Seven

Roderick and Ellen Robertson:

>> I suppose the fact that 49 is seven times seven is
>> significant of something?
>
>That Greg likes seven? (it *is* a mystical number all on its own, after
all)
>
>The lunars aren't the only "seven" people - Seven Lightbringers, frex.

Seven is a mysticaly significant number in our world too - seven days in a week,
seven phases of creation. Some early versions of the kabbalah had seven sephiroth,
etc.

One theory behind it's importance in the ancient world is that travellers and
nomads would have noticed that when you are carrying tent poles, only bundles of
seven poles form a stable bundle (one in the center with six around it). Another
theory is that there were seven heavenly bodies recognised by the ancients (5 planets plus the sun and moon). The former theory certainly would also apply to Glorantha, and at least some basic mystical lore in Peloria seems to
come from the nomadic pentans (e.g. Buserian's division of the heavens being based on the frame of a Pentan hut).

Simon Hibbs