Re: Digest Number 756

From: simon_hibbs2 <simon.hibbs_at_...>
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 14:55:58 -0000

>
> >
> > But not very different at all from the way the vikings believed
> > the world was, or the way they depicted their world in various
> > legends and sagas. Beowulf, for example.
>
> good point.
> I'll have to dig out the latter, for I'm not quite sure about the
amount of "daily" magic which shows up in the story.
> Glorantha has plenty of it, so sometimes [in weak moments]
something just slips my mind/imagination and doesn't get mentioned, and afterwards I feel like "cheating" my players & myself.
> it's like describing a medieval town and forgetting the inn...

Good question, I'll have a look...

 the Lord endowed him,
 the Wielder of Wonder, with world's renown.  Famed was this Beowulf:

Since the story has been christianised, 'Lord endowed him' perhaps refers to some kind of supernatural gift or power. 'Wielder of Wonder' sounds pretty magical to me too.

 he has thirty men's
 heft of grasp in the gripe of his hand,  the bold-in-battle.

The strength of thirty men?

 armor excellent, heirloom of Hrethel
 and work of Wayland*. Fares Wyrd as she must."

*His breastplate was forged by the smith god himself.

 Again, as erst, began in hall
 warriors' wassail and words of power,
 the proud-band's revel,

Words of power?

And of Grendel himself, it says -

 He was safe, by his spells, from sword of battle,  from edge of iron.

'Nuf said.

Simon Hibbs