Blech! What a thoroughly mad line of reasoning. These odd, esoteric discussions about issues with little or no practical value are exactly what philosophers in Nochet, Sog City and Yuthuppa rant about. Even if I often disagree with the arcane formulaes developed to measure the Sky Dome or triangulate the distance to the Sun, I think that they are exactly the sort of debates that the Jrusteli conducted. That's real God Learning, my friends!
As for the oft-repeated line of "Glorantha as a place where the Gods exist and the Myths were real," I'd simply like to remind you that for most of our history, that line could be applied to the RW Western world as well. For the initiated, myth is not show much a literal language - but a metaphorical one that alludes to Glorantha's cosmological truths. Every Gloranthan people have different stories, sacred songs and deep mysteries that reveal some of Glorantha's truths and obscure others.
I think people often make the mistake of assuming that other cultures know each other's sacred stories and religious mysteries. Nonesense. The Heortlings don't tell outsiders about the mysteries Second Son or mystical concept of Brastalos, the "good still air goddess" of the Orlanthi. Only the Illuminated understand Illumination. And how many folk outside of Alkoth know the secret of the Enclosure (although the Alkothi are all-too happy to demonstrate!)? Dara Happans don't know the stages of the Orlanthi Lightbringers' Quest and how many Orlanthi are familiar with Plentonius!
This brings me to Robert McArthur's questions:
>In 1620,
>1. almost any Storm Kahn at the Block knows when the Thanatar HHD is.
Probably not. Maybe it is said that Tien stalked the ruins of the Spike during Darkness Season, maybe if there was active Thanatari activity, the Bull would "inform" his followers when they are most active. But would the Storm Khan say that was "Thanatar's HHD"? Don't be absurd!
>2. almost any Wind Lord in Boldhome knows when the Thanatar HHD is.
See above. However, those cunning Lhankhor Mhy scholars from Jonstown might actually have a scroll somewhere that says "Thanatar's HHD".
>3. almost any Storm Kahn at the Block knows when the Thed HHD is.
Yes. Although I doubt they call it Thed's HHD, it is probably known to the Storm Khan that the 7th, 56th, 138th, 186th, and 200th are days when Thed is particularly powerful.
>4. almost any Wind Lord in Boldhome knows when the Thed HHD is.
See above. I suspect that the 7th, 56th, 138th, 186th, and 200th are considered "unlucky" days to the Orlanthi. Not because it is Thed's HHD, but because they are unlucky days. It is only natural, an Orlanthi would think, that Thed choses unlucky days as her own.
Jeff
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