<< There IS a human/animal dichotomy, and that's basically it. In Glorantha, Person/Beast.>>
The Man rune and the Beast rune do indeed indicate different things in Glorantha, although if you happen to be a hsunchen your interpretation of what that difference is would be pretty different to a 20th century viewpoint. Hsunchen know that animals are just four-legged hsunchen, with exactly the same souls as the two-legged sort.
<< > Or that there was some > point in the evolution of Homo sapiens when all instincts suddenly > vanished overnight?
Yes. This happened when the "intelligent/instinctive" dichotomy was invented.>>
This is not, AFAIK a general view among those who study human and animal behaviour and/or evolution in the RW. Humans *do* have instincts, we just have the power to ignore them. In particular, babies act in an essentially instinctual fashion, but I don't think any parent could point to the exact day when their child suddenly became "intelligent" - nor, of course, does this mean that babies aren't really human! ;-) The same gradual process occurred in evolution.
However, if you're referring specifically to Glorantha, I think you're correct. Most cultures seem to have a myth in which humans are either created separately from (and usually later than) animals, or else where the two are suddenly separated from each other by the invention of fire, weapons or what have you.
<< Charles Domino> Are we SURE that Waerans, Vadeli, Pamaltelans, and
> Kraloreli are all the same species?
Yes. see above. But this is the Human/Non-Human dichotomy. More semantics.>>
Not just semantics, since Warerans, Kralori, etc. can all interbreed with each other to produce fertile offspring. Trolls and elves cannot interbreed with humans (at least not without some hefty magic being involved) so we do have objective grounds for putting them in a different species from Homo sapiens. Incidentally, Charles, the Vadeli *are* Wareran; my guess is you're thinking of the Veldang, who aren't.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
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