jeffjerwin

Giants are mythically very good at building things. As they are in Glorantha... I mean, 'Aedin's Wall'. Nonetheless, I would apply substantial penalties to making things significantly smaller then themselves...

The Erwin Corollary: Don't be afraid to let your players create or add to Glorantha. Even small personal touches they provide will take your campaign in interesting and unexpected directions. Answer their questions in a way that rewards their curiosity. Make their inclinations and their interests within the story part of your shared experience. Do not be confounded, be free.

Thanks (I've deleted these if anyone's looking). Evaluating whether runes are hereditary now... I always kinda assumed they were partially, though circumstances of a person's birth and life were possibly more important. Now, if somebody's grandfather was a famous troublemaker, that may have reputation-based effects...

The Orldaging War (1565-1577) (note there are some lacunae where I simply don't have the information. The outlawry of King Penterest is a surmise). Participating Homelands: Sartar, Hendrikiland, Sun Dome. Initially only the Malani and the Colymar took part, but the Lismelder, Balmyr and Locaem (and some ducks) participated in the outlaw hunt of King Penterest. Sun Domers and veterans of the Trollkiller wars were in the King’s war band. The was the twelve-year-long war against the Malani led by the two Colymar kings who were children of Orldag Antorling the Storm Voice. In c.1570 the king of the Malani was slain, but Umathkar was slain in battle in 1573; her brother Penterest carried on the feud for four more years until King Tarkalor intervened in 1577, when Penterest was killed. The cause of the feud was […], but the Malani had always hated the Colymar since the Orlkarl Tribute in 1325. The Malani were always touchy. Despite all this Tarkalor ruled against the Colymar, mainly because they did not make peace. He ordered the neighboring tribes to gather their fyrd (excluding the Malani, because he did not want reprisals) and declared king Penterest an outlaw. If your character is a member of the Colymar clan, your ancestor probably fought against the Malani and King Tarkalor. Otherwise they fought for their opponents. Modifiers: +8 if Colymar, Malani; +5 if Lismelder, Locaem, Balmyr, Sun Domer 1-12 You ancestor avoided the perils of bloodfeud and played no role in this event, perhaps moving to a safer area. People called them the ‘Prudent’ or the ‘Coward’ after that if they were in one of the warring tribes. If they were not Colymar or Malani, nobody cares. 13-15 Your ancestor died for other reasons (perhaps peripherally related). Roll on the Random Death Table. 16-18 Your ancestor became entangled in this conflict. Roll on the Events table. 19-20 Your ancestor was one of the Colymar or Malani slain in the initial troubles. They never lived to see the war break out, but you have a Hate (opposing tribe) Passion anyway. If your ancestor belonged to a different tribe, they were killed while they were visiting, or roll on the Random Death table. Events (+5 if non-Colymar or non-Malani) 1-5 Your ancestor died in the raid that culminated in the death of King […] of the Malani. Reputation +1d3%, gain Hate (opposing tribe). 6-8 Your ancestor fought in the feud, but respected Tarkalor’s edict, and laid down their arms, or they were neutral and served in the peace delegations. Gain Harmony +5%. 9-14 When Umathkar was slain, your ancestor was there. Add +1d3 Reputation. 15-17 Your ancestor took up arms in the final part of the war, after Penterest was outlawed, and a peace imposed. If you are Colymar gain Disorder rune +5%. If your ancestor was one of those who joined Tarkalor’s forces, gain Hate (Outlaws). 18-20 Your ancestor helped kill King Penterest. Gain Loyalty (House of Sartar), Reputation +1d3%

Women are likely to use contraception, as much as fertility enhancements. Pregnancy isn't very convenient or comfortable no matter the magic, and Ernalda asks that her initiates be mothers, not brood hens.

Nah, just proper magic contraception. And perhaps more frequent crop disasters too? If you screw up the magic, the crop's going to be terrible. I think the ordinary result = effective magic, not sans magic.

