THE BAD VADELI
All these vile slanders of the poor Vadeli are totally
unproven. Furthermore, I regard it as actually rather important that
it _be_ unproven. No one in Glorantha really knows for certain
whether the Vadeli do these bad things. Everyone knows that the
original source for the Vadeli rumors was the Brithini, who not only
had an axe to grind, but are rather despicable in their own right.
Now, does this mean that I think the Vadeli are "not" bad? Of course not. BUT I believe that (a) there is plenty of room for doubt, which is why Vadeli are permitted into most everywhere and (b) the truth about the Vadeli is far, far worse than the most awful thing yet posted about them. (For an example of what I'm talking about, read "The Great God Pan", by Arthur Machen, in which it is never said just _what_ Helen Vaughan is doing, but it's clearly terrifyingly debased in a completely new way.)
Incidentally, it is quite obvious to me that the connection made between red Vadeli and menstrual blood is true. Of course, there is some even darker secret hidden beneath this part of the puzzle.
Also, I strongly concur with David Cake's point that if the Vadeli _have_ to do bad things in order to breed, then they're not bad at all. I believe that Vadeli are perfectly able to breed like any other human being. I also suspect that they have not bred in this manner since before the Gods War, vastly preferring other techniques already hinted at in the Digest.
To take a Tolkien parallel, the Vadeli are not orcs, bred to be bad. They're as Saruman or Wormtongue, who chose to follow their paths. They may be one of the few groups in Glorantha that actually chooses evil for evil's sake.
VADELI COOPERATION & SEAFARING
I believe that the Brown and Red Vadeli cooperate well, and
that all Brown boats have at least one Red aboard. There may well be
Red boats with no Browns at all.
BROWN VADELI
I believe that the Brown Vadeli, who were the _only_
surviving Vadeli from before the Dawn until after the Closing, were
incapable of seafaring with any competence until the Red Vadeli had
been restored in recent years. The Reds provide leadership and
backbone, adding vigor and industry to the Brown's cunning plots. The
Browns are the brains of the operation. Hence, each Brown ship has a
Red aboard as captain, though he may remain concealed from outsiders'
views. Particularly as the Reds are inept at communication with
foreigners.
I believe that the Brown Vadeli are obsequious, polite, excruciatingly correct in manner and word. The best single-word description of a Brown Vadeli is "unctuous". Even when they are informing you of your imminent torture and death, they may be gently apologetic about it. For one good model, view Hitchcock's 1930s version of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, and watch Peter Lorre's character closely. He is precocious, not a brutal thug.
RED VADELI
I do not believe that the Red Vadeli are insensate monsters.
Why? Because Glorantha has lots of insensate monsters (broo, Zorak
Zorani, amazons, Tsankth pirates, Kingdom Warriors, etc.). Rather
than add another to the list, no matter how different he may be in
detail, I'd rather use him to build up my overall Vadeli image.
I admit I have a selfish motive here -- I plan to be using the Vadeli quite a bit in my campaign, and hence need them to fill my needs. Anyone else planning on Vadeli encounters? Anyway, on with my theorizing.
Rather than brutish rapists, I view the Red Vadeli as solipsistic, with suppressed emotion, blank expression, and cold turns of phrase. A Clint Eastwood or Yul Brynner, rather than a sneering, colorful Lee Marvin or Robert Mitchum, if you get me. Not angered by complaints or threats -- simply uncaring, non-empathic.
Example: some Japanese friends of mine were praising a particular dish, in which a live lobster has his abdomen peeled, and the quivering flesh cut into nice little slices while you watch. My reaction, "Bleach! How can you eat that?" My Japanese friends were genuinely puzzled. "But it tastes good! Very good!" I did a double-take. "I don't care how good it tastes!! It's _cruel_!" They were still a bit puzzled -- clearly such a thing had never occurred to them. For them, the lobster was an esthetic and culinary experience, while to me it was an image of torment and horror. (NOTE: I do _not_ mean to imply Japanese in general are lacking in empathy. I _like_ Japan and the Japanese.) For another example, see Ernest Hemingway's essay on Bullfighting, in which he points out that an Englishman or American is seeing something totally different from an Spaniard or Mexican.
When the Red Vadeli pillage a town or sink a ship, they do so with lack of passion, as though they were just completing an industrial task. I also believe that when they do such a thing, they take care to leave _no_ witnesses. All the survivors are taken away with them and never seen again. Why? The classic Vadeli reason -- there must be no proof.
BLUE VADELI
There are no Blue Vadeli anywhere in the world, IMO. One is
soon to be born. The Red and Brown Vadeli comb land and see for him.
Sandy P.
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