<< Chaos, and it's nature...what makes it bad from other "bad stuff"? >>
In Glorantha, not all cultures agree on exactly what is and isn't chaotic. If something's really bad they probably call it chaos. So from the Gloranthan POV, chaos is worse than other "bad stuff" simply by definition.
<< Why are Broos more objectively vile or a problem than, say, trolls?>>
Dara Happan: They aren't.
Orlanthi farmer: Because a troll kills my cattle by eating them, which is
bad enough, but a broo kills my cattle by making lots of baby broo burst out
of them, so then there's *more* of the buggers killing more of my cattle. Of
course broo are worse.
Troll: You takin da piss, hooman?
Uroxi: Because broo are chaotic! Kill chaos!
<< Why is Dorastor a more objectively "bad" place on a cosmological level,
than,
say, Dagori Inkarth?>>
Have you *seen* the description of the place? Dagori Inkarth is full of trolls and trollkin, not to mention big creepy crawlies. Obviously this is a Bad Thing to most humans. But Dorastor is full of not just broo but humungous great chaos beasts with vile tempers and near-indestructable bodies. Even the geography is so warped by chaos that it can't stay put, and will move about when your back is turned. Places don't come much worse on *any* level than Dorastor...
<< What are differing Gloranthan beliefs in regards to Chaos? >>
There's a couple of pages of this in Book of Drastic Resolutions vol Chaos.
<< I'm of the feeling that Chaos is not a cultural belief, but a universal constant in Glorantha, although no doubt it's seen differently by different cultures. >>
IMO, its both. Despite what I've said above, I think there is something identifiable in Glorantha which can be identified as 'chaos', even if some cultures use the term in a much wider context. For instance, I don't think any Gloranthan would argue that a gorp is not chaotic. But are undead? Disease? Trolls? Illuminants? In some cultures, yes, in others no.
I see Chaos as an element like darkness, fire, earth etc. Its the 0th element, in fact - predating darkness. You can see its effects in chaotic features, in the hell that is Dorastor, in the creatures that arise within chaos nests, etc. Its even possible that a gorp is actually a chaos elemental, although I'm not convinced of this myself.
This form of chaos is bad because it destroys and warps without creating anything new and left to its own devices it would dissolve the entire universe.
<< What are the views of the Orlanthi cultures, Pelorians/Lunars, Praxians, Westerners, Praxians, Doraddi, Teshnans, Fonritians,Elder Races, of souls and the afterlife, on their terms?>>
The best source for this is 'What the Gods Say' in Gods of Glorantha. Admittedly, the Fonritians and Teshnans aren't mentioned.
<< Earth Cultures (Aldryami?) seem to believe in an identity-stripping form of reincarnation,>>
The Aldryami do indeed believe in reincarnation - as do the Lunars.
<< while Monotheists hold belief in Solace in Glory.>>
For Good People, yes. Opinions differ on what happens to the Naughty. IMO most Malkioni believe that the souls of the unworthy simply disintegrate on death, unless they become scary ghosts for some reason. The Rokari believe bad people go to Hell.
What happens to souls is clearly not a universal constant in Glorantha. If you are watching with Second Sight or something similar when someone dies, what you will see happen to the soul depends on the religion they followed. Some trot off to the afterlife, some divide into different bits (because the culture has no belief in a single, indivisible soul), some get reincarnated. The Malkioni ones just appear to vanish, because there's no way to see into Solace - the only objective proof that Solace actually exists is that the Saints appear to be able to reach back from there.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
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