> The can of worms I've thusfar avoided is precisely the great risk of
>death that
> Earth women have
> "historically" faced while giving birth. Why add this concept to a fantasy
> world?
Well, I got a whole scenario out of searching for a Couvade spell (since the mother involved was a player character). And I happen to like the tragedies of the Pendragon childbirth table (though I would never kill a player mother). I think it gave a nice touch that one of the PCs in my East Ralios game pined for years after his wife died in childbirth.
Jane Williams wrote
> no way would the River People of the Zola Fel pollute the River like
> that! Ordinary people who just live on a river without worshipping it, yes.
I think you have an over-idealistic view of how people behave. After all, nothing people do could possibly permanently damage the river (humans throughout history have a dim grasp of ecological consequences*). I suspect this is precisely a reason *why* they worship the Zola Fel. It's both mighty and kindly enough to keep River Folk camps clean, unlike some of those Oasis People.
I just can't see a boatman out fishing suddenly putting in to shore when he has to pee.
> I can see contraceptives being available, but illegal in most societies
In many cultures, contraceptives *increase* population. Why? Because they allow women to space out their children so fewer are born in lean years. Thus, more children can survive. (If children are born in a famine year, then both they *and* the mother might die. A live mother can bear more children, hence the population increase.)
> did
> anyone else find the Cradle scenario to be vastly disappointing after
> tracking it down? It seems to be a linear monster/Lunar-bash, with all the
> fun action taking place off-stage
When I played in it (years ago) I found it excellent because of its epic scope. Obviously Big Things were happening, and our characters were a part! (The fact that my character fought extremely well helped.)
Saravan Peacock wondered
> We know something about the status of marriage and children in Orlanthi
> culture, but what are the demographics of marriage in that culture?
I don't have an answer, but in my game, men marry at an earlier age than Grazer men (who have to accumulate a bride price of about 8-10 horses). In my East Ralios, everyone's a noble, so their family pays the bride price, and characters have been getting married shortly after adulthood initiation (except for one character from a lesser family who is apparently waiting until he becomes a Rune Lord, to allow him to find a more impressive wife).
I suspect in most Orlanthi areas, marriage is like in the Icelandic sagas, where the boy and his father ask the girl's father. If he agrees, he gives his daughter a chance to veto the marriage.
David Dunham <mailto:dunham_at_pensee.com> Glorantha/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html> Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
Powered by hypermail