From: Andrew Larsen (aelarsen@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Date: Wed 23 Aug 2000 - 08:20:25 EEST
I liked a lot of what Guy Robbin had to say about earth temples.
Overall, I thought he got the feel of it right.
>
> the interior of the temple does not match the exterior, then. what is
> square, firm and powerful on the outside, is round, humble and mysterious on
> the inside. what fills the space between the square outside and round
> inside is unknown.
I like this and I don't. By RW standards, yes this feels right. But by
Gloranthan standards, I don't think so. The square is the symbol of earth,
whereas the circle is associated with the sky. The square ought to be
mystically important for earth temples.
A few other notes:
The earth temple in Snakepipe Hollow is square. It's the only earth
temple that we have a published example of.
According to an early issue of Wyrms Footnote, earth temples are guarded
by Serpent Guardians, which are half-woman half snake, and many of them are
priestesses. Obliously, this is only for major temples, although I think
the cult of BG raises snakes to act as guardians.
In my campaign, which is based in Stirligon, among the Culbreans, there
is a wooden temple shrine which is used for 'public' rituals. It's square
and represents the 'light' earth. There is also an 'Ernalda cave' that only
women (and the rare male initiates) enter, usually during initiation and
quests. The cavern is the 'dark' earth, the mysterious womb.
Andrew E. Larsen
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End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #817
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