styopa Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 A few threads here have mentioned or at least alluded to magical contraception in Glorantha. Is that a thing? Iirc I've never seen actual mention of such a spell, but one presumes that it might not even be magical, it might be herbal, etc. And if so, is it widely available? The implication is that it is...but if so, doesn't that make broo substantially less fearsome? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psullie Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 if I recall Broo don't so much as fertilise rather lay seed like Giger's Alien - no amout of contraception would prevent that. regards to contraception I'd suspect the temple of Uleria has such knowledge, be it herbs and or spells. Giving women control over their own fertility has significant implications for the gender balance of power, something firmly established in Glorantha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHibbs Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 I doubt that birth control is a widespread thing in Glorantha. Cultures with low birth rates tend to lose out to neighbouring cultures with higher ones, historically. Also I just basically doubt that fertility cults have anti-fertility measures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 Given the Kudos attached to motherhood, I can see some cultures widely viewing contraception as anathema. That's not to say you have to go the the Ernalda Priestess for a Reproduce casting as soon as you can walk after your last parturition, but someone with a high/dominant Fertility rune would probably not even really consider contraception as much of an option, I feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boztakang Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 Deliberate, active birth control seems largely out of place in my Glorantha. However, I also think that "accidental" pregnancy is quite rare despite that. Purely "recreational" sex will clearly not have the same fertility rate as a properly celebrated procreational union. There is also the issue that for every fertility-rune priestess popping out sprogs by the cart-load, there is a death-rune Humakti moping about dampening everyones desires and possibly even causing miscarriage if allowed too close or present for too long near a pregnant woman. IMO, a typical Vingan would need to do some special worship in the earth temple to have more than a vanishingly small chance of getting pregnant from a chance encounter. No birth control required at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHibbs Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 8 hours ago, boztakang said: IMO, a typical Vingan would need to do some special worship in the earth temple to have more than a vanishingly small chance of getting pregnant from a chance encounter. No birth control required at all. A high Death rune certainly works as a contraceptive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 9 hours ago, boztakang said: IMO, a typical Vingan would need to do some special worship in the earth temple to have more than a vanishingly small chance of getting pregnant from a chance encounter. No birth control required at all. Given the prevalence of Ernalda Initiates in Orlanthi culture, I don't think it'd be much more than a small favour needed to get a kinswoman to cast Reproduce. Only a bit of praying... maybe the equivalent of "10 Hail Mary's and a good act of contrition", just for form's sake. And even then, only if their Death Rune was significantly higher than their Fertility Rune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 1 hour ago, PhilHibbs said: A high Death rune certainly works as a contraceptive. Which would make Humakti the ideal partners for casual sex... I wouldn't bet on the presence of Death preventing the formation of new life, though. Too many rites have the application of Death to ensure new Life - plowing the fields, for instance. Death creates a clean slate, and allows for new Life to form in its wake. Quote Telling how it is excessive verbis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenMcG Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 I knew there was a reason I prefer playing Humakti!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styopa Posted September 27, 2018 Author Share Posted September 27, 2018 1 hour ago, StephenMcG said: I knew there was a reason I prefer playing Humakti!! 4 hours ago, Joerg said: Which would make Humakti the ideal partners for casual sex... I wouldn't bet on the presence of Death preventing the formation of new life, though. Too many rites have the application of Death to ensure new Life - plowing the fields, for instance. Death creates a clean slate, and allows for new Life to form in its wake. Maybe the humakti sword rune should point upward? 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zozotroll Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, styopa said: Maybe the humakti sword rune should point upward? Bad Player, bad! No biscuit for you! Edited September 27, 2018 by Zozotroll 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boztakang Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 8 hours ago, styopa said: Maybe the humakti sword rune should point upward? Zorak Zoran famously mocks Humakt for holding his death rune backwards... (perhaps adding onanism to necromancy and disobedience on his list of sins against the Great Mother?) ((and... that's as far in that direction as I care to speculate)) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brootse Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Humaktis having sex with partners of the opposite sex is probably something that their god doesn't view favourably, but having sex with partners of the same sex is highly encouraged, because it creates strong bonds between warriors. Just like in the Sacred Band of Thebes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 37 minutes ago, Brootse said: Humaktis having sex with partners of the opposite sex is probably something that their god doesn't view favourably, but having sex with partners of the same sex is highly encouraged, because it creates strong bonds between warriors. Just like in the Sacred Band of Thebes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes Or (rumored, slandered) the Jomsvikings. This is definitely down Orlanth's alley, but then the Orlanthi are awefully huggy, kissing each other and all that already in perfectly straight male fashion (and Vingans are, too - witness Kallyr's blustery behavior in Sartar High Council, why stop there?). For some reason, the Humakti appear to have distanced themselves from that. A boys' night out with shared lays or just shared "partying" might create about as much bonding, At least that's what squads reportedly do nowadays. As for phallic symbolism, a sword's handle might have both the right shape and dimensions. Get a grip.... Quote Telling how it is excessive verbis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHibbs Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 49 minutes ago, Brootse said: Humaktis having sex with partners of the opposite sex is probably something that their god doesn't view favourably, but having sex with partners of the same sex is highly encouraged, because it creates strong bonds between warriors. Unless the other Humakti is of the opposite sex, of course. Maybe some Humakti sever the connection to their gender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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