Re: Where does 'gyrda' come from?

From: Mark Galeotti <markgaleotti_at_K7XIhljl3h3DdqlI0cOU9ZbdSvOIKxa5G5BzgratC1YapL_Y7ZfoRUQXRbpRYj0>
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:04:57 -0000


I'm a little uncomfortable about the implementation of KISS to Glorantha. (and not just because everyone in favour of simplification notes that _other_ people will find it difficult).

Take out the detail, the cultural verisimilitude, and what is Glorantha? Actually, stripped down to its basics, a lot of Glorantha is pretty obvious and unexceptional fantasy fare (pseudo-medieval West, pseudo-Chinese east, etc). What makes it amazing is -- as with Tekumel -- the loving and imaginative layering of detail and finish. Frankly, all the anthropological finesse John Hughes added to TR is what made the Orlanthi -- a pretty tedious bunch of romanticised thugs IMO -- more interesting to me.

To put it another way, I don't really care if masses of people flock to Glorantha. Sure, I'd like to see Rick and Greg make some money, but in an age of internet and lulu.com, a small coterie of enthusiasts can happily commune and share ideas without needing everything to be produced in paper works with multi-thousand print runs. Would my own personal enjoyment of Glorantha be enhanced by the ditching of the more opaque detail and the adoption of a broad-brush and notionally user-friendly approach? I can't see how.

Sure, sometimes Glorantha can get too arcane and twiddly, but in an age of YGWV I don't think this is an insurmountable obstacle.

And sure, this is an entirely solipsistic view: how do _I_ benefit. But that's the kind of selfish guy I am!

All the best

Mark            

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