[Glorantha] Changing (or not) reality via heroquests

Hi All,

Thought I'd dive in very briefly, even though this is in danger of treading over all ground again...

>Myths, rituals and magic work because they are based on accurate and
>true insights into Gloranthan reality.

On some level that's correct, but I suspect not the level you mean...

>"Solar power is the dominant (in some ways) power in the Universe" -
>Proved true by the Dara Happans. "Violence is always an option" -
>Proved true by the Heortlings. "The relationship between herds and men
>benefits both" - Proved true by the Praxians. etc...).

None of these are fundamental truths. They are masks through which the primal powers can be engaged with, but they are not the "accurate and true insights" themselves. If nothing else, the exact opposite can (and has) been proven. e.g. "Draconic power is dominant over solar power" was proved true by the EWF.

>Monrogh did not change the nature of reality when he
>heroquested and discovered the worship of Yelmalio. The power of
>Yelmalio - the Sun Dome - always existed, and Monrogh discovered how
>to engage with it mythicaly, magicaly and practicaly.

Again, depends on the level about which you are talking. Yelmalio does appear to be a "genuine" religion (as opposed to short worlds, etc.) and therefore has some underlying basis. e.g. A connection to the primal runes, trancendance, etc.

But the form of the religion - the virtues, codes, magic, rituals, etc. - were absolutely created by the exact heroquests performed by Monrogh (and many others before him). The current cult is a mask, a fairground mirror, a fish-eyed lense. Yes, there's a fundmental truth there, but it is hidden under many layers of "reality" that are imposed by our limited understanding interacting with the heroquest challenge.

When Monrogh "proved" that Yelmalio is the "correct" form of worship for that Solar being, he only did so for some people. Others to this day know that Elmal is "correct" and their heroquests "prove" that too.

>They were able to get away with a fair bit because
>their knowledge and power was very great

Exactly - how much you can change the world depends on your power - not on discovering exact truths...

>, but in the end they were
>utterly destroyed because they went too far.

Or possibily because they rolled a "1" at the wrong moment, and were out of hero points...

One last comment. One of the heroquest rituals we understand best is that of forming an identification with a god, hero, etc. This takes many forms - initiation, hero-forming, heroquest enemies, etc. The Lunars especially are adept at forcing their opponents into heroquest roles that give the Lunars an advantage. That would seem to me to be a clear case of heroquesting to change reality (on a fairly mundane level) while also being reliant on true insights of a deeper level.

Cheers,
Graham

-- 
Graham Robinson
graham_at_albionsoft.com

Albion Software Engineering Ltd.