From: Sandy Petersen (sandyp@idcube.idsoftware.com)
Date: Fri 15 Apr 1994 - 07:09:29 EEST
Lewis Jardine sez:
>I am pretty sure that broos impregnate, not parasitize their hosts.
>The justification for this is that the offspring have some of the
>characteristics of the *mother*.
It makes little difference, considering that probably no single principle of modern genetics applies in Glorantha. For many years Western scholars believed that the male sperm carried a miniature version of the child, and all the woman did was nurture the beastie till birth. According to this theory, the fact that the kid had many characteristics of the mother was just because he'd been in such close proximity to her for so long.
Another fine pre-genetic principle which I'm sure applies in Glorantha is the "marking" of an unborn child when the mother sees or hears something scary or offbeat.
Joerg Baumgartner sez:
>Both Lodril and Gorgorma are feared by Dara Happan nobility for the
>effects they may produce in a revolt, but Lodril seconds as the
>worker god, so is tolerated. After all, when the Lodril rebels get
>what they asked for, they become tranquil again; Dendara worshippers
>changing to Gorgorma are lost forever, and may only be sold as
>slaves to unsuspecting customers. Yet Gorgorma becomes popular in
>times of trouble. Few people let themselves be abhorred by a a
>strange old man's liver diseases when enjoying their drinks.
This is one of the best discussions of Glorantha magic ecology I've ever seen. Thanks, Joerg.
Brian Dickinson asks:
>I'm confused by the use of the name "trickster" for both Eurmal
>cultists and Nysalor Illuminates.
Strictly speaking, a Nysalor or Gbaji Illuminate is not a trickster. Some of them (the missionary-oriented ones) are termed "riddlers", tho. And the guise of a trickster is probably a handy one for one of these illuminates to use in traveling through foreign lands. It lets you act weird and disobey laws without social disapproval (other than the normal disgust at a trickster's antics). But "trickster" and "riddler" are different entities. Though it is possible for a single person to be both at once, most tricksters are NOT riddlers, and vice-versa.
>Also what is Eurmals relationship to illusions.
The trickster cult teaches all the various Illusion spells, plus some specialty ones of its own. However, you may have to wander far and wide to get 'em all.
Colin Watson takes issue with my slandering of Lunar sorcerers:
>Ok, so a freethinking individual chooses not to toe the cultural
>line - does that make them a Bad Person?
Not necessarily, but certainly it increases the odds. Many folks that decide to turn their back on their normal culture do so because of less-than-worthy reasons.
>I think corrupt cultists are much more common than evil sorcerers.
I think so, too, but I think that the percentage of evil sorcerers is higher than among cultists.
(I slammed the Carmanians, saying they weren't very nice.)
>I'm curious, is this a Relative judgement or absolute statement?
A relative judgment. In the eyes of most Gloranthans, the Carmanians are repressive grasping villains. Obviously there's plenty of kind, caring Carmanians, just like there were no doubt many Nazi party officials who liked dogs and children. But most defenders of Moral Relativism I've met won't go so far as to defend it in regards to the Final Solution.
>Could any culture survive if every member was No Good?
Not a human culture, at least not for more than a generation. But a subset of such a society could keep going indefinitely with every single member being morally repulsive to the majority of folk -- as in the Thuggee sect, or the Tongs in China.
>This may be true, but I don't believe the stereotype you depict
>would be as common as you imply.
Obviously that's up to your own campaign. Not only do I still stand by most of my arguments, but evil Lunar sorcerers being the norm I find more fun for roleplaying in general. I won't let it stop me from introducing a rare kindly Lunar sorcerer, but I like the inverse parallelism between Lunar and Western sorcery. I run most Western wizards as kindly Gandalf/Jolly Friar/Merlin types, with the occasional heartless exception as a fearsome baddie. But in the Lunar Empire, I run most wizards as sinister Necromancers/Dabblers in God's Domain/Mad Scientists, with the occasional exception struggling valiantly to make up for her compatriots' crimes. Since my players do lots of traveling, they get to see both types.
I said:
>Among animals that perform dominance "rape" (at least
>mounting), the animals are able to maintain a friendly relationship
>with one another. The lower-ranked animal sometimes even invites the
>superior to mount, to demonstrate friendliness and subservience.
>This is NOT the case among humans.
MOB replied
>>But "she was asking for it" is often a defense in rape trials...
Surely you don't think this is other than a baldfaced lie? No friendly relationship is maintained, nor did the woman invite the man to rape her (except in highly neurotic cases). The man is, at best, guilty of incompetence at reading interpersonal signals (which abets my argument that humans don't do this, if only incompetents try it), and, at worst, a disgusting weasel trying to wriggle out of having committed a terrible act.
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