From: Nick Brooke (100270.337@CompuServe.COM)
Date: Thu 09 Sep 1993 - 20:36:02 EEST
> Whilst I agree that Solar society underpins Lunar society, I would not
> presume that the awesome power of the Red Emperor and the Red Moon can't
> keep a very tight rein on the Solars!
They hardly need to. The whole of Solar society is based around keeping a tight rein on yourself. And once Moonson is accepted as a rightful Dara Happan Emperor, they conform instinctively. Yeah, there's a little muttering about "the Good Old Days" from disaffected nobles being pushed aside by uppity newcomers (think about the Senate under the Roman Empire?), but by and large the old aristos are complacent and satisfied. After all, the Red Emperor is one of them. (Isn't he?).
> a constant state of warfare between the tribes
That sounds about right to me (cf. NG). But I agree that most of the food, most of the time, is probably taken from your own tribal beasts. Just the 'heroic' ideology of Prax covers up this irritating fact. After all, the only *memorable* meals are those where something else is eaten...
> I agree with [Colin's] criteria for readily playable scenarios, but I
> think that instead of placing them in generic towns, etc, they could be
> given a definite (or semi-definite) location in Glorantha, but with
> specific recommendation on how the location could be tranlated elsewhere.
That's more sensible. Like 'Gaumata's Vision', you mean? A solidly Sun County scenario, but eminently relocatable. (Loved running it, BTW).
NB: nobody ever suggested that *all* RQ scenarios be generic, did they? We were just talking about a few, as a resource for the straitened referee, weren't we?? Or something nasty might happen...
"Generic" is rapidly turning into a swear-word in my gaming vocabulary.
> My own uninformed opinion had been that there is no searchlight effect,
> the Moon appears the same to everyone outside the Glowline at the same
> time. I thought of the Moon as a piece of Godtime that is not bound by
> physical laws about rotation, if that makes any sense.
Mine too 'til Genertela came out. The new rotating Full Phase makes it hard to work out how the Empire timetables itself: if the Full Moon Day is sacred to the Red Goddess, is there a rolling worship service like a wave swirling round the Empire once a week? Picturesque, I'll grant you that (think of Moslem pilgrims at the Ka'aba for a miniature version). But hard for the poor bloody GM who has to work out what day the phase changes...
Yeah, we need that map. Of course, Dorastor's Telmori sharing the Sartar Telmori timetable is already a contradiction (unless the phase shifts are extraordinarily weird).
I don't think the Lunars would mind having their peasants "go nuts once a week" -- insanity is a Lunar attribute <g>. (BTW, do you think Dara Happan peasants "go nuts" every sunset?) I *do* think it is important for the Phases to be distinct and visible within the Empire - or nobody would know what they meant, any more! They are an important mystical symbol at the heart of the Lunar Way, and the Red Emperor would *not* wish to hide them from his people.
Fifth Dan Ferryman of the Torang Tong (?)
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