crossover worlds

From: arkat_at_telstra.easymail.com.au
Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 10:30:32 +1000


I tend to think that Glorantha should be a closed world, that is to say, without any regular contact with other dimensions

However this largely depends on how you setup your Glorantha

In my campaign where the players knew little or nothing about Glorantha (and are gratifyingly keen now to learn more) they are still unlikely to learn the nitty-gritty about 'cosmology' (where it fits into the multiverse, or if indeed there is a multiverse)

I think one of the dangers of allowing crossover on any kind of formal basisis is diluting the major strength of Glorantha (its inherent detail and self-sufficiency) - as opposed to D&D which when I played it was riddled with holes and inconsistencies, and crossover didn't upset the balance at all (there was no balance)

In my entire history of playing and Storytelling RQ, I have encountered two examples of crossover: 1) three PCs were hurtled into the multiverse by Chaotic magic from the Young Kingdoms, and crash landed in an ruined EWF complex in Dragon Pass 2) I've pretty much decided that Leonardo is the above mentioned, and am searching for the Hawkmoon Rules

However there's some distinction here:
I feel that D&D (and its derivatives) do not fit the vibe of any multiverse Glorantha could belong to, nor does Cthulhu. I am less sure about Middle Earth, but probably not that either. I just have one of those unquantifiable feelings that characters from Moorcockian worlds fit much better to a Gloranthan multiverse. This may be something to do with the ways the worlds run? And the way the Young Kingdom has some gods and demons? Or it may of course be a crazy personal foible! :)

HOWEVER (big however) I do feel, and even did way back when I let the PCs crossover, that in my Glorantha even these 2 crossovers are unusual, extremely unusual, and Glorantha is not as accessible even as the different Moorcock worlds are to each other (there are several examples of crossover in his books). I certainly do not feel that Glorantha is on the same plane as these. It is certainly removed greatly and almost impossible to reach by any means save a mixture of luck and accident by some dimension traveller whose device/propelling magic is perhaps out of control or deliberately randomised to the max. And returning should perhaps be even more difficult, nigh on impossible without directly consulting Arachne Solara!

Well, this is my Glorantha, where other worlds are VERY far removed, and harder to get to than it is to succeed at the Lightbringers Quest. Your Glorantha might have hobbits or whatever running around, but I keep my crossovers as totally bizarre exceptions. Nick is right that to do otherwise opens Glorantha to dilution (which is my understanding of one of the points he was making)

Ian


Powered by hypermail