Glorantha technology and Glorantha material technology

[MOB]

1 minute ago, Ali the Helering said:

That the felt is of lesser quality is a subjective human judgment. The material has a rougher and more fibrous quality (having been compared to dredlocks) which may well be favoured by some markets, such as the Uz.

 

Just don't ask the Morokanth how they make their surprisingly delicate and soft "kid" gloves...

[David Scott]

Sure, just don’t think they’d use it for felt when the rope is more valuable. Maybe when they’ve got shorter stuff. On one website I remember someone saying the human hair felt produce was ideal as a plant food as it wouldn’t blow away.

http://danelarsen.blogspot.co.uk/2007/03/felting-human-hair.html

Authentic Praxian clothing workshop:

https://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/368112/workshop-felting-with-human-hair

Primitive Tim also shows us how to make a human hair bowstring

 

Edited May 6, 2018 by David Scott

[Psullie]

I was only this past week looking at textiles in Glorantha and figured it would be a major trade item. Cotton for example grows best in hot dry climates, but it's easer to spin into cloth in cool damp climates. I would imagine a massive trade in wool, flax, jute, sisal, canvas (hemp & cotton), both in raw materials and processed fabrics. Not to mention the rapidly expanding shipbuilding industry putting pressure on both cloth and rope makers. Not to mention any native Gloranthan fibres with unique properties. 

[David Scott]

Don’t forget the Guide covers much of this in the trade route section starting on page 468. It lists imports and exports by region.

1 hour ago, Psullie said:

Not to mention the rapidly expanding shipbuilding industry putting pressure on both cloth and rope makers.

Why do you think that the shipbuilding industry is rapidly expanding and in what time period?

The Wolf pirates sink the Holy country fleet, so I would suggest a decline in shipping due to the increased Hero Wars activities.

[soltakss]

49 minutes ago, David Scott said:

Don’t forget the Guide covers much of this in the trade route section starting on page 468. It lists imports and exports by region.

Why do you think that the shipbuilding industry is rapidly expanding and in what time period?

The Wolf pirates sink the Holy country fleet, so I would suggest a decline in shipping due to the increased Hero Wars activities.

After the Opening, shipbuilding increased. Presumably that is still the case.

Surely, the Holy Country would be rebuilding its fleet?

[jajagappa]

16 minutes ago, soltakss said:

Surely, the Holy Country would be rebuilding its fleet?

They will regularly attempt to, but several challenges:

1) no God-king, so no longer a "Holy Country" fleet.  Post-1616 there are pockets of fleets (Nochet, Rhigos, Seapolis, Karse).

2) The Wolf Pirates keep raiding.  From the area activity chart in WF15 p.55, there are pirate raids into the Islands in 1618-19, an invasion in 1620, more raids in 1621, 1623, and 1624, and then another invasion in 1625 (when Harrek sacks the City of Wonders).  The pirates raid Caladraland in 1624 as well.  The main gap marks the period of the Great Winter and when Harrek is off circumnavigating the oceans.  The invasions likely mark major destructions of the Islander's fleet.  Samastina buys off Harrek in 1623-4 when he takes booty from the battle of Pennel and spends it in Nochet.

3) Timber during the Great Winter likely went to keeping people warm, not shipbuilding, so some additional gaps in fleet construction.

 

[Psullie]

3 hours ago, David Scott said:

Don’t forget the Guide covers much of this in the trade route section starting on page 468. It lists imports and exports by region.

Why do you think that the shipbuilding industry is rapidly expanding and in what time period?

The Wolf pirates sink the Holy country fleet, so I would suggest a decline in shipping due to the increased Hero Wars activities.

Trade. It's only been 50 years since the opening and since then, according to the Guide, international sea trade as established - this would require a MASSIVE shift in production and supply chains - even in a magically enhanced world. I'd hazard a guess too that this has yet to peak and that in many areas supply of materials is what's hampering shipbuilding not fear of pirates. Timber, not under Aldryami control, and textiles (sails, rope and cladding) are your main materials. 

