Greg intimates one of Glorantha's foundational myths:
>There's a major difference between the immortals and mortals, in that
>the immortals are in large part a story of DESCENT, while for mortals
>it is of ASCENT.
>Humans... ultimate spiritual quest is not to create
>the world, but to uncreate their connections with it and reunite
>themselves with the UNITY that was lost when the gods created the
>cosmos.
Echoes of Old Jo I think, in one of our Ur-texts, his invocation of the "the universal heroic goals as the dissolution of ego consciousness" (H1KF). Now pardoning me for rabbiting on, and double pardon if this is getting Digesty, but Greg has asked for his discussion to remain on the one thread. I'm currently writing a rather long essay that started in discussion with Jeff about about the Durengard Scrolls and an effort on my part to pull out the great themes of Orlanthi mythology. Aong the way it has diverted to the essential nature of myth in Glorantha and the big question at the root of all our campaigns: What is a Hero?
It might seem a bit abstract, but it comes down to understanding, sustaining and creating a unique Gloranthan genre for our games.
Glorantha has a a lot of Campbell and Eliade in its makeup, but its two parts Stafford and one part campaign, so I'm not drawing any automatic inferences from extra-Gloranthan theorist.
Greg, what do you see as the game implications of a PC "reuniting with the unity". Can it go beyond learning a secret and being retired from play? And if a NPC hero achieves this unity, does it entail him or her leaving the world (and human morality) behind to serve the eternal values of their god: perfect Storm, perfect Darkness, perfect Moon?
Now roll D6...
John
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