was just thinking as I do from time to time about Spol. I was tantalised by the brief references I read (before losing my copy of Glorantha!) and The Fortunate Sucession's ocasional mentions. I note it is a Darkness religion, and has a strong emphasis on necopolis and commemoration fo the dead, and indeed the preservation of corpses - undead even? Are there any good sources I have missed for Spol?
I was thinking perhaps the Spolites aim to continue personal identity in teh afterlife as long as possible. As I understand it the dead lose self identity, and memory, at some point after death (except heroes) mergining in ot generic "ancestors" and then in mnay cultures being reborn. As I recall in ancient China there was aneed for the doctrine fo forgetfulness, as young men were marrying better class girls by convincing them they had been lovers in previosu lives!
I wondered if however the Spolite Darkness cults saw the afterlife as paradisical, or more likely, believed that the spirits of the dead watched over and could help the living. To that extent they would want to retain personal identity in the afterlife; and just as heroes seem to be preserved by the praise of the living, an elaborate Death based religion of funereal monuments and rites for the dead might arise to help the dead stay distinct, retain their individuality, and perhaps assist the living. In some way the preservation of the body prepared with the correct rites and magics might assist.
Darkness being linked to the Underworld, and the dead leads to the Spolite Darkness elemental associaion, but my idea is of a death obsessed culture, in its own way conservative, who are attempting to "cheat" the normal patterns of life death and rebirth, and build a shadowy land where the living and dead play out a sacred dance of perpetuating their existences indefinitely, at least in theory.
Dunno, just an idea, probably rubbish! Come to think of it Glorantha Second Age might have something on Spol, I'll go look! night all!
cj x
Powered by hypermail