From: Martin Crim <MCrim_at_erols.com>
> Boris adds, while completing missing my points, a plea for:
> <excerpt>mythological ... verisimilitude
>
> But Swenstown (fake English; named after RW person) doesn't add
> verisimilitude, mythological or otherwise. It's a big fish that slaps
> you in the face and says "it's a game, and a silly one at that." I want
> my silliness in the world, not a world whose very existence is silly.
Uh, no. I got your point. I grant you that some Gloranthan place names are "silly" (Notchet and Corflu spring to mind). My point was if I have the choice between (linguistic verisimilitude and mythic silliness) and (linguistic silliness and mythic verisimilitude), I'll take the latter.
But I argue your main point. It would make my entry into Glorantha more difficult at *all* of the levels if we replaced every instance of something like "Swenstown" with "Pthathloc" (or whatever the town's name would be in the native language). I accept that Swenstown, Janshome, Wilmskirk, etc. are (albeit somewhat mangled) translations of the real names, and I can keep them straight much easier than Pthahloc, Krillthor, Dolthroy, or whatever. As much as I admire Loren Miller's work on Kaurmeiny, it is not as accessible to me as Dragon Pass for this reason, and I probably will never run a game there, other than as a tourist stop. But this is just a matter of taste; your's obviously is different.
I really don't understand, though, why this is a problem. Who cares why Wilmskirk got it's name in the real world (other than for anecdotal reasons). I grew up in Whitesville, near the town of Owensboro. I have no idea who either Mr., Mrs., or Ms. White or Owens were, and never really cared. In Gloranthan reality, most citizens and neighbors of Wilmskirk probably don't know who Wilm was, unless they worship his spirit. Why is it an impediment to entering Glorantha at any of the levels mentioned?
Honestly puzzled by the whole thing
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