The guide info is great but is really just a very brief overview but does highlight the importance of trade and states that heavy shipping lanes see daily traffic - even with an optimistic 60 ships Harrek's fleet would be hard pressed to completely shut down all trade, excepting within the confines of the Mirrorsea. With the loss of the Holy fleet, Esrolia in particular would be very keen to maintain sea routes (as demonstrated by Samastina's ransom payment) as the over land routes are contested - Lunars to the north, Graymane to the west. Nochet would not remain the cosmopolitan metropolis for long with out ships.

As for need: the Wolf Pirates themselves, the Quinpolic League, Pasos Navy ... keeping ships afloat require constant maintenance, repair and replacement of timbers, rigging and sail. 

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, Psullie said:

As for need: the Wolf Pirates themselves, the Quinpolic League, Pasos Navy ... keeping ships afloat require constant maintenance, repair and replacement of timbers, rigging and sail. 

It's quite likely the Wolf Pirates raid to get enough booty to acquire timber.  Caladraland is one source given the fertile, fast-growing lands.  The Fever Trees of Teshnos may be another.  And that may be another good reason for Harrek to conquer Laskal.  

1 hour ago, Psullie said:

as the over land routes are contested - Lunars to the north, Graymane to the west.

1624 sees Greymane's forces destroyed by Harrek, Argrath, et al.  And the Lunars devastated by the Dragonrise in 1625.  

Competition for the Manirian Road becomes the "battleground" between Samastina and the Demivierge of Rhigos.  Nochet controls the access to the riverine route up to Duck Point.  

1616-1624 is the rough period.

[davecake]

On 5/6/2018 at 3:45 PM, Joerg said:

I guess... in my mind, the lowest common denominator between pulses and cereals is "seeds", along with lineseed or sunflower seeds.

Definitions vary - sometimes a grain is a defined as a small, hard seed, sometimes the definition includes 'for human consumption'. Either way, linseed and sunflower seeds are also grains, but not all seeds are grains. 

 

On 5/6/2018 at 3:45 PM, Joerg said:

No objection to royal seats, but my picture of a Doraddi traveling group is that of a few extended families (or huts) with a chief and a council of matrons.

And that is totally correct. Chieftains and kings are sort of orthogonal institutions in some ways - the chieftains are the norm, are all Pamalt cultists, and are usually semi-nomadic. The kings are a lot fewer in number, are associated with a specific territory so pretty sedentary, and are usually also chieftains (but not always). A chieftain is associated with a group of people, a king with a place, and mostly the chieftains make agreements on behalf of their people with the kings.  

 

On 5/6/2018 at 3:45 PM, Joerg said:

This concept of "hereditary" chiefdom comes to me as a surprise. Pamalt is the outsider who became chief by merit, not by blood relation. He had no family or lineage when joining Aleshmara's hut.

Its not strictly hereditary - kings come from certain lineages, but it can be any man from within those lineages, and the women choose which one based on merit. There are similar rules for a few other roles in Doraddi society (often because they are mythically outsider). Pamalt is both Chieftain and King - he is both selected by the people, and has power over the land. 

 

On 5/6/2018 at 3:45 PM, Joerg said:

As the concept of medicine plants, I think most lineages are ancient. Tracing them back to a mother doesn't quite fit the myth of male Dorad being the first person to produce a medicine plant, however. And Sandy spouted some interesting notions how a child of two lineages might belong to a third lineage back in the RQ Daily when presenting some elements of his Pamaltela campaign in the context of discussion of Tales 11.

Yeah, lineages are ancient - I think all of them are descended from the Agi. A modern lineage would probably have to be founded by one of the few remaining Agi choosing, after all this time, to drink water, become mortal, and die. 

 

On 5/6/2018 at 3:45 PM, Joerg said:

I wonder how ecological changes further or threaten these medicine plant habitats, and with what repercussions to their human relations.

There are clearly some lineages that are now very rare. 

On 5/6/2018 at 3:45 PM, Joerg said:

And how much of that persists in Pithdaros or Prax, or north of the Fense mountains in Laskal and Fonrit.

Those are good questions. I suspect in Pithdaros they are carefully cultivated with some difficulty. In Prax they may have died out or may persist at certain oases? 

[Erol of Backford]

I had to add this bit on stirrups, forgive me I am a few years late in joining this forum.

Would High Llama riders use these?

They were banned in my Glorantha for being to ostentations once they became bejeweled and gilding was added. No way are they permitted. (sarcasm intended for effect)