Perhaps we ought to say, both things need to be taken seriously, and setting unrealistic standards for either is probably not a good idea. There are plenty of teenagers who are profoundly misinformed about bodies and sex. I do not intend to for my kid to learn about these things with no guidance whatsoever and particularly not from pornography. I also want my kid to know how to defend herself. We are confronted with our bodies and sexuality more frequently than we are confronted with dangerous violence (I hope). Being afraid of sexuality or naked bodies leads to problems, including violence. In Glorantha, this is also true. The game makes the world seem like it's pretty much a place of constant violent death, but that's in part because of who the characters are, not how the world is. In any case, nudity is not pornography, no more than depictions of violence are necessarily incitements to violence or lies about its nature. Glorantha has always had a more realistic view of injury and death (even with all its mythology) than other games.

Slavery was definitely the primary concern of the South in the Civil War. It's the primary reason they rebelled and was the cornerstone of their economy. Slavery is also the cornerstone of Ergershi style agriculture, which is the chattel style of slavery that Hendrik abhors. However, as ex-Kitori, there's also the traditional fraught relationship between the Hendriki and the Darkness people. During the Trollkiller wars, the Hendriki were rebelling against Kitori rule. Now, however, they may be in a place where conflict is inevitable. Hendrik allied with his old foes, the Kitori, to ambush and temporarily kill the Iron Vrok. I foresee violence.

In the spirit of YGMV, I should note that the cover of the most recent edition of King of Sartar clearly traces an Air rune over Kethaela and Dragon Pass... and there the Vent is Empty Mountain -- i.e., it is inverted from my interpretation. However... One could argue that Umath and Asrelia always have a sort of whirling geographical continuity. They are dancing. The route from Dini to Kero Fin follows the southwest opened rune and the route from Kero Fin to Orlanth Victorious (and Death/Lightbringing) follows the northeast opening rune. Hence when it has spun a full cycle, Orlanth emerges to cross the universe again.

They revive the name and presumably the wyter of an older clan/tribe. However, they can be seen in the tribal map in RQ:G. Since the Sylangi and the Kultain both were subject to severe reprisals under Lunar rule, it's probable they found a common ancestor and made a new tribe (which would be a good story). Quite probably in c.1622-4 after the Great Winter and becoming a full tribe on Broyan's return. Here's their earlier incarnation: http://glorantha.wikia.com/wiki/Olontongi Hendrik the Free is the founder of the Hendriki, and was a glorified bandit and freer of slaves. The new tribe would have hunting, raiding, and gathering traditions rather than a settled capital - in fact the clan chief probably moves around the tula in a tent, and no intensive agriculture. Very different from the Esrolians. Almost certainly quarreling with the Yelmalions who are slave-holding agriculturalists who represent their ancient enemies, or those of Hendrik, anyway.

Esjenen, the First Land! Well that makes sense... Destor Hills are right beside the tula, and Destor is the son of Varanorlanth...

One of my more distant ancestors had sixteen children and married four times. He was rather old when his youngest was born, but his (third) wife was not.

Glorantha is not a prudish game in terms of its stories, let alone its artwork (this has has always been the case, particularly in Wyrms Footnotes). I raised my daughter to have less hang ups than I did, and let her look through the rulebooks. Of course I am an artist and historian and have many books on religion, mythology, and art, all filled with non-pornographic nudity. None of the women I game with have criticised the art and I know them well enough that I would expect criticism if they were worried about it; they are, however, artists, professors, and writers, so I think art from or representing ancient cultures is no biggie. I think the new art is substantially less lurid than 1st edition D&D or older issues of White Dwarf, or, really, RQ1 and RQ2. A medieval illuminated bible would have about the same amount of nudity in it. Of course there may be a simple fix to the pdfs at least of making them imageless but I'm not quite sure how to implement that.

I saw these roughly centered over where the clan tula in my game is in one of the maps in the Book of Heortling Mythology (p.62) - the Volsaxi/Whitewall area. Can anyone help me identify them? The first seems to be Velhara, the Lady of the Wild (which could mean it is nearby Beast Valley). That rune is also used by Gavren, her son (the Gavrenings are the clan I'm detailing). The second resembles both Vela the matchmaker and the hearth rune (and Gustbran) so I suspect it has to do with marriage/home. I also have found it in the apparently meaningless collections of runes decorating the Thunder Rebels and Storm Tribe books.

