> "Where the f*** is 'KEROFINELA', when it's at home?"
This point has probably been made before, but I think it is worth restating.
The "original" Glorantha was novel, fun, magical, and accessible. So much so that 20 years ago I put aside all other RPGs and became a serious Gloranthaphile. Loads of people I knew did the same. Glorantha was _the_ place to be.
But over time, more and more detail has been added. While it is still novel and magical, it is certainly not accessible, and this makes it less fun.
For example, every so often all the names change. Sartans became Heortlings, Wintertop became Kero Fin, Dragon Pass became Kerofinela, Ducks became Durulz, and bronze became hu-metal. Oh yes, all the creatures got pseudo-Latin names (my pet hate). Does anyone know what a 'Parapinus mobilens' is? Well it's a Vronkali. But what the hell is a Vronkali? It's a type of elf. So why not call it an elf in the first place? Everyone knows what an elf is. And an elf is accessible. By the time you have played in Glorantha a while you understand that a Gloranthan elf is not the same as Tolkein elf. But by then your hooked. And you don't want to escape because you love the place.
The problem that I have with this is quite simple. All the creative energies which could be going into new things (and making them accessible) are expended on detail that no-one needs and tongue twisters that confuse people (I can pronounce 'Sartan' but I'm still not sure how to pronounce 'Heortling'). Narrators start to get nervous because few of us have the time to read and re-learn material that we thought we already knew. And players and potential players start to think that Glorantha is a dry old place that is no fun to play in. And so people move on.
I believe that Issaries has made the right move by adopting a 'More Adventures / Less Background' approach. And we should all be supporting them on this. But I also believe that more could be done.
If the economics of small scale RPG publishing don't stack up then change the business model. Are people willing to buy DRM-protected electronic publications? Are people willing to purchase beta test publications? Are narrators willing to subscribe to an online magazine? Speaking personally, my answer to all these questions is yes. So let's see some 'out of the box' thinking that may lead to a better future for both Glorantha _and_ Issaries.
-- Ian Leake, www.ianleake.net
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