[Glorantha] Re: Glorantha Digest, Vol 12, Issue 417

Mikko said,

>I don't think you have this right Martin. Salinarg didn't set out to
>create the Household of Death. The creation of the Household is a
brave
>and spontanious gesture of Salinarg's children, to which Humakt
himself
>responded with a miracle. I'm sure the prince wouldn't have let his
>children do such a thing if it had been his choise.
>
>I'm sure that a large part of Sartar was inspired by the "children's
>crusade". The Household of Death is a heroic gesture, very appropriate
for
>the Heortling culture. It also has an undercurrent of desperation and
>defiance onto death. (In my understanding) a noble child from every
tribe
>of Sartar stepped forth and gave themselves to Humakt, inspired by
the
>sacrifice of the children of Salinarg.

I never said that it wasn't brave and noble (but based on their subsequent
behaviour and results a bit stupid as well), what I said that it clearly wasn't
what Sartar would have done. It's a really traditional and heroic act, but Sartar
wasn't traditional and mostly didn't do the heroic heortling thing as far as I can see.
So, given that the Principality of Sartar was very different in some ways to a traditional
heortling kingdom (and far more interesting because of it IMO) and that it was Sartar's
magic that allowed the Principality to form, then to me, the decision to form the
Household of Death is a major betrayal of Sartar's principles and ideals and therefore
this would have greatly weakened the magical bonds holding the principality
together.

Now whether Salinarg was involved in the decision (a while since I've read the
relevant passages in King of Sartar) or not and whether some Sartarites were
inspired or not, the Household of Death was a solution based on war to the Lunar
problem, while the original Sartar was about solutions based on peace or at least
transformation, a very different thing.

I also think that you can see a trend in the heirs to Sartar away from his ideals and
principles, which culminates in Harsaltar and the Household of Death.

cheers

Martin

Dr. Martin Dick
Lecturer
School of Business Information Technology RMIT Business
RMIT University Received on Fri 29 Sep 2006 - 03:03:33 EEST