Re: Generally Accepted Glorantha (GAG) , Core Glorantha

From: Jakob Pape <chaomancer_at_xi2qvqN0cpYzUQs8ZShSU138KfRshQzTpjBRU85wrAkA3K8MFHSE4Kjj9dDYLi6uM>
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 01:22:50 +0100

On 4/10/07, Greg Stafford <Greg_at_HJIsuWaHPXv1AcGn3ZAEnf0MduSDtVxnjhSPAIx8eESdTI57PELufo-I0WslW7XRYtQ4xN4iWuI.yahoo.invalid> wrote:
>
> YGWV
>
> Quoting Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_NDdAZncRvEIWJHiVOJXX6JapsVWmV5uT6n_GL7DMZRPypHXv1iocSUp1-2KLI1OfZ42U5h-PxdLkIsC0xiBkZTet.yahoo.invalid>:
>
> > Let's call it "Core Glorantha".
>
> The problem with this effort is that it is limiting.
> It doesn't take into account YGWV
>
> > Should we add that "core Glorantha" should also be
> > readily accessible in terms of being readable? The
> > Unfinished Works, wonderful though they are, are hard
> > going. And they are Unfinished in any case.
>
> But a lot of the Unfinished work is essential and thus central to the
> whole body of work. That is difficult does not reduce its importance.
> KoS is difficult, often for the same reasons of obscurity or mythic
> meaning rather than materialist usefulness.
>
> > I might add to that the
> > various web bits that were by the same authors and
> > only got cut from those works due to space limitations
>
> But a lot of that work was cut because it was not correct, not just
> for space limitations. The author's were not always told which
> category their omissions were in.
>
> > Pavis - the Moon Designs reprint. I'd like to add Ian
> > Thompson's work to that, but sadly too much of it is
> > out of print and not web-available.
>
> And with all due respect to Ian, some parts were dead wrong, too.
>
> I actually find GAG, with its warped angles, sloppy inclusivity and
> sometimes dead wrongness, FAR more acceptable and useful than trying
> to limit.
>
> There already IS a core of material: what has been printed under my
> scrutiny. Plus whatever people wish to add or subtract from that.

For my part, speaking as someone not very involved in the Glorantha community, this is where it gets confusing. I thought Storm tribe would fit into the category you describe, but now it seems that the description of Vinga in it is not accurate. In ST, she's referred to as, well, *she* and the Loyal Daughter. Now, if I understand right, she is more a he. And sex is taboo for Vingans (according to Jeff Richard, I think) outside of certain ritually appropriate partners - that seems to contradict the information given in the Role of the Cult in the Society (ST p. 170) pretty directly. "She is a lover of many, sometimes bawdy..."

If this is a case of Glorantha Varying, then I would like to know which is the 'core' material that the game-world of Glorantha is based in. If it's a change, I would appreciate an update to the Vinga cult write-up to address the inconsistencies. Until I read about this, while my Glorantha certainly did vary, my Vinga was pretty much straight out of the book, so I thought that she hadn't. Now I'm confused.

Of course, I can (and will) continue to use my version, but this implies that any later books will assume the new version is accurate, and thus be less useful to me than they might if this change hadn't happened.

I would very much appreciate knowing what books represent the core of Glorantha, so i can mess with it and appreciate what changes others are making. That matters when I'm running my game. That doesn't mean Glorantha shouldn't change, but it would be so much easier to take account of the changes if they are presented as changes from a common base.

I don't mean to be hung up on the Vinga thing, it just seems to be a good example, and easy to hand.

-- 
Jakob Pape

"Sometimes subtlety comes in the form of large explosions and jammed open
airlock doors."