Re: Pedantic ragging on "Celtic"

From: rune.writer <rune.writer_at_PRWZLXJ5Uq0ivaUOMQxwmA6JZLdjwzy303YncJJ8oBfQq61gOr_u5nlsp8dK6CeZ>
Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 20:41:12 -0000

> IMG, there are some pretty substantial differences among the
> "Barbarian Belt" cultures. (I have the sense that in your Glorantha,
> the differences are somewhat lesser.)

I read (in a book) once that one of the biggest differences between the Welsh and the Saxons was the difference in focus in their laws. The Welsh were horrified that under Saxon law one could murder and then pay weregild and that this was considered justice, whereas property crimes were strongly punished.
The Saxons, on the other hand, couldn't understand the Welsh allowing fines to offset property crimes but coming down hard on murderers.  

> A big difference would be that the Orlanthi have a more unified
> religion than the Celtic peoples.

Problem with this comparison is, as there were no really "Celtic" peoples, there was no "Celtic" religion. Even among nationalities, there are cultural differences. Best RL example I can think of would be, for example, the differences between Californians and Texans (or, for the Brits among us, Londoners compared with Geordies).

>From things Greg has said on this thread, I rather imagine the only
real similarites among "Orlanthi" would be the names of the major Pantheon members.
Consider that mythic history would drift, then Tribal heroes would become conflated with Godly events and even local politics would affect the myths. It is possible that even the "Three Laws(TM)" (Nobody can make you do anything, Violence is always an option, There is always another way) may have different emphases in different cultures, may even be written differently or may not even exist.