Well, drifting back a bit from that allows you to play a more mature character in the 1610s, as well. And, for the second part, I suppose we could! I'm trying to post a new entry every other day or so but I am only one man. If anyone wants to throw in a few entries, it would be marvelous.

I'll fix that in the next revision.

Orlanth's brothers represent a purely masculine culture - the culture of violent youth - not married stability. They are the part of him that 'leaves' when he becomes a father. Some come back to live nearby.

Secret shrines are mentioned in the new GM Kit. Some families still keep to the new ways...

PS. Comments, suggestions, critiques, revisions, and discussion are all welcome.

I suspect there's a part about visiting his mother and asking for help as well. There are a few more sisters that Orlanth has to talk to, and the part where he makes his promises.

Gavrening Orlanth and Ernalda story (incomplete) [This story immediately follows a version of ‘How Orlanth Met Ernalda’ (http://www.glorantha.com/docs/how-orlanth-met-ernalda/). The Gavrenings are a Yinkini clan and therefore their ‘grandfather’ and their attitudes about men and women play a large role.] Orlanth became silly with love, like Men do. But he was not her husband, after a few nights he walked home. He saw the many women of the Earth watching him and they seemed bemused. When Orlanth reached the Wind Stead, he asked his brothers what he should do. They were wrestling in the barren courtyard. Humath said that love is weakness, and he should not be governed by it. Orlanth said he would not have faced the Emperor without love. Urox said ‘You must use violence to drive away the other suitors’ The Other Brother said ‘You must hurt her and force her’ Vadrus said ‘You must seize her, and hold her captive’ Orlanth said that is what the Emperor had done. He wanted her to smile at him, again. Kolat said ‘Only by bargaining can you get what you want’ Orlanth did not know what he wanted, and while intimacy was a kind of bargain, it was also something that was bigger when it was fairly apportioned. He told his kinfolk that he had written poems, had shown her his feats of strength, and he had freed her from her bad husband. But she went back to her mother and her sisters and would not live with him. He wondered if she wanted him to carry her away. No one paid any further attention except the alynx and the one who was there only when the elder brothers were not. Yinkin stared at his brother. ‘That is not how you woo a woman’. Orlanth paused, though the elder brothers were making a lot of noise, and stopped to listen. Yinkin said, ‘You must braid your hair and oil your skin. You must be clever and graceful and let her come and go when she wants to. When you get restless, you must slip away, so she is happy to see you later. Never give promises.’ Brastalos said to her brother. ‘You are moving too quickly.’ She was the quietest of the children of Storm. ‘You must allow her to woo you, also’. The next time that Orlanth came to Dini he decided to ask the women there how to woo their sister. He let Yinkin fix his unruly hair, and wore a tunic of fine died wool. The first person he met at the Earth stead was Maran, who was dancing. ‘What do you want?’ she said. ‘I am looking for your sister,’ said Niskis. Maran looked him up and down. ‘Always men coming to see her. So many useless gifts!’ Niskis hid his surprise. ‘A gift?’ ‘She likes them, maybe because they are so much trouble,’ said the dancing girl. She went back to what she was doing. The next person he met was […] […] Orlanth sat with Vela and told her why he was sad. ‘I have made myself beautiful for her, as my brother said. I have shown her my strength, and my desire. I have sung my poem to her, but she has many suitors, and they glitter, and they are strong, and they are older and surer. She has stolen my heart, but it is only a prize to her.’ Vela listened to Niskis and took pity on him. ‘Don’t be so sure.’ The breeze picked up. Vela said, ‘It is not the same thing to be a lover as it is to be a partner. Sex is easy but marriage is hard. The Earth has many lovers, and she is older than the Air, but… her heart is not of stone…’ ‘Husband?’ ‘The one who helps when there is trouble. The one who cradles the crying child, who rides out into the night and thunder, who reassures by always coming home.’ ‘Not like my brother’. ‘No, though he is delightsome,’ said Vela. [...] Orlanth did the […] dance. This time he looked at Ernalda, and caught her eye. He saw that she was smiling, and he kept dancing. Golden Harono made a golden laugh. But Ernalda was watching her lover. Orlanth brought his black ram. ‘He makes the best wool,’ he explained: ‘he is strong and watchful, and he drives away bad things. He covers the ewes and makes many delightful lambs. I have raised him from when he first pranced on the green earth, and I am proud.’ ‘It is yours’. Orlanth said he was lonely. ‘There are few women among us, and I want to keep hearth with one. There is only one whom I be so foolish for, and it is, you Great Queen. I rove and strive across the sky for you. Come and see my house. It is not so grand as this, but it has many pastures, and a sturdy roof.’ Ernalda said she would stay with him a season, in his house. Orlanth felt great joy. There was a roll of thunder. He offered to carry her, but she preferred to walk. His brothers were astonished at what he had done. They threw stones at the house and kept up a racket to try to drive away the woman. Yinkin said that Orlanth had made promises – ‘like he always does’ – and this would end badly ‘like it always does’. Brastalos was inscrutable. When the season was over, Ernalda made ready to go. ‘Surely you can stay longer’ said Orlanth. ‘I have my house and sisters,’ said Ernalda. She kissed him and went to walk to Dini. Orlanth ran down to the gate. ‘Stop!’ Ernalda slowed but did not stop. ‘You are enough, but your brothers do not love me. I have too many sisters and too many cousins whom I love there. When I am here, I am lonely when you are running in the fields. When I am here, the quiet wind, she judges me. I spin the wool and look south, where my heart is also. Surely you do not think my heart is made of stone.’ Orlanth stood in front of the gate. ‘Maybe Vadrus is right and I should keep you.’ Ernalda touched her belly. ‘My breath, you have given me something I need women’s help for. Soon there will be another god in the Earth’ Orlanth was taken aback. He touched her where she rested her hand. ‘I feel the hammering of his heart’. ‘He wants to be born’. Orlanth looked at his year-wife. ‘Let Barntar be born here, by our hearth. I will fetch your women’. He asked Yinkin to keep his wife company while he flew to the Green Land. Yinkin looked at the Green Woman. ‘Now this house will be full of women.’ He smiled. ‘Perhaps promises are all right’. Orlanth appeared soon after with his wife’s women. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ he said excitedly. They had him go to Heler for some water. There was a great trembling in the stead. This was the Earth giving birth. Maran did the ‘Labor Song’ with her sister. Asrelia was there, crowded into the room. When Barntar crowned, he shrieked. Then he took a gulp of air. ‘He is my son!’ said Orlanth. The last bit of doubt was gone. Afterwards Orlanth asked Ernalda if he could stay and help. He wanted to hold his son. That is when Ernalda said she would stay, after all. Many of her kin did too, but Orlanth’s brothers left. There were too many women, they said.

