[Glorantha] Elementals

I've been wondering what the various kinds of elementals should be like in Glorantha. I'm familiar with the RQ2 / RQ3 / HW / HQ descriptions, but I'm trying to figure out a more coherent version.

[In RQ-2 the elementals were basically humanoid-shaped, quite stoopid, but at least they had intelligence. The shade was unique, since it was a "tall, cloaked human figure in a pool of shadow. In RQ-3 all elementals were just a given volume of of the element, like a shade being basically a sphere of darkness]

The elementals come in three flavours, daemon, spirit and essence.

• Essenses are propably the easiest. The elemental essenses are propably almost as simple as RQ-3 made them sound like. I think the summoner gives the elemental some shape and intelligence, just by the act of summoning. A fire-essense propably looks like a bonfire, with a vague some human features. Parhaps a suggestion of a torso, arms and head at the top. Something similar with all the elements.

Daemons are basically small elemental gods (or entities of the God world). For some reason this makes me think of animals. A fire elemental daemon could indeed look like a salamander. Like a komodo lizard that is made of fire. These creatures should propably have a somewhat solid body, in addition to the flames. I'm not sure what the requirement for summoning up a daemon elemental would be. Usually one needs something to serve as the body, like one needs a shadowcat to summon up Gavreninkin. There are propably several kinds of fire daemons, ranging from simple salamanders and syphs, to lesser elemental gods (and indeed onto great gods like Orlanth and Yelm).

What about elemental spirits? I think here we have a spirit that has firy powers, but that can exist outside fire as well. The shaman can propably have a bound fire spirit, and then release it into a campfire to get himself an elemental. These spirits can propably have varying powers and abilities, and how these powers link to their elemental nature may not always be clear.

Input would be greatly appreciated,

        -Adept

Thinker, dreamer and adventurer Received on Thu 09 Nov 2006 - 16:41:56 EET