What is reasonable?

From: Richard Meints <rmeints_at_ford.com>
Date: 23 Mar 1998 12:19:56 -0500

Hello,
to: glorantha_at_chaosium.com

How to be cool by hating D&D...

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The magical item debate rages on, and who am I to not step in. I love sarcasm, so please fire at will. I wonder if a lot of the debate centers around the fear and loathing people have towards being associated with anything even remotely D&Dish. Mention a +1 sword and you can branded as a hobbit loving hack-and-slasher who only has enough imagination to play in a genocidal dungeon bash. While I don't fear the label, (I think I outgrew D&D about 15 years ago, I do get worried when I see a lot of the discussion focussing on semantics. If I proposed that permanent enchantments were possible, via rituals or spirit magic, the debate would probably progress with only an average amount of snappy retorts, but if I say the enchantments create +2 armor, I have a feeling I might get told to go read the Dungeon Masters Guide and stop bothering the serious scholars who have better use for their sarcasm and hyperbole.

I remember a short series of posts on the daily about a year ago that show how describing what goes on in Glorantha can fall into two rather vaguely defined categories: Mechanistic or Mythic. Contrary to the beliefs of some, both have their place on the digest. Since I have a few moments, I'll continue to more thoroughly explain; please feel forward to use your page down key...

Knowing the basics mechanics of some Gloranthan concepts is very helpful for game play, but we do have to be careful that this doesn't become the RQ rules digest, which is tough to avoid. I decide to start talking about dwarven crossbows, and some of you are going to want to know if they have a built in percentage increase to hit. Others will want to know what legends lie behind it. Did Mostal create this out of a contest he had with Aldrya to prove the superiority of dwarven craftsmanship vs. elfen horticulture. "You grow a fine bow, but feel my steel..."

Popular Mechanics or Bullfinch's mythology...

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This is one argument where I have no intention of taking a tolerant stance. I've probably delurked on this once in the past, but I find being repetitive feels right for the moment.

I don't really care if the sky dome has to be 5,000,000 miles in the air to make sense from a mathematical point of view. If the dwarves can tunnel through air (and they can), why can't the sky dome be about 25 miles above the Red Moon, which is about 25 miles up in the air (Be gentle, I don't have the figures in front of me)? Also, if I were an Orlanthi priest powerful enough to have mutliple guided teleports, I believe my temple should chuck me out if I start wasting them on proving that Glorantha has time zones. More importantly, I don't think time zones exist anyway. Yelm, in a chariot, rolls out of the gates of dawn and his light shoots across Glorantha in a few seconds, just long enough for a really cool sunrise with an appropriate soundtrack. The same goes for sunset. If that messes up the whole concept of Glorantha having a horizon, so what? I was having a chat with Nick one night and he was nice enough to point out that while Glorantha is flat, having a horizon makes sense, otherwise the artists would have to draw screwy pictures. I like that line of reasoning.

I don't mind a dose of reality in my Glorantha. I'm not saying that many of the things in Glorantha can't be based on science. I just don't want to see anyone say something CANNOT be true because it breaks the laws of physics, geometry, or quantum mechanics.

Gold sinks partially because Yelm was in the Underworld. Magasta's pool whirlpool doesn't follow the rules of erosion.

I've rambled too much, so I'll stop.

Take Care,
Rick Meints, Education, Training & Development, 8-737-2126 Mobile: 0976-686-454 Internet: RMeints_at_e-mail.com

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