Re: The Glorantha Digest V8 #128

From: Donald R. Oddy <donald_at_grove.demon.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 21:11:25 GMT


From: darvall <madamx_at_ns2.mikka.net.au>

>Further the Orlanthi 'Prince', by which I'm assuming you mean tribal chief,
>is not far removed from his subjects. Indeed he is a 'farmer with other
>skills'(KoS?). My argument is not that ALL Gloranthan farmers can become
>heros, indeed it is unlikely among Pelorians or in the west, but that
>Orlanthi life, in which raid, feud, & quest form a series of interuptions
>to plowing, makes "A handful of farmers praying on a hilltop" a significant
>potential threat to the invading Lunars. They, however, may well not
>recognises it as a threat as it is just 'A handful of farmers praying on a
>hilltop' not a priest in a duely consecrated Dara Happan temple. A RW
>counterpart may well be the Viet Mihn being characterised by the French as
>just peasants with bicycles, which most were.

That's my point, there are small groups of farmers praying to Orlanth all over Sartar. Of those there are a few where someone has the potential to become a dangerous (to the Lunars) hero. Of those few only a proportion will be lucky enough and gain enough support to become an actual threat. By comparison a Storm Priest (just a farmer part way along the road to herodom) is an actual present threat as well as having knowledge useful to potential heros. It makes sense therefore for the Lunars to concentrate scarce resources on known troublemakers rather than hitting small groups who might cause trouble later but equally well might not. As I think I've said elsewhere, I believe the Lunars do recognise the threat although underestimating it.

Powered by hypermail