Re:AW: Vedr. Re: In Defence Of A Goddess - A

From: David Cake <dave_at_2ITaauUZKrBWIC8qEGG8Jxdm3qPg6PqMB9Cd9k1RT_G3nibwjQdVCcWprbwR79qB0kao8bZ>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 13:31:08 +0800


At 7:34 AM +0000 9/5/07, Jeff Richard wrote:
> > So..... famous Ernaldan non-warriors from Gloranthan history?
>
>I don't have my History of the Heortling Peoples in front of me, but
>off the top of my head Erilindia of Durleel was pretty remarkable.
>She created her own empire in Saird, took on the Dara Happan Empire
>and the High Council of Genertela, forced Lokamayadon to submit to her
>terms for marriage, and was probably behind the death of Rastalulf
>Vanak Spear in the Immolation.

        Which sort of illustrates my point - even when we ask you, the most noted proponent of 'Ernalda is cool, really' for an example, all we can come up with is a character from a currently unpublished work, and one with a list of achievements rather than a really cool story per se...

        The problem with this whole 'Ernalda is cool' thing is that Ernalda is so exciting that Greg mostly doesn't bother even naming Ernaldan characters[1], and that they become important mostly by who they marry. Oh, yes, you can hear the excitement - Greg praises Ernalda, but he doesn't find those fascinating Ernaldan characters interesting enough to write about much either. Hence a lack of role models in Glorantha.

        Even Greg finds the women who depart from the Ernaldan role far more interesting to write about - hence Kallyr, Leika, etc. But for some reason the rest of us are doing it wrong and must be firmly discouraged.

        So we end up in the situation we have now - where players who want to play female PCs doing traditional adventurer things have to have it pointed out how wrong they are, whereas characters who sit tight in traditional female roles are praised - though even those telling us is this is the 'right' way find it difficult to muster any enthusiasm.

> > But its not some blindness in peoples appreciation of
>> Glorantha that makes people not want to concentrate play on a goddess
>> who focusses on domesticity, common sense, stable and prosperous
>> domestic life, the status quo, and the wonders of wifehood and
>> motherhood. Rather, it might just possibly be the same reason why
>> there are more movies about shooting people than about raising
>> children and having a happy and prosperous home life.
>
>For a different take on being an Ernaldan leader, think Michael
>Corleone from the Godfather. Cold, rational, ruthless, without mercy
>and never gets his own hands bloody (except once).

        Ah, yes, Ernalda as violent gangster. Because we all know that violence is always an option is a renowned Ernaldan motto.[2]

        If even you have to work that hard to make Ernaldan stories sound interesting, you might be trying far too hard.

	Cheers
		David

[1] so, with all those political ramifications in Esrolia in KOS, you'd think at least one of the Esrolian queens who heroically lead the fight against the Empire would get a name, right? The only one that gets a name is Lunar Queen Hendira.

[2] yes, it might be a realistic portrayal of Heortling womanhood, but thats not the same as it being a portrayal of Ernaldan virtue.            

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