Yes.
I don't think all cultures have the same runes. Most cultures don't share even all of the great runes. One culture could have separate runes quicksilver and sea metal, and another could use one rune for both. A third culture might a single rune for *all* metals, and a fourth not have a rune for any metal.
Not every culture need use the GL dichotomies of Life/Death, Harmony/Disorder etc. Some cultures could have Life and Death as a single rune-concept symbolized by the Sun Wheel, to which the opposing rune could be Disorderly Darkness or Undead Illusion.
>I'm not so sure. One part of me says that all writing and symbolism is
>magical in some way. In the earliest historical times all writing was
>considered magical - often regardless of what was actualy written. On the
>other hand, I believe that in Glorantha the magical runes are distinct
>from non-magical scripts.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'earliest historical times' but in the infancy of literacy, writing (or rather notation) was used for trading and book-keeping. I don't think the symbols diverse cultures use for representing the 'magical runes' are distinct from non-magical scripts. It's only when you use script in a magic ritual that the script becomes 'magical'.
>If runes are as prolific and wide ranging as you say, you are actualy
>describing a complete magical pictographic script, in the mould of the
>egyptian and meso-american hieroglyphic scripts.
Errm, no. I make a distinction between the runes as powers and the symbols used to represent the runes. Just because a culture acknowledges a lot of rune-powers doesn't mean it uses symbols to represent them all as rune-signs, or even uses the rune-signs as letters or pictograms in a system of writing.
>> IMG all divine spells are runes in their own right (albeit small ones), and
>> the gaining/ learning of those is a runequest.
>
>I think this detracts from the importance of the 'true' (ie known) runes.
>IMHO the runes associated with a god define the teritory covered by the
>god and the rune powers of the cult fall within these bounds. Having
>hundreds of mini-runes just clouds the issue.
I don't see how 'mini-runes' lessens the importance of the great runes. An example: Storm is a great rune. Thunderbolt and Lightning are divine spells in the roolz. IMG, thunderbolt and lightning are runes in their own right, though smaller than their 'mother-rune' Storm. Thunderbolt and Lightning can be seen as sub-runes.
Orlanth was defined by the God Learners as having the runes of Storm, Mastery and Movement/Change. Even if the divine spells of his cult are runes by themselves, they still fall within the bounds of Orlanth's 'territory'.
Rune-questing is a way to master a rune and gain its powers. When you quest for the Thunderbolt, you master it and gain its power. How is that different from Sartar becoming a master of Change and gaining its powers, other than a difference in magnitude?
>Interesting idea though, and very thought provoking.
Thanks.
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