> > The architecture is Iron Age, even Roman Iron Age. Pelorians and God Learners both used the same type of concrete which enabled the Romans to produce all their prestigious buildings, never mind the facades of marble, natural stone or brick.
There's no concrete in my Glorantha (even if the Romans had it). Any fancy building is either magically done, dwarf built or held up by the power of the mystics walled up inside it.
> > Gloranthan roads are Roman, too – Sartar with its dwarf-taught masonry even outshining the Pelorian network of highways, with the possible exception of the Daughter's Road (which should be considered one of the miracles of contemporary Gloranthan architecture, along with a number of really incredible (nonmagical) bridges elsewhere).
Most roads in my Glorantha are unpaved, it takes a bit of organisation to have a paved system and they are not really needed. If someone builds a paved road, someone else usually is charged with maintaining it, you get turnpikes which are no fun for most people and avoided. Even in towns, I would suggest unpaved is the norm. Magically paved roads defy classification in our world as we don't have any. They are magic and other than that, we have no idea why they are so strong.
> > Transportation has at least the standard of the middle Ages, if not Roman (note that Roman standards are higher than those of subsequent times well after the Renaissance). You get roads suitable for wagons, and you get wagoners even where the roads are dubious. You get mule caravans (also a very Roman Age invention).
In my Glorantha, most people walk. In highly populated cities some paving will exist if only to keep to mud/dust down. I'm very aware of roman paving in cities, perhaps some in glorantha cities as well, but glorantha's not very big and you need population for projects like that.
> > In a sense, Glorantha is downright mediaeval in its technology, taking into account that the Imperial Age saw great mechanical (as well as mechamagical) wonders constructed by the Zistorites.
Luckily the cyborgs were destroyed with most people thinking they were a bad idea. In a sense, Glorantha is like a successful Luddite revolution. Even I'm suspicious of what the dwarfs are really up to.
> > Metallurgy isn't quite Bronze Age, either. Orlanthi bronze swords and Seshnegi iron swords have the same quality as the steel swords of the Iliad, and Pelorian bronze blades aren't far inferior.
Stuff made from the bones of gods is tough, but not the same as earth metals. Bronze can be mined directly from the ground. Gloranthan iron is weird magic suppressing stuff.
> > Metal nails and clamps will be used (sparingly) in construction. Admittedly Gloranthan bronze rather than iron, but hardly weaker than in Roman or mediaeval buildings. Foundries can produce bells and could theoretically produce cannons (though with the dwarf monopoly on non-magical explosives, these are unlikely to happen).
Bronze nails certainly exist, but carpentry using pegs etc would be common. I would have bells magically made by secretive bronze smiths - gets rid of large casting. I'm suspicious about foundries existing.
David Scott. Mac & PC Computer Support.
30 Alfred Road, Acton, W3 6LH.
020-8150-9716 / 07956-589433
http://www.davidscott.org.uk/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Powered by hypermail