Re: Resources thoughts
A few thoughts about Michael’s thoughts.
- I’m pretty sure the Heortling don’t know potatoes.
I’m a big potatoe fan, so I’d love it if they did, but
there has been no mention of them so far, and taters
tend to quickly become a staple crop given their high
yield, and we know the Heortling’s staple crops are
grains. I would expect other root vegetables though,
like turnips and perhaps carrots and parsnips.
- I recall hearing of the studies of a british
nutritionist, from during the second world war, who
figured that we could get everything we needed to
survive from bread, cabbage, and milk. Translate that
to “grains, cabbage, and dairy products” and that
probably is the bulk of the Heortling diet. Obviously
they crave meat and sweets and variety, but I suspect
that the Ernaldans (who largely control those three
food sources) try to make sure that there is always
enough of that trinity, no matter the men do.
- The Heotlings have been around these regions for
long enough, and have gone through sufficiently bad
time (i.e. the darkness), that they no doubt have a
wide range of back-up source of nutrition. The know
what tea bark to boil when there are no vegetables,
they know to gather not just acorns but other less
appealing wild food, and so on. So while I agree we
should make sure that they have access to a reasonable
and balanced diet, if what we come up with seems a
little marginal in some areas, we can probably trust
them to know how to scrape by when things get tough.
- What are their sources of fat? Obviously animals
provide quite a bit of it (from milk and from the
meat). Michael mentions linseed oil from flax. Do
they grow any other oil seeds? I'd say sunflowers,
but I think mythically they wouldn't fit. Some fish
species are quite rich, although not particularly the
ones I'd expect in a quick flowing river deep
inland....but we can always make Glorantha a little
different (smoked Goldeye--yum!). This matters
because you both need dietary fat and something to
make candles or to burn in lamps.
- What about salt? It sure is helpful in preserving
food, although somehow I don't see the Heortlings
preserving things in brine or making salted fish.
Obviously it is important for taste too. I'd imagine
a decent salt source would be an important
resource....so for this not so important stead, I'd
think they'd import it. That sound right to people?
--Bryan
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: Thu 18 Sep 2003 - 23:02:23 EEST