From: Alex Ferguson (alex@dcs.gla.ac.uk)
Date: Thu 12 May 1994 - 21:23:40 EEST
Nick:
> Glad you liked the write-up, Alex!
Did I say that? Prove it in (libel) court. ;-)
> I agree about Yelmic nobility lording it over racially-distinct Lodrili
> peasants: remember my Von Daniken pastiche ascribing their origins to two
> types of spaceship?
No, did that make it to the Daily? Actually, I'm not sure the groups are so much _racially_ distinct, as culturally divergent. At present I'm somewhat ambivalent between a literal interpretation of GRAY, which suggests Dara Happa as a Yelm-worshipping region since the year dot, and other sources which imply they picked this nasty little habit up during the nomad occupation.
> I'm not sure I did Nick you with Carmanian Kshatriya:
No, not really, I was just struck that our ideas fitted the same 12-word summary, for different and adjacent places. Also attempt at feeble pun.
> try using the three
> cities of the Tripolis as 'caste-functions', Priests (Yuthuppa), Noblemen
> (Raibanth) and Soldiers (Alkoth).
I wasn't really going to use a "Western" style utilitarian caste structure, so much as a mythically arbitrary one. Might come down to much the same thing, though.
> Enjoyed Sandy's piece on old Yelmic nobility fallen into genteel decay. To
> find a Third Age role for them, I borrow from the Romans
Or similarly, the Imperial Nobility in "samurai"-era Japan.
> [..] but the form of the old government is retained in many places, with
> trivial jobs that only Yelmic Nobles can be appointed to (often in the
> municipal government of Dara Happan cities!).
Anyone fancy an "Abolish the GLC" scenario set in Raibanth, starring Yara Aranis as Mrs T.? ;-) All volunteers not to play Not-Sufficiently- Red Ken, take several leagues' terrified flight backwards.
I agree with Nick's picture, and had one or two such idea plotted for yet another of my currently shelved projects...
Martin C:
> Various people have quibbled with my comparison of the above
> three belief systems, and some have even (obliquely) attacked the
> whole idea of comparing Malkionism and Islam.
I'm not sure to what extent this broadside is directed at liitle me, but at any rate, I see no reason not to compare Malkionism with Islam, or with Judaism, or with whatever. And it would indeed be a bit boring if Malkionism ended up being purely a cipher for Christianity in Glorantha, although culturally, the Mediaeval West and the Gloranthan West is the obvious comparisonn to make.
> 1. The development of the doctrine of the Trinity divided the
> early church from at least the time of Justin Martyr (d. 165)
When I commented on the "doctrine of the Trinity", I certainly didn't have in mind "people arguing about the divinity of Christ". I don't think it qualifies as a "dogma" until after Nicea, and I'm not sure it was very soon after, either. (From the Nicean creed to "God is three (distinct) persons" sounds like a bit of a step to me, at least.)
> 2. The doctrine of the Trinity continues to divide Christians
> today.
Yup: I even have a tame(ish) non-Trinitarian Christian in this very department. (Not an Orthodox type, either.)
> Sure, there are many question marks left to fill in.
> Obviously, no Terran missionary religion tried to pigeonhole
> people into a four-caste system.
No? What about the middle-ages, then? (Though in practical terms, the "wizards" fitted into the other three classes, while being supposedly distinct.) Obviously this wasn't "imposed" by the Church, but it certainly co-existed merrily with it.
But when you're looking for an
> analogue to build your vision on, you can look beyond familiar
> Western Christianity.
Sandy:
> I don't think Dormal has a true Secret Power. Just having a
> neato magic is not the same thing as a Secret Power.
Well, what _is_ it, then? Can we have some examples? (Of said power, not just of the deities that have 'em.)
> >the Brithini who procreate also die horribly of old age.
> I don't recall seeing this anywhere.
I half-remember this, but it always sounded fishy to me. My guess is that they have all sorts of caste prohibitions against procreation, but something short of a blanket ban. Something on the lines of one child per couple, under direct orders from your overlord, assorted other stipulations. No other sex, like say, ever.
> Bryan Maloney:
> Thanks for the discussion on genetic homology. I am gratified. As a
> "skin out" kind of biologist, it is useful to have quantitative
> confirmation of what seems obvious from an taxonomical, behavioral,
> and anatomical standpoint.
Which is that taxonomy is a vague hack, right?
> Also, I know that trolls will happily eat zombies, which are
> technically not "dead" even after dismemberment.
I think zombies are technically dead _before_ dismemberment. Maybe, say, Gark zombies may be a marginally different case, but I doubt it.
Alex.
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