Darran Sims:
> I am just trying to work out shadows on hills and other landmarks for a map
> I am doing and I was wondering what the path of the Gloranthan sun (Yelm,
> Yelmalio, Elmal, or whatever) across the Skydome?
> Is it a northerly arc so that the Dara Happans get more sun (and the shadows
> will fall south?) or is it more southern like the RW so that the shadows
> fall north?
In a nutshell, it's to the south in Dark Season/winter, and to the north in Fire Season/summer. At the equinoxes it's directly overhead at noon. The sky is sufficiently "far", or "mythically removed" (or whatever) that the effect is essentially identical all over the Inner World. Everyone gets "more sun" during the summer, reason being sun is in the sky longer. Very possibly the apparent size and strength of the sun is different too.
Another notable feature, resulting from the above, is that the sun tends to be very high in the sky, relative to the northern hemisphere midlatitude temperate regions most of us are located in. At midday, the sun is never more than about 20 degrees away from the zenith (not to be confused with Zenith...). Obviously one will still get longer shadows during the day, though.
It's also worth noting that the sun _always_ rises directly due east, and sets dead (ahem) west. Wherever you are on the lozenge.
> I realise that the shadows are often not resulting from the absence of light
> but the presence of darkness.
> Also I remember reading about the great transition that is the sun going
> through Rausa's Gate at twilight and the arrival of Xentha's Cloak that
> heralds the coming of night that happens (strangely enough) daily. Would
> this have significance to everyday living for Gloranthans? (namely the
> Heortlings in particular).
Only if for example they're trying to see their hands in front of their faces, for example. ;-) Do you mean is the exact moment marked in any particular way? It may have religious importance for some cults (Elmal, say); it may mark one of the hours of night. It's very much of significance for the Dara Happans, for whom that's the last moment of "day" (in which they optimistically include both morning and evening twilight).
Cheers,
Alex.
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