>What techniques went into Glorantha's construction that can be
>adapted to other fantasy worlds? What aspects set it apart from
>other fantasy worlds?
Recently, I have been attempting to explain the differences
between AD&D and RQ/Glorantha to my son and a recent convert to RQ. I
won't attempt to declaim which bits derive from RQ and which from
Glorantha. Most of the worlds designed for AD&D have seemed to fall
into the same general categories to me.
Points which seemed cogent to me at the time were:
- less combat. Typical RQ adventure = 3-5 fights. Typical
AD&D adventure = ~ 50 fights.
- magic is far weaker.
- magic is far more ubiquitous.
- magic is far less generic
- magic (and the world) is FAR less combat-oriented.
Example: Cults of Prax. Of 15 cults, only 4 are oriented towards
warriors. Another 5 have soldier-like aspects, but mainly serve other
functions. And 6 are mainly non-combat. For another example, see
Cults of Terror. Of the 9 cults, whose express purpose is be PC
enemies, five lack convenient combat magic (Gbaji, Malia, Primal
Chaos, Thanatar, Thed)! Of the remaining four sects, two are
explicitly described as primarily non-warriors (Krarsht & Bat)
- myth and legend has direct effect on the world.
- characters are far more religious (how many non-Clerical
AD&D PCs know what god they worship?)
- baddies are three-dimensional and have interesting
motivations for their badness. Compare Elric's world, TSR's Red
Death, or TORG's worldwide plot for the "standard" position --
variegated bad guys all working for the same employer.
- absence of moral certitude. Try to categorize Gloranthan
groups in AD&D terms to see what I mean. Is the Lunar Empire lawful
or chaotic? Would any group of PCs want to meet the most famous hero
of Glorantha; i.e., Arkat? Imagine trying to import "Protection from
Evil" to Glorantha -- the concept is ludicrous!
- non-humans aren't humans in funny suits.
- cultures radically more diverse than in most worlds, with
very few universal precepts. Gondor, the Rohirrim, and the Shire are
cultural nigh-clones by Gloranthan standings.
- unifying monomyth, even if pare it down to the bare nub
common to most all folks -- "First it was good. Then it went to hell.
Then it got better."
- the world has a theme, which few AD&D worlds possess.
- the world is far more complete than homebrew worlds. It
has been around for so long, pondered for so long, and received so
much input from so many creative people, that no other world can
compete in detail and depth. This is just a difference of degree, not
type, but it is certainly significant. Its closest rival is Tekumel.
>- --Monomyth vs multiple Myths
Glorantha has its cake and eats it, too. There is a monomyth,
but it is interpreted totally differently by different cultures.