Commentary alt misc

From: Vesa Lehtinen <akuleh_at_sci.fi>
Date: Wed Jan 14 16:29:38 1998


I am a new one in this form of communication so ...

        Am I the only one who is not the least interested about the proliferation of special monsters all around ? Personally, I think that you can invent anything you want to fit into a scenario at hand (and usually explain it away by chaos features). And I do consider D&D and T$R a swear words, thank you very much but maybe that's just me.

James Frusetta wrote
> Say, how do trolls marry? From the way the society is written up, I'd
> think that either the male's mom or the local KL priestess will "arrang=
e"
> a marriage, unless the male has had the initiative to find a mate, get
> found, or get out of town.

        I consider that usually the females pick up their mates in uzdom  and only male can do is to try to draw attention. Troll woman finds somebody she considers interesting (don't ask me) and, probably, plays with him a bit in order to know the guy better (remember, to "trolls beauty is not physical"). If he is a son of somebody higher up in a socia= l
ladder, she goes to query whether the mom has anything against her (in case she cannot make an educated guess already). Maybe 50% could ask the male whether he wants to marry or not (Besides, I think that ZZ are mostly bachelors). Then the fun begins ...

        Some females may consider that any marriage offer from a female should be considered a honor to the male. And if a clan matrirach conside= r
your son a good match, how can you say no ! Assuming that it matters. In certain cases the answer could be like that: "Xogatz ? Who is that? Oh, my only son. Go ahead, take him, good riddance! Now I can concentrate  on my daughters."

        Arranged marriages would be possible only in more"civilized" troll  lands where they have political significance (Shadow Plateau?). Also, = as
 is usual in the cultures where arranged marriages are common, the dominant sex (troll females in this case) would probably have proliferati= on
 of lovers.

Someone wrote
> Loren, I come from a VERY cold and usually snowy country (Sweden), and
> my ancestors on both sides also come from a VERY cold and usually
> snowy country (Finland)

        Finn-descended guy in Sweden ? Were you beat up badly ? Maybe eaten alive?

        Well, according to the folklore I have read, there were also people  who would keep domestic snakes (of any kind) and even heat up a sauna for them. Usually they were not bitten very badly. The custom, of course, has more or less disappeared but I - being who I am - adopted a modificat= ion
of it to my version of Esrolia. Without sauna - that would be Rathori inv= ention.

Lady Jane wrote:
> I don't think the Ernalda rite could cure a chaos taint; too easy! But
> perhaps it could detect chaos and destroy the child?

        Personally, I would think that would affect the mother's fertility as well - baby blowing up in your womb won't go without ill effects. Mayb= e
the old-fashioned "drowning-the-baby"-ritual could be used instead.

> Perhaps children inherit spirits or totems from their parents which
> influence the way they look & behave.

        I would consider behavior a culturally derived aspect even in Glorantha since I like to play with adopted enemy babies but ... whatever= - -

> Someone ...suggested that midwifery is Uleria's job,
> rather than Ernalda's.

        I have considered that Midwifery would be a job for Chalana Arroy who (until she's Gregged) is a part of an Orlanthi Pantheon (and apparent= ly
many others). This because of the potential need of healing magic. On the other hand, Ernalda priestess would be a present as well - and some of = them
would be trained in Midwifery in case CA priestess is too busy with anyth= ing
from a plague to king's harem. And in any case, Ernalda priestess will = bless
the baby once s/he's born. Unless the baby is delivered in the Ernalda = temple
ground - an option used at least by some noblewomen.

        No doubt Ulerians would have some experience with midwifery (or at least an access to a services of a local CA temple) but they would be mor= e
connected to the "rituals" of starting a life, not delivering it.

        And as far as Babeester Gor are concerned, I think they can use certain forms of contraceptive. They are contrary to the main ideals in Esrolia, = anyway.

Vesa "Aku" Lehtinen


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