Blues as amoral Spocks) and leave morality out it.
The Vadeli do disgusting acts because they have superseded their own morality and can thus exploit the potential of these acts without revulsion. This dovetails far better than trying to figure out why a supposedly Logical race would _choose_ to be Evil.
It has also been pointed out that the if the original Vadeli were evil, deliberately violating their own taboos, then it would become customary to their descendants. That is where I think your Vadeli do Evil-Acts-becoz-it-Evil fails.
>It strikes me as an interesting variation to have the Vadeli actually
>be EVIL, in their own eyes, not just outsiders' eyes. I like the
>thought of a hated and feared race that actually lives up to the
>propaganda against them. This is novel.
I'm afraid not. There are Broos and Ogres who commit Evil Acts to Break Up the Cosmos which they see is a Good Aim.
Harry Bowman:
Spake of the Migration to Pithdaros
>The lament mentions the White Shadow as a foe which slowed their
>arrival. What was the White Shadow?
Book of Drastic Resolutions: 'The meaning of this name is unknown though it is common in the current age in Kothar among the recruiters of the Vangono Cult, who seek war against the Kresh'. The BoDR has more information on this lament.
>What too them so long to get there? What was this migration like?
They travelled via the God Plane but got stuck there and so were to late to influence the battle. Presumably they tried to take a shortcut, and were pulled over by the GodPlane Traffic Department for speeding...
>The lament says
>"Once he came against Pamalt, and once he came again" This means that the
>coming against Pamalt was before the famous arrival in Genertela.
He's referring to the Great Struggle between Vovisibor and Pamalt. By the context the writer is implying that the Pithdarians view Vovisibor and Gabji as the same god.
>3) What the environment of Seshnela from 719 to 735 was like? (did the
> PA's convert peacefully? were they conquered?)
Seshnela was wracked by terrible toil as the Seshnegi were trying to expel the Ralian Barbarians (who were allied in some way with the Dark Empire). King Ulmal was in need of troops (and as he had rejected the advances of the God Learners), I think he told them that the Dark Empire worshipped Gbaji. When the Pithdarians found out the truth, they refused to fight against the Dark Empire and seized the land in which they now reside (IMO).
King Ulmal passed away, and the Seshnegi and the God Learners were eventually reconciled under the efforts of King Annmak. The Dark Empire fell shortly afterwards. The chronology is very confused as a King Saval is mentioned as ruling in 737 ST opposing the Crusaders whereas the barbarians were supposedly all evicted in 734 ST. I would love a copy of the Seshnegi King List to clarify things!
>4) How I can get a copy of the 2nd Age Seshnela Map?
Buy a copy of How the West Was Won from the ToTRM.
Michael Cule:
MC>>>I got to thinking: there are six elements known in Glorantha. Darkness,
Me>> Wrong elements IMO. Greg's actually referring to the Making of Man
>> myth in the GRAY.
>Yes, yes. I understand that. But what I was saying was: with the
>prevelance of the number seven in Gloranthan myth, why are there
>only six elements?
There's only five from the strict God Learner Cosmology IMO (as the Moon is merely a variant Sky Rune). Nobody outside lands subjugated by the Lunar Empire actually accept the Moon as a seperate GL element and those who do are getting the Lunar Philosophy mixed up with what they consider to be an element.
>Pleontius says that Yelm has been restored to the skies by the ascension
>of a properly invested Emperor. The Fortunate Succession seems to say
>that it didn't happen until the SunStop. Which is true? Is either true?
>What do modern Yelmies believe?
The blindingly obvious answer is what everybody else says: Yelm rose at the Dawn. But Plentonius couldn't say that because the Horse Nomads were in control at the time and to say or imply that they could be 'properly invested Emperors' is ipso facto High Treason.
The Sun Stop is when modern Yelmies believe that Yelm re-entered the Cosmos (as per the Fortunate Succession). I think it's when they managed to actually attain full and complete communion with Yelm after years of searching.
>Are there any Republics on Glorantha?
The biggest Republic in Glorantha is the Unity of the Republics of Karreshtu in Fonrit. I imagine that some of the Safelstran City States are actually republics (Wexten is said to be a Peoples Democractic Republic which implies that Simple Republics do exist). The Cities of Pelandra were ruled by Councils before the Evil Carmanians suppressed democracy. Handra on the Manirian Coast is said to be run by a 'suprisingly democractic council of guilds'. And lastly but not the least, one could consider an Orlanthi King to be an elected official in which case the Orlanthi are republican.
>And when he tells us the figure for the length of Yelm's reign came
>from a poet is that poet supposed to be pre or post Dawn? (I have
>horrible difficulty with the idea of Time before Time....)
The Oldest Poem which contains the figure is said to be written a few years after the rise of Antirius. Exactly what Plentonius means by this is a good question. I think from the other fragment of the poem that he quotes 'Star-time' is gone now. One thousand years of Darkness are done.', the poet was referring to the rise of Kargzant and the rule of Emperor Jenarong which was seen as a Good Thing. But Plentonius can't say this outright as mentioning Kargzant too much in a positive light would get his head kicked in. So he calls Kargzant by a Politicaly Correct name (cf the perfect sky section where he calls it Lightfore).
>And finally is the Red Goddess of the modern age fully identified
>with Sedenya the Red Moon-Related Goddess who was destroyed by one
>of the early Emperors? Was Merinita (the city she crashed on) the
>same site as modern Glamour?
I believe she is Sedenya. The real debate is whether she was some other celestial body as well historically. Mernita is more problematical. Suggestions have been made that the city lies under the Blue Moon Plateau. However the map places the location at the Mouth of the River. It is most probable IMO that Elz Ast is ancient Mernita (as the Cap was found there) but the river mouth could have been the Poralistor (in which case the site is now Joranit) or even the Arcos.
Sandy Petersen:
DB>>Of course Peter Metcalfe could probably give us a multi page
>>discussion on the mythic nature of the scales on a merman's butt.
>>Now that is sad.
> I regard this as hurling down the gauntlet, Peter. I now
>expect such a discussion from you or I'll be severely disappointed.
Patience! I will present the mythological nature of the scales on most of the species of merfolk that are known to exist below.
MERMAN SCALE MYTHOLOGICAL SPECIES TYPE SIGNIFICANCE Dwerulan n/a n/a Ludoch n/a n/a Manatee-folk n/a n/a Murthoi n/a n/a Ouori n/a n/a Sea Troll n/a n/a
The remainder (Gnydron, Ysabbau and Zabdamar) will follow RSN (ETA: when HeroQuest Roolz come out).
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