From: Maria & Michael (michael.raaterova.7033@student.uu.se)
Date: Sat 19 Jul 1997 - 18:54:19 EEST
JOERG:
>IMO the Skyfall is a manifestation of Godtime in northern Dragon
>Pass, just as the Eternal Battle is in Prax.
There are quite a few magical places like this in Glorantha that we know
of, like hidden castles, disappearing lands and weird spots in general. IMG
these are places where the mundane world and the otherworld weren't fully,
or at all, separated; the boundaries between the worlds are diffused or
softer there. There are also dead places where the worlds are totally
separated, like the Dead Place in Prax.
I wouldn't call them "manifestations of Godtime" though; more along the
lines of places where Godtime or the world of the gods is closer to the
mundane world. The Eternal Battle is one of these places; it just happens
to move around (like the Flying Land).
So what does this mean for Glorantha? Well, some regions are closer to the
otherworld and thus more magical: spirits may manifest freely or are
automatically manifested there, people may walk into the otherworld without
knowing, weird and strange entities or extinct creatures may be
encountered, magic points are regenerated faster, DI is easier etc. The
reverse is true of Dead Places.
Temples and altars are often located in such places since communion with
spirits and gods are easier (and more dangerous) there.
In Ars Magica there is the concept of Regio, which is roughly what i'm
talking about. Certain areas are more or less magical; these areas can
range in size from a single monolith, a grove of trees or a glen, to a
small land. The closer you get to the centrum of the Regio, the more
magical it gets and you get closer to the otherworld.
Regios of low power are only slightly more magical than the surroundings,
and you may never notice it. Regios of medium power are more noticeable,
since they are usually enchanted, eerie or haunted and certainly dangerous,
and thus usually avoided. Regios of high power, like the Skyfall and Hell
Crack, are open doors to the otherworld.
Since this is Glorantha there should be Chaos Regios or Voids as well, like
the Worm Hole in the Caves of Chaos in the Hollow.
IMG these magical places are not all alike; their appearance and nature are
defined by what they are associated with, or inhabited by, though most are
associated with Spirit or Magic as well. Some are gentle and welcoming due
to an association with Harmony in some way, while others are inhabited by
malevolent spirits due to association with Disorder. An Esrolian Necropolis
built in a magical place that was originally associated with Harmony (rest
in peace and all that) could well get associated with Death as well, not
losing its Harmony ties. Some places are simply associated with Spirit or
Magic.
Some places are tied to specific gods or spirits, due to the Godtime
events, or man-made events within Time, that originated the place, like
Sporewood or the Block. I'm not saying that all of Sporewood is a Regio,
but there should be at least one place there that is strongly associated
with Mee Vorala. I wouldn't be surprised if Sporewood had lots of Voralan
holy places and a few Regios of high power (though these probably wouldn't
be used as doors to the otherworld by any others than Voralans, since most
of them would lead to Mee Vorala's parts of the Godtime).
In Far Point, the land in Glorantha i know best, there are lots of Regios,
some small and some very big. All of the Sharl Plains is a low power Regio
associated with Fire, with some smaller areas of higher power. IMG the
Firemane breed of horses come from the Sharl Plains; they originated from
Firemane, a fiery Hippoi spirit being that can be encountered near or in
one of the Regios of high power. Maran's Crack is another Regio, quite
small but very dangerous since crevices sometimes wriggle off into the
neighbouring areas and can swallow unwary travellers and damage structures.
In the Vale of Bones there is an open door to otherworld which is a great
nuisance to the clans in the area since lots of Hunger spirits haunt the
area so the local clans have to hold yearly ceremonies to keep the spirits
appeased. The Vale of Bones has also been the death of many a would-be
heroquester who has tried to enter the Otherworld there.
Use, abuse or ignore as you want; i hope i gave some of you food for thought.
Michael Raaterova
<.sig omitted on legal advice>
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