I personally do not think that the Malkioni cultures of Genertela's far west
play only a marginal role in Gloranthan fandom (let alone in Glorantha as
such).
I respect the opinion expressed by several people in here that they strongly
prefer the Bronze Age type cultures of central Genertela, especially the
Orlanthi and the nomads, but I'd have to add that "the Western stuff" does
indeed matter to me.
Sure, there are rather typical Orlanthi characters in my group at the moment,
and I like them very much myself, but what I also like is the very contrast
one can have in western Genertela between Orlanthi "barbarians", the Malkioni
"Middle Ages" and the Stygian parts of Safelster in between, which are
basically a mixture of the two. As a matter of fact, what other fantasy RPG
features a feudal mediaeval society and Germanic-type barbarians as close
geographic neighbours?
I hope that Issaries is going to put out a full-fledged sourcebook on Loskalm
and, ideally, another one on the Kingdom of Seshnela, because a book like that
was always missing in the Avalon Hill catalog.
I'm definitely interested in Seshnela as it is "now" under the rule of His
Majesty Guilmarn the Fat of the Bailifes, and in the Rokari principalities in
general!
I'm sure most of you remember the classic "Genertela, Crucible of the Hero
Wars" boxed set. In that box, the so-called Genertelan Player's Book features
four very different cultures as the _suggested_ backgrounds for new Gloranthan
player-characters: the free Orlanthi (or not so free in the case of Sartar),
the Hsunchen primitive hunter-gatherers, the Praxian foot-nomads, and the
"mediaeval" Malkioni West, the latter listing a "Knight" as the suggested
character occupation.
I say, this was a very neat idea back then (1988), and I'd like to see
something very similar done by Issaries when the Hero Wars basic set comes
out. Why shouldn't "Hero Wars - The RPG" feature the same four backgrounds as
suggestions to new players, plus maybe the Lunar legionnaire (!), and the Pent
nomads (- "Where do you ride to, stranger?").
Remember that from the commercial perspective, Issaries Inc. will be
interested in attracting as many new, young RPG fans to "Hero Wars" as
possible, most of whom will never have heard a word about Glorantha before. To
that audience, it will matter _very little_ which parts of Glorantha where
conceived or published first.
The way I see it, the "Hero Wars" basic set due out this year will be the
definite starting point for new players, and I assume it will comment on all
the major cultures of Genertela in passing, possibly very similar to the way
Cormac's Saga handles aspects (and the atmosphere) of Avalon Hill's Fantasy
Europe in RQ3.
I just hope the lay-out is going to be better this time around.
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