I keep coming across references in the HeroWars books to Orlanth's wooing of Ernalda which depicts it as a positive, mutual thing (like the first myth I cited a bit back - "How Orlanth Met Ernalda'). Perhaps the RW myth we're discussing is not the version that Balanced (and obviously, Peace) Clans have, and it's a feature of Air-heavy, War-oriented groups. I say substitute a new, alternate myth, possibly one that interrogates this one. The older one is likely to be challenged by members of Earth/Balanced clans. Edit: I'll write it if no one else wants to. I need a functional 'Balanced Clan' story to tell at the marriage scenario I have planned anyway. I'll post the first draft tomorrow.

I noticed that the Vinga myths in Storm Tribe include leading a mass slave escape. Since Vinga can basically be spontaneously initiated to by an (Orlanthi) Earth cultist who suffers a severe enough trauma, this may make things dicey for the Lunars. Apparently she's not very common as a cult or mystery in Peloria, so they may be caught by surprise...

It occurred to me while reading Storm Tribe that the rivalry between Elmal and Vinga might underlie some of the trouble among Elmali clans. Vinga membership tends to increase during periods of violence and strife, such as those running between c.1530 and 1550 in Sartar, Tarsh, and the Far Place, because that is when women tend to become Red Women. If this was happening, there would be both mythic and social reasons for the Elmali to become sidelined.

This of course opens up a rescue being modeled on a hero quest into Hell/the Lands of Dead, because the quest would 'bring back to life' the captive. Ikadz the Torturer is a hell-spirit in Peloria connected to slavery; this would also suggest that the 'dead' city of Alkoth consists of Shargrash's slaves. Shargrash could also 'take' a person and thus make them dead/a slave.