From: Alex Ferguson (alex@dcs.gla.ac.uk)
Date: Sat 04 Jun 1994 - 12:41:16 EEST
John "XXXX" Hughes:
> I like to imagine Digest discussions as occurring late-night in some
> boisterous Gloranthan pub - for me it conveys the right tone to the healthy
> disagreements and constructive arguments that are our flatbread and cheese.
The Net Inn, perhap? (Geddit?)
> Chaosium Trickster Write-Up:
> "THE FIREBRINGER: many people agree that Trickster, in one form or another,
> stole fire from the darkness. Among the Pentans he was Raven, in Pamaltela he
> was Hare, and for the Theyalans he was a Lightbringer. "
While contrariwise, the Dara Happans certainly don't.
> ** Trickster is certainly a murderer.
>
> * <thwap!> ;-) We were debating whether _Eurmal_ is a Murderer, not
> * whether _some_ Trickster aspect is, which is somewhat evident from
> * GoG. (Though my vote was "yes", anyway.)
> Ouch! :-[. Sorry. Our difference is that I regard Eurmal, like Bolongo, as a
> definite 'mask', and the Trickster as a unitary universal manifestation
> despite local variations. Yes, I know you can argue that for all the gods,
> but the Chaosium cult write-up gives Trickster special emphasis in this regard.
This has some basis; all societies need tricksters, as someone once said. This doesn't (necessarily) mean that all are literally one (set of) aspect(s) of the same God, in full-blown GLerish sense. Though then again, maybe they are. And even if they are, it _still_ doesn't answer the question of whether Eurmal is worshipped/recognised as embodying the Murderer side of Pan- Trickster. Or to put it at its mundanest: Is there a shrine to Where Did You Get that Sword, Eurmal? Put it Back at Once! anywhere in the Barbarian Belt?
> SANDY'S DORADDI LINEAGES
> What you are suggesting seems to be a cognitive (unilateral) descent group
> with matralineal bias, and negative marriage rules according to a lineage or
> section system. Sectional systems are fairly common in SE Asia and
> ahem, :-), Australia, but they usually need to operate ON TOP OF an existing
> patralineal or matralineal system.
Eh? If I understand this, you just said that Sandy's non-matrilineal must, in fact, be matrilineal. Or perhaps that it must have arisen as a modification of a matrilineal one. I'm further confused by not being sure if we're discussing whether they are compatible As Is, or whether they could have arisen from a common system over a non-huge time period.
> Because of this, I believe my article, the
> Pamalt Book and your suggestions are all ultimately compatible. (Not that I'm
> too worried, even among the Doraddi I believe there are HUNDREDS of different
> kinship systems.
Now this I heartily agree with. While major differences, such as departure from the elder/younger-husband/wife scheme, or the generally "`matriarchal'" nature are unlikely, the detailed "rules" of kinship and marriage can vary merrily from tribe to tribe. Even, to a lesser extent, from clan to clan. "Needlefruit folk passing strange. Crucial role of guidefather's cousin in coming-of-age ceremony completely overlooked by them. However, many fine young potential husbands, my daughter."
> Henk, what's happened to my Digest posting on the Alda-Chur fertility
> festival? Have you been busy, or is my mail server mucking me around?
All those who think Henk's nodded off say "Oi!".
Nick de Brooke:
> ________________
> Graeme Lindsell:
> > I've never seen any reference to Hrestol being executed, much less how
> > he died - can you point me to one?
> Well, looks like my theory's the only one in town, and seems to plug a hole
> in the mythos. As I said, there's no supporting evidence for *any* part of
> the hypothesis. Take it or leave it.
I'm inclined to leave this one, myself. Perhaps Hrestol lived on until a ripe old age, bequeathing stewardship of Malkiondom to his appointed successor:- the identity of whom about six factions simultaneously disagreed about. What's the hole that needs to be plugged, exactly?
Hrestol as Christ: just say Ick.
> >> ... an all-Yelmalion party making up a half-file of Sun Dome militia.
> > ... or some Herisarchary such as Multiple Characters Per Player?
> Retro me Satanus! Fie, oh fie! Why, the very notion!
Mind you, I suppose it should be borne in mind they _are_ Yelmalions. If ever the phrase "If two people agreed on everything, one of them would be redundant" applied on a mass scale...
Alex.
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