Glorantha and stuff from Richard, Jeff on 1998-09-21 (Glorantha Digest Vol 06)

From: Richard, Jeff <Jeff.Richard_at_metrokc.gov>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 14:05:28 -0700

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Interesting. My last post seems to have the MIME formatting problem, despite it being disabled. Hmmmm. Oh well. Simon Phipps writes:

> Is the "Death Lord" a bona fide change or is it a typo?

I have only seen "Death Lord" in one draft of HW. I wouldn't worry about it. As far as I know, the god-talkers of Humakt are still referred to as "Swords" in the mythology and legends of the Orlanthi. Don't panic about material that is in draft form.

>  Similarly, Orlanth the Warrior. 
>  Is this a change designed to reflect the new Gloranthan Orlanth 
>  Aspect, that of the Warrior or is it merely Orlanth Adventurous but
>  without Adventuring as that is an old RPG concept.

No, it is part of my on-going pathological campaign to eradicate the title "Adventurous". Look, Orlanth will still be referred to as the "Adventurer" in some sources and campaigns. Just not mine. :)

>It seems to me that whenever a new game comes out things are changed 
>simply for the sake of being changed. This tends to negate the 
>concept of Glorantha existing in its own right outside the Game 
>Structure.

Things are not being changed simply for the sake of a new game system. If anything, the new game system has been desinged to closely approximate what has been written about Glorantha and it was RQ2/3 that rewrote bits of Glorantha (or twisted it) in order to fit the game system. Glorantha is also a document in progress - there is not some sacred tome that contains all the immutable truths of Glorantha which is being erased and rewritten by the vile proto-fascists and philosophers. BTW, I love the term "vile proto-fascists and philosophers" - maybe I should have that written on business cards.

>If things are changed at 
>the drop of a hat then it loses all three of these attributes and we 
>may as well get out the history books and play at Troy or the Roman 
>Empire, Alexander or the Mongols. They would be easier to adapt, less 
>prone to change and involve no fruitless arguments over where 
>Alexander came from using illustrations from the Aztec Empire, for 
>instance.

Things don't change at the drop of a hat. To date, the only major new change in Gloranthan literature has been the introduction of Elmal as the Orlanthi sun god. Now it is true that a number of extrapolations and interpretations of that literature have proven inadequate. Still, if you look at Wyrm's Footprints, you might be shocked at how that material written fifteen years ago or more is still basically in line with what is coming out.

What is certainly true is that the RQ2/3 system does not approximate Glorantha particularly well. Extrapolations of Glorantha based on those rules are iffy to say the least.

Jeff

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Interesting.  My last post seems =
to have the MIME formatting problem, despite it being disabled.  = Hmmmm. Oh well.  Simon Phipps writes:

>  Is the "Death =
Lord" a bona fide change or is it a typo?


I have only seen "Death =
Lord" in one draft of HW.  I wouldn't worry about it.  = As far as I know, the god-talkers of Humakt are still referred to as = "Swords" in the mythology and legends of the Orlanthi.  = Don't panic about material that is in draft form.

>  Similarly, Orlanth the =
Warrior. 
 >  Is this a change designed =
to reflect the new Gloranthan Orlanth 
 >  Aspect, that of the =
Warrior or is it merely Orlanth Adventurous but
 >  without Adventuring as =
that is an old RPG concept.


No, it is part of my on-going =
pathological campaign to eradicate the title = "Adventurous".  Look, Orlanth will still be referred to = as the "Adventurer" in some sources and campaigns.  Just = not mine. :)

>It seems to me that whenever a new =
game comes out things are changed 
 >simply for the sake of being =
changed. This tends to negate the 
 >concept of Glorantha existing in =
its own right outside the Game 
 >Structure.


Things are not being changed simply =
for the sake of a new game system.  If anything, the new game = system has been desinged to closely approximate what has been written = about Glorantha and it was RQ2/3 that rewrote bits of Glorantha (or = twisted it) in order to fit the game system.  Glorantha is also a = document in progress - there is not some sacred tome that contains all = the immutable truths of Glorantha which is being erased and rewritten = by the vile proto-fascists and philosophers.   BTW, I love = the term "vile proto-fascists and philosophers" - maybe I = should have that written on business cards.

>If things are changed at 
 >the drop of a hat then it loses =
all three of these attributes and we 
 >may as well get out the history =
books and play at Troy or the Roman 
 >Empire, Alexander or the Mongols. =
They would be easier to adapt, less 
 >prone to change and involve no =
fruitless arguments over where 
 >Alexander came from using =
illustrations from the Aztec Empire, for 
 >instance.


Things don't change at the drop of a =
hat.  To date, the only major new change in Gloranthan literature = has been the introduction of Elmal as the Orlanthi sun god.  Now = it is true that a number of extrapolations and interpretations of that = literature have proven inadequate.  Still, if you look at Wyrm's = Footprints, you might be shocked at how that material written fifteen = years ago or more is still basically in line with what is coming = out.

What is certainly true is that the =
RQ2/3 system does not approximate Glorantha particularly well.  = Extrapolations of Glorantha based on those rules are iffy to say the = least.

Jeff


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End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #204