From:
Date: Mon 18 Aug 1997 - 19:16:43 EEST
Sorry for the delay. Mailer screwup.
> From: "goihl@zedat.fu-berlin.de" <goihlk@komma.fddi2.fu-berlin.de>
> What about explaining the digesting of cellulose without saying Herd-Men have
> four stomachs? Can we say there is some simple difference added magically so
> that they can do what we can't, but without there being much difference?
Rabbits also manage without the advantages of multiple stomachs, by
using multiple runs through their digestive system. Unfortunately, I
expect that herdmen will also use this method. I suggest that you not
think about this too much on a full stomach, or before a meal.
Additionally, and less revoltingly, the human appendix was supposed to
be a vestigial second stomach inherited from primarily-plant-eating
monkey and prosimian ancestors. Maybe this swells to its ancestral
proportions in herdmen.
> Magically added cellulose-digesting enzymes? Let's hope Sandy gets into this.
Or just added from other herd beasts, without the need of special magics.
Most cellulose digestion is done by symbiotic bacteria, after all, not
the animal itself.
> On the other point; if a human (or Morokanth) becomes an animal it loses the
> power of speech.
> Speech-lose due to the Alter Creature
> spell might be better explained by a magical removal of the capability rather
> than a physical one such as change of vocal cords. Then we could still train
> Herd-Men to mimic words the way parrots do. Herdy want a Cracker! Daniel
I just assume a disconnection of the nerves to control the vocal cords.
This prevents the herdmen from communicating even by hoots (though not
whistles), and lends a "Planet of the Apes" aspect to the scenes of
herdmen being silently moved from place to place. It also makes herdmen
different enough from humans that there is plausible deniability to
charges of simple cannibalism when non-morokanth Praxians eat herdmen.
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End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #128
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