Re: Cragspider and the Night Dragon...

From: Greg Stafford <Greg_at_dGlm0EcdGyEYARTsxofIpM0upBCN90NFAN7YcSpfsW2f0TdiyWRvvluujDc4RGRPDgLTk36>
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:11:03 -0800


YGWV Tim Ellis wrote:

> A question was recently posed on the Heroquest-RPG list, prompted by
> the MRQ Dragonnewts book regarding the relationship between
> Cragspider and the Black Dragon, and the Night Dragon's role as a
> Draconic foe of Chaos. Since this is getting a bit esoteric and
> related to Non-Hq sources, I felt it would be better framed here.
>
> Idnnn_http://www.glorantha.com/library/eurmal/personalities-_
> cragspider.html is the source of information on Cragspider. It
> mentions
> "[Arachne Solara] caught Cragspider, and she was offered the
> Dragon's Choice. She freed it, the Night Dragon, though it offered
> itself to her. Then Cragspider witnessed cosmic deeds, such as the
> seduction of Larnste to make Dragon Pass, or the weaving of the sun
> and earth to make the world." and "At the end of the [2nd] age she
> confronted one of the true dragons that came to destroy the humans
> who had invaded Kerofinela. This Black Dragon has been her ally
> since."
>
> This ties in with my memory that WB&RM said that the Black Dragon
> was an ally of Cragspiders in return for favours done before time.
>
> So initial questions here:-
> 1. Are "The Black Dragon" and The Night Dragon" two names for the
> same entity - I assume so, but maybe not?

I did not write that material, but I have no objections to it. In which case, I would say that the Black Dagon and the Night Dragon are the same entity.

> 2. Anyone know or care to speculate on what "The Dragons Choice"
> that WAS offered Cragspider was?

I suggest it is of existence as a responsible and ensnared being with mystical knowledge, or nonexistence.

> The next question, which was the point of the Heroquest-rpg query -
> Was the Night Dragon's role in fighting chaos influenced by /
> related to its links with Cragspider, and through her to the Trolls,
> who are also noted as being implaccable foes of Chaos?

Possibly. There exists a natural antipathy between darkness and chaos that does not require either trollish or Cragspider's influence. BTW, if the dragon is in fact associated with darkness to the extent that is manifests this antipathy, this could still be a True Dragon (which have links to Existence and are not primarily Mystical/Cosmic in their nature)

> Alternatively, do the Trolls look to Chaos as a particular foe due
> to the God-time influence of the Night Dragon?

No. The antipathy exists because Darkness rose out of chaos of its own accord by rejecting its chaos nature by incorporating / incarnating Order within itself.

> Or is there no particular link between the two facts?

The link seems to be that both are of Darkness, but without a cause/effect influence.

> I also wonder if the Night Dragon could have played a role in the creation of
> the Great Trolls to deflect the Gbaji Curse (since we know the True Dragons
> protected the Dragonewts).

Probably not.

--Greg Stafford

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