Traits lists: Chaos from mr happy on 1997-07-01 (Glorantha Digest Vol 05)

From: mr happy <ajbehan_at_tcd.ie>
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 23:37:16 +0100 (BST)

Michael Cule says cultual traits require a lot of book-keeping. Well I run a culturally homogenous party so its not much of a problem. I also use Player Traits, i.e. ones the player chooses to allow them to bring their personal biases into the open and (hopefully) neutralize them so yes havung chaactes with different traits in a party does require some book-keeping but as I use fairly stripped-down rules for comnbat, magic etc. I don't mind. To the good they allow you to show the players how their character's culture moulds their personality instead of telling them.

Natural/Chaotic

> 2) I don't think Chaotic/Natural should be on anyone's list.

The original reason for including it was because it was in Greg's G:tG list of Sartarite Traits. Since then I've thought of a few reasons for keeping it. For Example it allows Illumination to be intepreted (in game terms) as a form of mysticism (a la Codex #3) which erases this trait. Also it neatly expresses the conservatism and authoritaianism by which Bill Dunne characterizes Gloranthan societies in G:tCoHW 1. Also it should make players think "There but for the grace of (god) go I."

You object that chaos is abhorred universally by non-chaotics and that chaos is an objective thing not an aspect of ones personality.

I'm not claiming that chaos is purely a psychological thing, take gorp for example. However there is a bit in CoT, reprinted in TotRM #8 about how an evil person would kill you and steal your money but a broo wants to destroy you, the money, itself and everything else. That sounds like a state of mind to me.

IMO Gloranthans, unlike RQ 3, don't recognize the mind-body duality. After all Descartes lived in C17th and RW primitives generally don't make a strict distinction between the two. "Chaotic" is supposed to be a magical trait expressing the psychological side of a dual process. You have a famous score ergo you are a chaos monster and vice versa. Greg's version designated a Chaotic score of 10-15 as disorderly and 16-20 as chaotic (i.e. a broo or whatever.) Most Orlanthi would be 10/10.

As for chaos ben universally abhored. IMO chaotic is not universally recognized nor does chaotic=evil. On the first point the Dara Happans don't distinguish Kazkurtum & Jokbazi as seperate genus from other rebel gods i.e. Lanatum, Rebellus Terminus. Malkioni don't distinguish between dwarves and scorpionmen when they say krjalki and having recently read Carlo Ginzburg's excellent "The Cheese & the Worms" (about a C16th Italian miller who was burnt at the stake for professing a cosmogeny which may sound perculiarly familiar to Gloranthaphiles) I reckon that even claiming the -existence- of "Chaos" is considered proof of Borist leanings by right thinking Malkioni.

The idea of invading Chaos i.e. Apophis (Egypt) or Tiamat (Sumer/Babylon) is found as a distinct idea in some RW cultures, but not universally. IMO opinion this is the case in Glorantha too. If you accept this argument, as I honestly do, then "Chaotic" is a culturally specific, albeit reviled trait.
- --------
Andrew Behan