In message <fceeqj+ifhf_at_eGroups.com> "valkoharja" writes:
>>
>> I've been following the Kethaelan threads without much online access.
>> This is my old (and still current) hobby horse, so I'll add some
>> observations and comments.
>>
>>
>> The use of triremes by the Kethaelans is long-established canon.
><snip>
>
>You give the impression that you consider the triremes a quaint relic
>since you cite inspiration from things like eight to eleventh century AD.
>
>Personally I'm exasperated by the anachronisms in some parts of
>published glorantha, where triremes are found side by side with
>medieval sailing craft and even things approaching the pirate era
>galleons.
>
>I love the idea that sailing ships in Glorantha are bronze age / early
>iron age in style and inspiration. Biremes and Triremes are much more
>atmospheric, that having Glorantha be just another fantasy setting
>where large, late era, sailing vessels rule the waves.
>
>One can argue how ships of that era didn't fare all that well on the
>high seas, but they still enabled the classical world to conduct
>business all over the known world. I have absolutely no problem with
>the journey from Genertela to Pamaltela being perilous. It should be!
>As for the Middle Sea Empire of the Godlearners, they had all the
>magic in the world. You don't need late period sailing vessels when
>you can bend the sea and wind to your will.
In fact there isn't much difference between galleys of the ancient
and medieval worlds. They are all low draught boats designed for
an enclosed sea. They rarely appear outside the Mediterrean which
was pretty much the "known world" for the Greeks and Romans.
Throughout that same time span there appear various deep draught
ships travelling along the Atlantic and North Sea coasts just as
the Chinese had huge sailing junks trading along their coast
and round India as far as East Africa.
I don't know where you get the idea of pirate galleons in Glorantha
from. I haven't seen anything remotely resembling them because
that design is based on cannon rather than ramming. The wolf pirates
are similar to vikings or the pirates the Roman navy was repeatedly
fighting.
About the only ships which don't fit into either the ramming type
or the boarding type are the Haragala tall ships which have no RW
analogue. Rumours of a Mostali steam ironclad with cannon haven't
appeared in any official source.
--
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/