"I'm not dead!" from Hughes, John (NAT) on 2000-04-11 (Glorantha Digest Vol 07)

From: Hughes, John (NAT) <"Hughes,>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 09:53:08 +1000

Heys folks,

DEADER THAN DEAD: OPTIONS FOR GLORANTHAN TERMINALITY
> > Benedict Adamson
> > Since anything in Hell is already 'dead', at least to some degree,
> > surely one can not be killed in Hell?
>

A couple of quick responses, all to some degree complimentary. Please apply local cultural and religious blinkers as appropriate.

DEATH AS SEPARATION AND JOURNEY

If we use the (literal) Gloranthan metaphor of psychological/spiritual/redemptive states as geographic locations on the Other Side, if you 'die' in said keel hauling you may emerge from the water in another, 'worse' hell, on another ship. There are many, many more-or-less unique hells.

More generally, dying in hell will take you to another place. Its not so much death is terminal, but that death is *a* terminal.

The Golden Age (a nice place to visit, though boring, lethargic and probably overrun by pokemon) has by definition no hell: if Humakt kills grandfather mortal there then grandad is suddenly somewhere else. Death is primarily separation, and a journey to somewhere else - these have always been deep threads in Genertelan mythology.

(And Humakt/humakti HQer is suddenly in the Storm Age? We have some quest dynamics to sort out there. Not to mention local mythic variants on boundary definitions).

2. DEATH OF BODY, DEATH OF SPIRIT, DEATH OF SOUL There are different kinds of death: death of the body (separation), death of the spirit (non-existence of self), and death of the soul or souls (still largely unexplored, dependent on systematic exploration of concept of Gloranthan souls, but usually related to loss of will, volition or awareness). And death of all three - total annihilation.

3. DEATH AIN'T NECESSARILY SERIOUS (and other non-humakti levities)

I recall Greg meandering on some years ago now that beings were hunted/wounded/killed/skinned etc. before Death, its just that they didn't die: skins remained animated, dismembered bodies remained aware etc. This must still be the case in at least certain areas of the Other Side, or when certain (ritual or magical) boundary conditions are in effect. Harrek's skinned Bear God is perhaps one example. Thanatari magics are another.

Stray thoughts. Yes? No? Maybe?

Cheers

John

nysalor_at_primus.com.au                           John Hughes
johnp.hughes_at_dva.gov.au

I will make incursions / throught the fertile land of Ireland my battalions all in arms / my amazons beside me (not just to steal a bull / not over beasts this battle - but for an honour price / a thousand times more precious - my dignity!)
I will make fierce incursions.

"Medb Speaks", Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill.