From: Peter J. Whitelaw (100102.3001@CompuServe.COM)
Date: Wed 25 May 1994 - 02:37:08 EEST
S. Phillips says:
>It is really bringing out the worst in everyone.
>Myself included. (see the above and the below)
>But if you *want* an argument...
>For a start
You're quite right of course. I rather suspect that I should bite my keyboard and count to ten before replying to postings but, what the heck, it's more fun this way.
It does occur though that by discussing this ruddy subject we are guilty of 'scholarly' digression ourselves. Arrrgghhh. Just so long as we, none of us, take ourselves too seriously...
At the end of the day there are no gamers or scholars, I suppose, just different perceptions about the best way to 'explore' Glorantha. So long as we all try to be tolerant of one another's viewpoints then I am sure that this can be a harmonious and productive forum.
Has anyone ever noticed how few questions ever get answered here? Sometimes the Daily seems to me rather like a group of acquaintances standing in a circle and all trying to shout their views louder than everyone else rather than a group of friends discussing a subject dear to all their hearts. When I joined the Daily I posted a 'Hi I'm new here, hello' kind of message. any replies? Not one. Someone else asked about the Gagarthi (Chris someone) did he get any answers? Not one. I asked if anyone wanted me to post a load of non-Gloranthan material for your perusal, delectation, comment or even dismissal. But one lonely reply.
I ask again:
I HAVE SOME NON-GLORANTHAN CAMPAIGN NOTES ON DISK FROM A FRIEND'S CAMPAIGN.
CULTURES/SOCIEITES/GODS ETC. DO YOU WANT TO SEE THEM OR NOT?
S.Phillips quotes me: (gee, thanks for reading it)
>>Well yes Nick, they do but I thought that this was the _RQ_Digest. ;-)
>
>Hmm! This may be a bit obvious, but..
>
>>X-RQ-ID: Intro
>>This is the RuneQuest Daily Bulletin, a mailing list on
>>the subjects of Avalon Hill's RPG *and* Greg Stafford's
>>world of Glorantha. ^^^^^
>
>And would you have found it if it was the RQ&G_Digest or just the G_Digest?
>"Nya!" to *you* for a start.
OK it's a fair cop. You got me banged to rights there 'n no mistake. Although to answer your question, yes because a fellow RQ'er told me about it. Nya.<g>
Devin asks about campaigns. Well for what it's worth, I do not consider myself a Gloranthan expert by any manner of means (although I know more than my players, which is all that one needs to know IMHO) but my current campaign, set in Prax (yeah, OK cop out, I know), is very much in the non-heroic mould. In fact in 13 or so years of RQ we have only ever had, IIRC, one character qualify for Rune level. Mortality is obviously a factor but we tend to prefer a grittier, harsher, lower-key style. Of course, this is purely a matter of taste.
To be honest I would be the first to admit that by playing RQ/Glorantha at this level we are probably not doing justice to the richness of its mythology or its breadth. We tend to busy ourselves with the dynamics of the clan and the inter-personal raltionships of its members (the party are members of a small Zebra clan that lives a traditional Beast rider lifestyle on the plains) rather than global events. Being the products of an ancient tradition the party are only interested in other cultures only inasmuch as to how they might exploit them. They have enough trouble understanding why those crazy Sun Domers ruin perfectly good grazing land by planting weeds on it without wondering what lies beyond the sea (which they have never seen anyway). They get just as much satisfaction from putting one over on the Storm Bulls as they would from solving some great riddle. And, despite some fairly intense play and the level of experience that they are beginning to achieve the are still more interested in getting their hands on a fine beast than a purse full of gold. Their main concern at the moment is that the sister of one of the party, having given herself to the Storm Khan to lessen his well-deserved ire at their nominal (but, nonetheless young and inept) leader has found herself with child as a result of this union and has been cast out of the clan (at the Storm Khan's insistence [he mat be tough but he ain't stupid]) for the shame she has brought on her guardians. How to find this sister? Is she still alive? What of the child? Can they avenge her honour against the Storm Khan? The horns ('scuse the pun) of a dilemma.
Like I said, low-key but we find so much potential in the knots that social groups can tie themselves into we have found little need to range far and wide.
All the best,
Peter :-%
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