>Reading the list of runes and owner, it appears that most of them are
>owned by Orlanthi deities. Am I the only one to find this unbalanced ? I
>for one would think that ancient and mystical civilisations (Kralorela &
>Dara Happa) should own most of the runes.
It's a bit more complicated than this. The Dara Happans and the Kralori don't use the standard ones given in the rulebooks and use their own. Some of these are similar but the associations are quite different.
Note that several of the Runes apparently held by the Orlanthi are in fact not since the cults that do hold them are spread throughout the world and not intrinsically part of the Orlanth Pantheon (Eurmal - Trickster, Chalana Arroy - Harmony, Humakt - - Death, Mastakos - Movement).
Obscure Rune Triviae:
AIR: is pretty much the same all over the world. It's derived from the path Orlanth's Ring traces out over the Heavens. I consider Orlanth to owe this rune as he's the biggest and most sophisticated Storm God around in Glorantha.
CHAOS: This is apparently related to the Dara Happan Rune for Artia, the Bat Planet.
DRAGONEWTS: Look at the configuration the Dragonewt Cities make on the Map of Dragon Pass. I'm skeptical the Dragonewts themselves are aware of the rune.
EARTH: This isn't really 'owned' by the Orlanthi Pantheon IMO. Rather Ernalda is only found with the doubled rune in Esrolia which I generally classify as a distinct but related culture.
FIRE: self-explanatory. I consider Yelm to owe this Rune for the same reason Orlanth owes the Storm Rune as he is the most developed Solar Cult around.
MASTERY: This appears to come from Peloria where the Red King is depicted as wearing this rune as a crown on the Gods Wall. The Red Emperor also wears a smimilar crown today. Since the Red King is also known as the God of Tyrants, one wonders if the Red Emperor is also a tyrant.
MOON: Apparently related in some way to the Dara Happan Dayzatar Rune (this is a circle bisected by a horizontal line).
STASIS: This was originally the Stone Rune in the World Council or to be more precise what the non-mostali thought it was. Anyway the Dwarves still have it.
TRUTH: Said to owned by Dayzatar. However most worshippers of Dayzatar live in regions where this rune is not used and so I think saying that Dayzatar has this rune is a metaphorical expression of how easy it is to find the Truth in glorantha.
WATER: Known by the World Council and held by the Dragonewts which was the inspiration for my 'dispelling gross nescience' essay. Held by Magasta although Wachaza held it at one time.
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