Re: Earth and Storm

From: Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 96 09:33:13 -0500


Craig Furber
>In response to Joerg's suggestion that mountains are dominant
>because they are so big and are oblivious to the power of the air up
>at that height...wrong...think again. Mountains are worn down by
>the elements from rough jagged peaks

        In the first place, this was MY suggestion, not Joerg's, and in the second place, it doesn't disprove my suggestion at all. Quite the reverse.

        Take a look at those "rounded soft peaks" of England. How many years passed before the elements reduced them to their current size? Two hundred million? Three hundred million? The Rockies are many tens of millions of years old and are still very craggy, obviously "new" mountains. The fact that the Earth could thrust them up so much faster than they can be worn down is pretty good evidence of her superiority on Earth.

        Mountains are obviously HIGHLY resistant to the action of wind, rain, ice, snow, and sand. It takes eons for the work of the wind to wear down even a small stone. How are the pyramids doing after existing over twice as long as all Glorantha since the Dawn? How about Stonehenge? Hasni Mubarak?

        But look at the other side -- a stone wall acts as a near-perfect windbreak. By putting up a wall in the course of a day, the power of the wind is totally foiled. The fact that, centuries later, after persistently blasting the wall with its force, the wind finally manages to knock it down, only emphasizes the colossal imbalance here.

        Mountains confine, constrict, and control the wind. Pelorian weather patterns do not affect the climate of Ralios. The heavy rain and fog of Kralorela do not moisten the Wastes.

        That one element is dominant over another doesn't mean that the lesser element is totally incapable of _any_ kind of action vs. the stronger. A large fire cannot be extinguished with a teaspoon of water, but it's still obvious that Water > Fire.

>Another point is that where would we be without Chaos?

        Almost all Gloranthans agree: "Far better off."

>Chaos focuses the actions of the Gods (Storm Bull would be a drunken
>animal but for Chaos!!!)

        Storm Bull had plenty of things to do before Chaos entered the world. He married Eiritha, fathered Waha, fought his brother Orlanth, pillaged the sea, sky, and frontiers of creation, etc.

>Chaos provides a cosmic balance in Glorantha which would be a pretty
>boring place without it.

        While I don't think chaos provides a balance, I do agree that Glorantha would be boring without it.

        Chaos is not a balance -- its _lack_ of a balance is what makes it interesting to me. The fact that chaos acts as a force which can (and almost did, on occasion) destroy the cosmos gives it a tang that adds spice.

Sandy P.


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