Gloranthan coherence and consistency

From: Julian Lord <julian.lord_at_wanadoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 04:16:42 +0200


Rather than continuing to slash away at the Hydra of why some posters are Wrong about Glorantha, an attempt at describing what is True. YGMV :

One can indeed discover a consistent and non-contradictory structure for Glorantha : the Inner World can be described with great clarity. Only one Sun. Only one Sky. The Wind blows the same way everywhere (bar local phenomena), and the rules that are expected in a reasonably ordered cosmos are eminently applicable.

Actual Gloranthans' belief systems OTOH are not compatible with each other ; they tell different stories about the Sun : but because of the fluid nature of the Other Side, these stories take meta-physical shape as methods of providing magic ; including magic to affect and sometimes even change the nature of a particular section of the Inner World. While there are many suns and anti-suns in the many regions of the Other Side, this does nothing to alter the fact that there is Only One Sun in the Inner World. neither Yelm, nor Elmal, nor Somash, nor ANY otherworld entity is the One True Sun ; the One True Sun of Glorantha is a big yellow fiery thing up in the Sky. This is the only relevant fact for the macrocosmic coherence that some posters want for their Gloranthas.

The Gloranthan Fact that there is Only One Sun is alterable, (but almost impossible to change). But Gloranthan Facts are only alterable (inside the system) via a sensibly logical network of cause and effect, and the interplay of the active and passive forces that give shape to the world.

The internal consistency that they are after is the internal consistency of the Inner World. QED

Julian Lord


End of The Glorantha Digest V8 #43


Powered by hypermail