Subjectively created Objects

From: James Wadsley <wadsley_at_cita.utoronto.ca>
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 13:42:23 -0400


I think most are agreed that the fundamental 'true' nature of Glorantha is less important that how it is perceived by the inhabitants locally and thus questions of subjectivity are of greatest interest to the God-Learner-Digest. This POV is put to the test when cultures conflict or meet with their different interpretations, with the example of an Orlanthi trying to get spells back at West King Wind shrines. The result seems to be a compromise, yes he can get spells but no this doesn't answer questions as to the equality, equivalence or other relationship between these gods. An analogy is the sea. If you equate all oceans to "The" storm god and seas to Orlanth or West King Wind repectively and perhaps bays and straits to Orlanth Fecund or Orlanth Uproarious, you get a model where all is continuous yet distinguishable but with very fuzzy boundaries. A God Learner construct no doubt.

Another potent example, IMHO, is trolls. (Disclaimer: I don't know detailed troll myth off the top of my head). A more "Universal" history (of the trolls) indicates that Kyger Litor's womb was torn up/out by an evil God thus generating troll infertility. Trolls attempted to assert a different myth by questing to remove this myth or at least temper it. The result is compromise: Trollkin and a low birth rate of true trolls. Result: the detail of Glorantha is enriched and the rather high power trolls species is limited. I think this provides a good rule of thumb for any conflicts of myth and an indicator that Trolls at least are somewhat 'subjectivist' in that they don't take their myth lying down. Thus; I would argue that mythical conflicts provide scope for enriching Glorantha rather than a representing a flaw in the 'system'.


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