If I was playing Pendragon, though, I could use a lot of them as is; I couldn't use a lot of Viking source material "as is" for Hero Wars. I'd have to do a lot of research to find appropriate material for my games, and I doubt my material to translate a Norse epic into an equivalent Heortling work. I don't mind on drawing from them for scenario ideas, however; I just can't write a stave to save my life.
>
> "Playability" is a relative term. As I say, I have been able to keep people
> fascinated with a reading of "Morte d'Arthur" or "Beowulf"--it jolted them
> out of their own lives for a minute. We may not know what the music of the
> ancients sounded like (though some scholars have made a stab at it), but we
> know it did NOT sound like 19th century music-hall.
True. But as you say, it's a relative term; it's the song's sentiment, not its form, that I hope will convey whatever message it contains to my players.
>
> Likewise, a lengthy
> >dissertation upon Gloranthan musicality would probably go right over my
> >head,
> >and remained unused by me.
>
> Me too. I don't think we need to detail music or any other field of
> Gloranthan activity to those lengths. Atmosphere, ambience, is what I'm on
> about.
Me, too. As you said before, it's relative. This is my method of interpreting Glorantha; you have another one.
>
> >Gloranthans don't speak English, French, Finnish, or any other earthly
> >language
> >that we who buy the game products do; yet I haven't seen a Sartarite
> >dictionary, or lengthy New Pelorian glossaries or Malkioni grammars.
>
> No, we don't need them, and it would be wasted effort to produce them (sorry
> JRRT). I'm not really suggesting that we write and play Gloranthan toons.
> It's all about models and archetypes.
So you're saying that I should throw away something that inspires my version of Glorantha and pursue your notion of how things should be? There isn't ant "one true Glorantha" anymore, I'm afraid. And inspiration is too precious to me just to waste. If you don't like the songs, please don't use them, but I find them a useful way to communicate.
>
> I don't
> >think of these tunes as true Gloranthan songs, but as "translations" of
> >Gloranthan tunes into a form that is more meaningful to my players and
> >myself.
> >I just want to capture some of the spirit of the times musically, even if
> >it
> >isn't precisely what would actually be played that way in Glorantha.
>
> I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think that that IS the spirit of the
> times. The spirit is epic poetry (apart from the Lunars and their decadent
> urban filth). Some players have done it quite successfully (was it on Wesley
> Quadros' site?).
Then I'm afraid we disagree somewhat. To you, it's epic poetry (which I can't write successfully); I've found something that works for me. If somebody does want to write up some Gloranthan epic poetry, then great! Put it up, and I'll use it if I like it. But please, allow me some freedom to portray Glorantha the way I want to portray it, and I agree to allow you the same.
>
>
> >Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who
> >believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong. - Thomas Jefferson
>
> Thus: better to have no music than the wrong sort?
If Glorantha was a real place, instead of a work of fiction, then your gibe here would be relevant. Loosen up a little, OK? Greg even said he liked some of the songs I posted, and I've gotten some positive feedback from them. Would you criticise Robin Laws' upcoming works of fiction because they're not in the form of ancient Scandinavian poetry? Even KoS falls short of that standard.
If you have no use for the songs, fine; but I do. I accept that they are not written in the "correct" style for Glorantha, whatever that is, but I had some ideas, and I acted on them. By all means, post your songs, too; we need more material from all types of writers.
Guy
Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong. - Thomas Jefferson
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