Salty Seas

From: Bernuetz, Oliver: WPG <Bernuetz.Oliver_at_cbsc.ic.gc.ca>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 14:10:15 -0500


 Panu wondered:

> Are seas of Glorantha salty? As all rivers originate from the same
> mystical body of water, I believe they aren't. And we know that
> salt is poisonous in Glorantha, for they poison elven weeds in
> Pamaltela with it. What do you think?

Unfortunately salt is posionous in the RW as well in large enough quantities. If I remember correctly the water in the Puzzle Canal in the Big Rubble is salty so the sea creatures in it can live so I'm pretty sure the seas are salt..

The following is an Esrolian tale that masquerades as a merfolk (probably triolini) myth. It attempts to explain why the seas are salt  when rivers and lakes aren't. It may or may not be what the merfolk themselves believe (though why they would care one way or another is beyond me).

Why the Seas are Salt (a merfolk myth)

Why are the seas so salt, O noble finned father? Listen well, O little finned one, and learn,

Long ago the seas and all the lesser waters were fresh and all could drink of them.
Then came a time when the creatures and gods of the land and air betrayed the waters.
Magasta forgave and forebore but betrayal followed betrayal.
Then some weak land thing found Death and Magasta wanted it for Himself.
Through horrific magics and unimaginable sacrifices Magasta changed His very nature and made of His very body a weapon against the land and the air. Thus do we creatures of the deep water drink safely of the sea while the poor pathetic land and air creatures die when they do so.
The Father of Waters has never changed His nature so water is not naturally salt but mighty Magasta changes all liquid that enters His body into salt water. The poor pathetic waters that cross the land are too weak and forgiving to posion the land so their water is not poison to the land and the air.

Oliver D. Bernuetz
bernuetz.oliver_at_cbsc.ic.gc.ca
www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/realm/5545


Powered by hypermail