You Always Sacrifice The One You Love

From: Michael Cule <mikec_at_room3b.demon.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 00:28:20 +0000


I've been reading THE GOLDEN BOUGH and in the descriptions of the way various tribes sacrifice to the Gods the animals who are most precious to them, I've finally managed to understand what Greg and Co. were going on about with the sacrificial model of magic which lead them to the idea of Yinkin worshippers slaughtering shadowcats to Yinkin (and, more absurdly, Lhankhor Mhy worshippers burning books to please the god).

I understood it.... But I still think that it won't fly as a game world. Not only won't modern people understand it but it works against a lot of the other stuff that Glorantha has accumulated (specifically the Platonist cosmologies) over the years. Sorry, it doesn't matter how authentic it is. It's got to work for here and now.

Mind you, if you can manage to trudge your way through THE GOLDEN BOUGH (I'm only going for the abridged version and even that's a struggle) you will find ways to make things like the Foundchild and Waha cults much more real for your players. And the little rituals and superstitions that make a particular tribe's way of life real. - --
Michael Cule


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