From: drcheng@sales.GBA.NYU.EDU (David R Cheng)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: The Relation of the Red Goddess and Orlanth
Keywords: runequest,rq,gods
Date: 8 Jan 93 23:32:26 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

In article <cluther.726525471@morticia> cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu (Clay Luther) writes:>
>A related question then, on the moral position of the Lunar Empire and how
>it is interpreted by various GMs.
>
>Realizing that not everything in Glorantha is uncluttered black and white, do
>you play the LE as
>
>1) The source of all evil, corrupting and destructive.
>2) A source of civilization, but still evil.
>3) A source of civilization, but just misunderstood by the primitive people
>it tries to enlighten.
>4) A decadent civilization that is neither good nor evil, but only hungry
>for land and energy to propel its obese government.
>5) A force for change for the better.
>6) A force for change for the worse.
>7) A force for change that is neither better nor worse, just different.
>
>These are all my opinions of twhat the LE could be.  Discussion is 
>appreciated.
> 
>Clay Luther
>cluther@morticia.cnns.unt.edu

Personally, I lean toward "2) A source of civilization, but still evil."

With reservations, because "evil" is a subjective thing.


This brings to mind a conversation I overhead at Convulsion.  A guy
(I'll never remember his name, but he was playing the head Etyries
merchant in the big game) had this observation (paraphrase):

"Non-civilized cultures are not sophisticated enough to comprehend
that their point of view may not be the correct one, if they even 
acknowledge other points of view at all.

For example, a Sartarite, who has yet to be exposed to Lunar missionaries,
fights the Lunars because they are the invaders, the enemy.  There is
no question about this.

Civilized cultures, like the Lunar Empire, can comprehend that 
peoples they encounter do indeed have other viewpoints, and they
might be just as valid as the Lunar way.  Perhaps this is why
the Goddess accepts any who wish to join her.

A Lunar officer may well understand that his Sartarite foe has a
different perspective on why the Lunars are in Sartar.  It probably
won't stop him from hitting the barbarian with his scimitar, but
he does have the openmindedness to see the 'bigger picture.'"


I apologize for my poor memory and transcription.  I don't think
I'm doing his original idea justice in my retelling.  I do 
remember thinking "wow, that's a neat insight" when he said
it, however.


Other points:

Loren: where does it say that the Black Horse Troop is associated
       with Chaos?

Maurice: Orlanth is one of _the_ major gods of Glorantha.  Even if all
         his temples were razed, he would still exert strong influence
      	 on the world.  He wouldn't have lots of worshippers, with 
	 swords and all, but he would not be impotent.  There is some
	 text somewhere that lists (one version) of the ten (?)
	 most important deities in the world.  If any one of them were
	 to disappear, the world as we know it would cease to exist.
	 From memory: Orlanth, Chalana Arroy, Humakt, Magasta, Kyger
	 Litor, Yelm, Pamalt, Trickster, ...


Yelm and Chaos:

Why are the light worshippers so accepting of chaos?  First they 
make Gbaji, and then they support this Red Goddess woman...

Remember, Yelm did not suffer one bit at the hands of Chaos.  He
was safe in Hell during the whole of the Greater Darkness.

-David Cheng
 drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc