>What techniques went into Glorantha's construction that can be adapted to
>other fantasy worlds? What aspects set it apart from other fantasy
>worlds?
>
>Some areas for discussion that seem to have much potential are:
>- --Monomyth vs multiple Myths
>- --Elves, Dwarves, and Trolls: How to make them more than just
>funny-looking
>humans
>- --Evolution of Glorantha as a fantasy setting
>- --Evolution of Gloranthan Magic (from Battle/Rune Magic to
>Spirit/Divine
>magic and multiple Sorcery Systems)
Glorantha works because it is so complete. Nothing in Glorantha can be taken for granted as being 'just the same' as the real world, yet everything has a reason for being the way it is. The more I learn abouit Glorantha and the more I learn about terestrial religion, myth and philosophy the more I appreciate Greg's breadth of vision.
As an example, look at my post on Elements and Perception. Most of that is cribbed directly from early Greek philosophical thought. It works because Greg probably used a lot of ideas from the same sources when he determined the system of elements. The same Greek philosophies talk of four elements and two primal forces - Love (attraction) and Repulsion - as being the fundamental principles that form the material world. Note that Uleria is the oldest and most universal of the Gods, being the last remaining member of the Celestial Court. Without Uleria, the world would literaly fall apart. This may be what saved the world at IFWW - The power of Love pulling the world back together again.
The other things you talk about are important, but they are built on a foundation of solid underlying principles. Everything else follows on naturaly. The end results are impressive, but you can't figure out how to duplicate them by looking at the surface, just as you can't figure out how to build a car without looking under the hood.
I recommend Wyrms Footnotes for it's excelent insights into the early formative ideas behind the creation of Glorantha.
Simon Hibbs
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