Glorantha: Introduction to GloranthaIntroduction to Glorantha Chaos in Glorantha originally published in Runequest (3rd edition) This document is Copyright © 1998 Issaries, Inc. It may be freely linked to, and one copy may be printed for personal use, but any other reproduction by photographic, electronic, or other methods of retrieval, is prohibited. Table of Contents The World of Glorantha Mythology and History Magic and Religion Non-Human Races Chaos in Glorantha The Nature of Chaos Creatures of Chaos Some Chaotic and Evil Gods Chaos in Glorantha The Nature of Chaos Glorantha represents a bubble in an infinity of chaos; order randomly formed. In forming, the world came from disorder to a condition of order. But the Gods War weakened that order, and admitted chaos into the world, where it still exists. Chaos tends to reestablish itself. This tendency threatens the existence of Glorantha and its deities. Though chaos is in itself formless and structureless, mutual corruption of chaos and order occurs at the weakened seams of the world where chaos leaks in. This corruption, like all of Glorantha, is personalized -- embedded and manifested in disgusting, cruel, and evil living things. The living manifestations of chaos naturally parody the kinds of life of Glorantha, since they represent corruptions, perversions, or reorganizations of it. Chaos comes therefore in many forms -- broos, gorps, disease spirits, walktapi, scorpion men, succubi, and so on. Some aspects of chaos steal life force, other aspects break down ways of organizing (such as government and religion), and yet other aspects simply destroy everything possible. Intelligent mortal beings naturally fear obvious forms of chaos. Atrocities against nature are easily recognized. But chaos also includes good, at least according to those who embrace the Lunar religion. Through Illumination they can overcome fear and resist the soul-blasting temptations which their attitude risks. Most Gloranthans do not believe this, however. The battle against chaos is integral to the mythology of Glorantha; without it, the world as it exists is not understandable. For more information on human opinions of Chaos, see: What is Chaos? Creatures of Chaos Broos: Broos are ubiquitous in Glorantha despite drastic efforts to eradicate them. They are a bruise upon the face of the cosmos: a rank chaos species, long since polluted by foul practices. Their parentage is often totally indistinct. Each may differ from his brother, though most which survive are vaguely humanoid. The great majority have horns. Broos are a reliable enemy, never known to be trustworthy or good. It is their heritage to spread disease and to exult in vandalism and destruction. They are brutal beyond words. The less said about them the better off we are. Ogres: Ogres look very human, generally passing for men in all walks of human civilization. They are thought to have originated as a human tribe which took the side of chaos during the Great Darkness. Their teeth are very sharp, and they are known to eat humans and other intelligent creatures. They are also very strong, and often are handsome or beautiful. Scorpion Men: More scorpion than man, they are similar to centaurs, with the chest, arms, and head of a human or other creature, but the abdomen, tail, and rear six legs of a scorpion. They are left over from the Great Darkness, and live in small villages in the high mountains, the Wastes, and chaos pits like Dorastor. Scorpion Men are relatively unintelligent, and so their warbands show a consequent lack of organization. Often the grouping is no more than a dominant mother and her children. They make their living raiding and hiring out to optimistic employers who forget their essentially chaotic nature. For more information on Broos and other Chaotic Creatures, see: What Do You Want? Shut Up! A Personal View of Ogre Culture Some Chaotic and Evil Gods These gods dominate only in smaller places wholly given over to chaos and evil -- Dorastor, the Forest of Disease (in Laskal), or the Acid Lakes of southern Zamokil. Not all the gods noted in this entry are chaotic, but all are usually recognized as evil. Some, like Thanatar and Thed, are wildly frightening and destructive, annihilating those unfortunate enough to meet them, while others (like Gbaji and Ompalam) subtly spread evil. Both continents have worshipers of Malia, Thed, Krarsht, and Thanatar, while Vivamort, Cacodemon, and Nysalor/Gbaji are confined almost entirely to Genertela. Pocharngo, Ikadz, Seseine, Gark, and Ompalam primarily are found in Pamaltela. An Array of Evil Gods Malia: mother of disease Thed: chaos source of the broos, goddess of rape Thanatar: the Severed One, chaos god of headhunters Vivamort: chaos vampire god Krarsht: chaos god of hunger and intrigue Ikadz: god of torture Gbaji: the Deceiver Pocharngo the Mutator: chaos god, the Cosmic Cancer Gark the Calm: chaos god of eternal peace, eternal life, and zombies Ompalam: god of coercion and slavery Cacodemon: chaos god of anarchy and ogres Seseine: chaos goddess of temptation For more information on the Deities of Chaos, see: Pantheons of Glorantha: The Chaos Array Secrets of the Chaos Gods What the Broo Shaman Says Cult of Thed Cult of Malia Eat Your Enemy in Secret Cult of Cacodemon Cult of Bagog Cult of the Crimson Bat [ New Here? | Greg Sez! | Main Page | Product Listing | Coming Events | Cool Links ]
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