[Glorantha] Re: Transcendence and Chaos

Si:

> Me:
>
> >Well, no it isn't per se, because Chaos is bound into all of Creation
> >as it exists -- all things are tainted by Chaos, inherently.
>
> I hear what you're saying, but I see it a little differently. Glorantha
> is tainted by chaos, no question, but that doesn't mean all of
> glorantha. For example the godworld, and all the 'high' otherworlds
> are almost by definition not tainted by chaos, because a connection
> to Transcendence and a connection to chaos are mutualy exclusive.
>
> They are mutualy exclusive because they are in some sense opposite
> sides of the same coin. In a way, as life is to death and truth is to
> falsehood, so transcendence is to chaos.

No no, I was being tricksy as usual --- I meant "all of Creation **as it exists** - " some parts of Glorantha are NOT part of Creation per se, and can therefore be untainted by Chaos -- according to **some** definitions of what Chaos is -- it's just that all parts of the created world are tainted by Chaos, including the Hero Planes.

The question of whether Yelm, Subere, Orlanth, and the other owners of the pure, Primal Runes are (or have parts of their being) untainted by Chaos is an interesting one, except that of course definitions will diverge according to the nature of who is making them -- Subere worshippers are more likely to believe that Fire and the Sun came from Chaos (witness what happened to ZZ) than a Yelmalion would, for instance.

The question of whether the transcendental plane(s) or the transcendental portions of certain entities or beings can be untainted by Chaos is one that cannot be resolved, and may even be inherently meaningless... From a Gloranthan POV the transcendental cannot be defined at all, not even in relationship to Chaos. The idea that the Transcendental is inherently non-Chaotic is a merely cultural POV, that the Lunars to start with would openly scoff (as would Ralzakark, the Chaos Cults, and the Devil). The existence of the Red Goddess is sufficient proof that the question is a false one --- except that the answer to the question still remains unknowable, except perhaps by the Devil.

There is nothing in Glorantha that can be definitely proven not to have any Chaos taint, bearing in mind the many divergent cultural beliefs regarding this matter ---
--- although from a general philosophical POV the pure Runic Powers can be said to be not-Chaos --
however, this is only because Chaos has been defined as a separate Rune from that philosophical POV, not by virtue of its actual relationship (or not) with those Powers.

Julian Lord Received on Tue 04 Apr 2006 - 12:44:42 EEST