<<> Strangely, Glorantha *does* have a horizon - even though we are
specifically told it doesn't in Strangers in Prax (p36). It's assumed this is
> because Gloranthan light is bendy, since the world is well known to be
flat.
Isn't this a rather boring decision? I've often wondered why people are so eager to figure out a way to have an Earthlike horizon on Glorantha. Does something in Greg's recent material demand a horizon? >>
Greg has said that Glorantha has a horizon on one occaision where I was present, and - I am told - on many others besides. So in that sense, the answer to your question is 'yes'. OTOH, I don't think having a horizon-less Glorantha in your campaign is going to cause you major problems with rewriting any of the officially published material, so if you find a horizon boring, then go with it. Having a fun/interesting game is more important than having a canonical one IMO. But for Digest purposes, where lots of people are discussing things, its easier to stick to canon, or we'd all end up talking at cross-purposes. :-)
Jonathon Coxhead:
<< Why would it have a horizon?>>
<<If light really is bendy, all bets are off, but I think you're just making it up!! >>
Not me, actually. I'm just repeating the theory that somebody else came up with on the Digest yonks back (I can't recall who made the original suggestion) in order to explain what a horizon was doing on a flat world.
<<Moonlight is bendy---it travels in a nice curve that hits the ground just far enough to illuminate the Empire, but no further. This means that within the Empire, the moon is always above the horizon, but you can't see it from outside.>>
I'm afraid this is also out of date. The Red Moon is visible throughout Glorantha (and this one is official, see ES p 43 and 46). However, its apparent altitude does alter, so that it appears much lower in the sky outside the Empire than in, and dips quite rapidly in the sky as you cross the Glowline. However, as you say, this is doubtless because Moonlight bends in some peculiar way which varies with all kinds of things (the Empire not being circular).
Jane Williams:
<<Would someone like to supply me with the *universally* *accepted*
measurements for:
As Alex pointed out recently, there is no universally accepted measurement for this. Sandy has said that the radius of the Dome is effectively infinite (i.e. objects on it show no perceptible parallax), and other opinions vary enormously, right down to Nick's calculation of 50 miles, which was based on the distance to the horizon, and is in a sense, the *apparent* radius of the Dome, athough not presumably terribly accurate in an absolute sense.
<< b) the position and path of the Sun >>
The start and end points of the Sun's path are known to be fixed at the Dawn and Dusk Gates. However, the exact route by which he gets there at different times of the year has yet to be agreed on, and I, for one, don't know whether he passes through the very highest bit of the Sky Dome at the equinox, the summer Yelmstice, or all the time (and its just the Dome that tilts, so that the 'very highest point' is a different star at different times of the year).
<< c) ditto for the Red Moon>>
We know the Red Moon is directly above Glamour City, and therefore know its direction from any point of Glorantha - its in the norther sky of Dragon Pass, the eastern sky of Fronela, etc. It's height in the sky varies on a complex pattern that has more to do with the position of the Glowline and Imperial influence in general than it does with distance. For instance, IMO the Red Moon rose higher in the sky as seen from Sartar when that region was conquered, and would rise higher still if the Glowline were ever extended over it. However, when this happened, it didn't rise as seen from, say, Loskalm.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
Powered by hypermail