Rewriting History

From: MOB <mrmob_at_ozemail.com.au>
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 01:57:15 +1000


Martin:
>>If you can convince me through argument that I'm wrong,
>>then great. I want to evolve my thinking on the Empire, not stay stuck in
>>one mode of thought. Convince me I'm wrong. What is your logic?

MOB:

> You're wrong because the previous version is obviously far more
> interesting, and your concept is plainly naff. But it's pointless trying to
> convince you, because Greg has done a 180 degree turn and now says there
> "is, was and only ever will be one Moonson" and that appears to be that.
> If I did change your mind, you'd still have to toe the party line and would
> then end up having to write things you disagree with:

Martin:
>>Now, I've stated clearly that I don't want to get involved with books that
>>piss in other peoples pools, so I won't, but you can hardly expect me to
>>write things I disagree with and have disagreed with since day one of reading
>>them or seeing them?

MOB, I think the crux of the matter is the love/hate relationship that we have with Greg's creation and, for some of us at least, with the shaman-arkati-trickster himself.

But this is Glorantha we're talking about, *Greg Stafford's Glorantha*. Not Gary Gygax & Dave Arneson's World of Greyhawk, nor M. A. R. Barker's Tekumel (I forgot an accent somewhere, didn't I?!!), nor J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth...

Reading KoS, for instance, made me at the same time grateful & angry toward Greg. And I hadn't even understood the whole Yelmalio business on my first reading!!! When I got it at last, I became positively furious...

But looking back at it now, I am very impressed with what Greg managed to do with this delighfully clumsy little book, to take just this example. You & Nick & Jane & many others greatly increased our knowledge & understanding of our beloved sunny survivor *after* the publication of KoS. And all this because of our favorite chaolifornian, the one & only Greg Stafford who wrote those too few & infuriating paragraphs on YO & Elmal.

Because, let's face it: one day there will be a Glorantha without its creator & this day we shall all be the poorer for it! (If we make it 'til then!)

Besides, just like you said, it's Greg you have to convince & not Martin & Wesley whom we should thank for all the insider scoop they let go on the list. I suspect, by the way, that with your previous experience you find it easier to argue with the Incredible Martin Laurie -proxy and/or would be usurpator that he is- than with Greg "Red Emperor" Stafford himself!?! ;)

To conclude:

I go to sleep now. Good night MOB! Good night everybody!

Christoph Kohring

P.S.: I'm eagerly waiting for She Guards Us because I'm a big fan of Onslaught as well as of the Gwandor Saga...


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