Re: How fast does news travel?

From: hcarteau_at_YRd8mH-xg3SmNn0RwuMJo_dt7sA12mofaAghNLfMEUsCGyOxhB3tSoJ624H-1WXe-V-
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2012 23:51:12 +0200 (CEST)

In your Glorantha are there Mastokos heralds whizzing along the roads to pass along major news? Is it passed clan to clan, maybe going quickly through some tribes but missing some clans altogether? Are there drum signals to pass the news along quickly? Is it mostly at the whim of whatever travellers are moving around?

I guess beyond just peak speed I'm wondering about pervasiveness. My campaign has moved a little beyond the dragon rise, and everything is in flux, and I'm trying to get a feel for how much each group is operating based on local status, versus how well informed they are of the changing situation.

/// I'd say they're as well-informed as they need to be, by you. In my Glorantha, Every clan in Sartar would know about blackmor being kicked out of his usurped throne and replaced by Glorious Laika in a matter of days; it's a political event of the first order, the first and most powerful lunar puppet king losing his place. All can chiefs, city councils and of course tribal courts would know, as well as all big temples. And it would spread to the Far Place and Tarsh, perhaps Heortland too pretty fast.

Some players don't care about background info ("noise"), some love it. Give a chance to those who love it to learn. They may try to pick up rumors in towns, talk to tradesmen or scholars, etc. As for technical aspects, I wouldn't bother much: messengers can ride more than 50 km a day on good Sartar Royal roads; some orlanthi can fly and cover the same distance in a few hours ; some can even teleport. Merchants travel around and spread news. The God of Knowledge spreads it among his worshippers, who in turn (reluctantly) (expensively) spread it to others. And so on.            

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