I think in this (very narrow) context, wouldn't such entities be prevented by the compromise? My meaning being, that servants would not be permitted, but followers would be, if one can see the distinction. How that is defined specifically is beyond me. For example, is the crimson bat a servant, or simply a very carefully and consistently controlled creature? Has it been controlled for so long that it's merely "popular opinion" that it's a servant of the Lunar Way, while the facts are otherwise?
Is cacodemon a servant of the devil? This one is not so clear, I think.
I have one other tangential question. The Great Compromise is commonly
framed in terms of the Lunar/Storm pantheons (at least as I've seen it).
Is the Invisible God also subject to it? Or is the IG simply not a god
that would involve itself in worldly matters? (I suppose the
"can't/doesn't" difference is a pretty rarified point of philosophical
debate as regards most Gloranthans, but hey, of such things are schisms and
crusades made...)
What about the Kralorelans? Are True Dragons "skew" to the Compromise, and
therefore not really subject to it?
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Ash poses a question:
>2. While I trying to get my head around how Newtlings think, has anyone got
>any ideas about Aldryami? It's weird enough trying to think like some
>aquarium reject without wondering how a mobile pot plant thinks.
As a Aldryamiphile I've spent a lot of time trying to understand this as well. Unfortunately, the more I get into the subject, I suspect my ideas drift distinctly off-canon.
Understanding that, my feeling for Aldryami are that in a very simple sense, they are communal beings. That is, they don't share a group mind or such nonsense, but they are intimately connected at a lower level, if you will. For example, within a given ecosystem (the term "forest" is generally too limiting) Aldryami recognize each other and know on an empathic level information about each other. Similarly, there is an even lower level of feeling for all vegetative life in the ecosystem. In my mind for example, if trees are being cut and brush cleared (for farming, or in a trollish raid) the elves furthest from the disturbance might have a twinge or a tickle that they may not even notice for days. The elves closer will certainly know something is "up" and go to investigate. The mechanics of this (IMG) are better left to the RQ-Rules list. Anyway, to address your question, this has a distinct influence on the thought process of elves. Disagreements are rare (altho certainly present) between elves, but this has also made them appear pretty ruthless to outsiders. For them individuals are important, but not as important as the system. In this they are a curious analogue to the mostali - where the dwarves work for the World Machine, elves are the agents of fertility and growth. The mammalian life of Glorantha is treated as an integral part of the system, but similarly must be kept from throwng the system out of balance.
All this talk of communalism shouldn't lead people to think that elves aren't ever individualists. There are individual elves that go out from their communities and act independently. They are viewed variously by their homes as either opportunists who can spread the influence of an ecosystem into unexploited areas, or as futureless seedlings fallen on barren ground.
In the former vein, there is a great deal of competition between elves of different ecosystems, expecially adjacent ones. In some cases it is a guerilla campaign of expansion that has lasted centuries. This was one of the great achievements of Errinoru - he somehow overcame the intrinsic self-centeredness of various elven groups and got them to redefine their "home" as encompassing all of them. Kind of an Elven Tito, if you will. :)
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