Kralori Mythology: People without Mythology, or People of All Mythologies
Q: What do you mean on this title?
- This is according to my poor attempt to make uniqueness of Kralorelan
Culture, and along with the trend of Gloranthan Eastern People in Mixed
Three World Magics without risk of mentioning "Mysticism" in the limitation
of core HQ rulebook. (See Teshnan Heroquest Voice: They call Essence Plane
"World of Challenge", Spirit World "World of Desire", and Gods World "World
of Play". And they don't think one is superior nor others are inferior.
Perhaps such can be also applied to Kralorela.
http://glorantha.kondalski.org/g9index/2597.html)
- But how it can be? In Glorantha, beings of Mythgology certainly exist in
reality, perceived as true events subjectively in each cultures and
communities.
- Sure, but please think about the objective reality, and limitation of
each perceivers. (No, I don't want to make "Sobjectivity" debate again, but
see my imperfect note on "Lies of Lunars"
http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/LiesofLunars-e.htm) Ancient Chinese
Confucians (under Orthodox Teaching), model of Kralori are agnostics, and
ordinary people (as other nations and people) don't care much about the
metaphysical facts of History and Cosmological Events. If such people listen
to some kind of "Mythology" like that of RW Greek, Orlanth, or Yelmic
Mythology, their reaction is two types, "So what? (Kahar's reply)" and
"Think about it as an metaphor, this helps to understand our problem we face
now." For they were pragmatists and didn't care much which doesn't directly
relate to their concern and society.
But they either don't care much about the belief of oddballs, (like
adventurers, dilettantes, or entertainers.), as RW ancient chinese people
didn't care much about belief of buddhists, taoists, muslim as far as they
pay tax properly and don't intend to cause riot or other destructive working
on their system.....Their attitude is similar to Lunar attitude to classic
religion.
Q: But I still think Eastern World of Glorantha is of Mysticism....
- Yes, but please read Kevin McDonald's recent post about "Buddha
enlightens local gods and spirits" and Dalai Lama 14th's autobiography about
their ecstatic practice of fortune-telling of a "spirit". And I suppose
Kralori tolerates Mythology of neighbor lands like Vithelan, Teshnan, even
of Praxians, Pentians and ANTIGOD people, etc....I think cosmopolitanism in
Glorantha inevitably tolerates ambiguity of antagonizing local cultures
which insist opposite claims, Ancient Chinese People have varied as Ancient
Egyptian city states have each different cosmology and creation myth, but
didn't make effort for unified mythology like that of Greeks. So as in RW
China, I think in Kralorela, simple folklore and tales co-exist with
highly-philosophical metaphors, and COSMIC PARADOX tolerates opposite
things.
- What is COSMIC PARADOX? Does it similar to Lunar Illumination?
- Sort of. But this is more comprehensive, spiritual and sophisticated than
it. (From POV of Kralori) Their core of belief is of course DRAGON. It
includes In-hale and Ex-hale, three Otherworlds, Four Yes and No. (Mark
Galeotti's idea), Five Elements and Six Ancestry. I got this idea from
Mahayana Buddhism and Zen. A sort of idea that truth is obtainable only
through paradox.
- Then, what is the current trend of flavour of Tantric Lamaism? I think it
somehow contradicts to "Chinese" flavour of Kralorela.....and Chinese and
Tibetans are long rivals in history and culture....
- (The tibetan flavour was induced by Alex Ferguson, I suppose. Ironically,
RW modern Chinese insists that Tibet is always a part of China.....perhaps
it is similar to Ireland and England.....bad comparison...?) Sure, but I
think this is trend of post-Sheng Seleris period. Do you know Lamaism (Sect
of Sakya) flourished in Mongolian Empire? Kralori has experienced change,
but in their mindset, such is always a recurrence to "forgotten" past way of
Old Good Days. I think Godunya defeated Sheng's lieutenants of Zolathi by
learning their method, and found old way to channel its power. I think
Kralori tantrists induce Sensual Images in Godunya's court, perhaps allying
with eunuchs, and opposes mandarins who sought more traditional way of court
(from POV of them) service like that of Vashanti. Current seclusion of
Godunya to achieve final transformation is bad omen for mandarins......
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End of Glorantha Digest