Ducks, Dwarves and Broo

[Adept]

Many of my opinions are propably shaped by the fact that I study Ecology. Things have to make at least some sense, and female broo exploding from broo-birth doesn't make sense either biologically or mythically.

 

[Adept]

Next thing the character knows is that he's tied up to a table, has a leather sack over his head.

Thinking about it, he must have been really ugly if even broos have to put a bag over his head!

The mind boggles.

He just had a pretty fearsome reputation as a warrior and a magician = blindfold. Also I'm guessing the clever broo in question was sort of the ultimate S&M pervert, and was trying to make the experience as terrifying as possible.

(I know you were making a joke, but having played it through I must say there is absolutely nothing funny about the experience, even second hand.)

 

[ninthcouncil]

I'm getting some sort of bad Gloranthan music-hall joke coming through here...

I'm not going to say my mother-in-law is ugly, Ernalda bless her, but when the broos raided her village, she survived because they couldn't find a bag to put over her head...

Thankyou. Those vegetables you are throwing will make a tasty stew.

One of these days I may tell you the "How many Yelmalions does it take to change a Light bulb?" joke. I'll have to make it up first, though.

 

[Exubae]

Many of my opinions are propably shaped by the fact that I study Ecology. Things have to make at least some sense, and female broo exploding from broo-birth doesn't make sense either biologically or mythically.

I suspect when the Unholy Trio made their pact with Chaos it pretty much altered the 'biology' of the Broo.
Instead of just being randy goat folk which probably bred with its own species, they gained the ability to 'mate' with other races.

Broo no longer needed the female of the species, in fact Thed rejects females.

Chances are young females are going to be abandon after leaving their host/left to their own devices. the likely hood is females will not rejoin the male Broo society, but live apart gathering power through malia to resist the males.

Those females who are part of broo 'society' are going to be subjected to the lusts of the possibly more powerful males as will the weaker males, ending up as breeding material or food.

Sorry it reads a bit confused, but the general gist is a male dominant society based on physical or magical power - those at the bottom of the pile are ultimately subjected to the dominant in some pretty unpleasant ways. The social order being pushed by their patron Thed, who has no regard for the females.

 

[Voriof]

doublepost

 

[Voriof]

Many of my opinions are propably shaped by the fact that I study Ecology. Things have to make at least some sense, and female broo exploding from broo-birth doesn't make sense either biologically or mythically.

Its been pointed out several times to various people (including you) that Glorantha is a magical world which functions on rules of mythology, not physics and biology. You should know that by now.

Jeff - who is working on his PhD in Environmental Studies

 

[soltakss]

Broo no longer needed the female of the species, in fact Thed rejects females.

[snip]

The social order being pushed by their patron Thed, who has no regard for the females.

Because Thed does not want reminding of her ordeal by having female worshippers.

 

[soltakss]

Many of my opinions are propably shaped by the fact that I study Ecology. Things have to make at least some sense, and female broo exploding from broo-birth doesn't make sense either biologically or mythically.

Well, one death/one birth is sustainable when you have the multiple birthings fathered by male broos. Having an 85%/15% split between the sexes is not biologicaly sustainable. Neither, for that matter, is mating with trees or rocks or dinosaurs.

'Tis magic.

Anyway, I found the story of your little menage a trois with the broos quite funny, actually.

 

[TRose]

Well I dont think this is going to be settled anytime soon, as I dont think many people have ever seen a female Broo give birth in the wild.
And CanBroo females mate with others, well really who would want to? Maybe a Vadeli as they are just as disgusting and evil.
But in Borderlands it does mention a Broo couple in scenario 4(Asha and Qad) And I remember reading in the cult of Malia Couples are common..

 

[Adept]

Many of my opinions are propably shaped by the fact that I study Ecology. Things have to make at least some sense, and female broo exploding from broo-birth doesn't make sense either biologically or mythically.

Its been pointed out several times to various people (including you) that Glorantha is a magical world which functions on rules of mythology, not physics and biology. You should know that by now.

Jeff - who is working on his PhD in Environmental Studies

Sure, but the logic of evolution should hold. Offspring still resemble their parents, and animal breeding is possible. Cause and effect still hold

If you dismiss that, the world becomes so strange a place it's pretty much unplayable.

Intuitive logic, and coherence are also important. Female broo dying of broobirth sounds pretty damn stoopid to me.

 

[StephenT]

Female broo dying of broobirth sounds pretty damn stoopid to me.

Ditto. Broo are twisted creatures of unnatural fertility, who can and will mate with anything... so surely this must apply to all members of the species? I picture a fertile female broo as something like the Queen in Aliens, constantly spawning larvae.

Female broo with ambition who don't want to live like that deliberately render themselves infertile through exposure to Malia's diseases, and seek a different kind of power...

 

[Stewart Stansfield]

I'm getting some sort of bad Gloranthan music-hall joke coming through here...

Whatever shall a broo do,
When faced with such a remarkable hullabaloo?
For it’s so very hard to emote,
When one has the countenance of a goat,
And one’s cousin thrice removed is a ewe!

Whatever shall a broo do;
Why have you tried to fit this hoof inside a shoe?
One’s hide does not entice,
Its fur all grime and lice,
Yet valued as carpet in Matkondu!

Whatever shall a broo do;
Shall he cry, shall he bleat, shall he mew?
For no-one understands,
Quite how his heart demands,
The warmth of affection, just like you!

Whatever shall a broo do,
When greeted with cries of “Shoo! Shoo!”?
It’s so very hard to stay abreast,
Of cultural digest,
When one’s only confidants cry “Mooooo!”

 

[Voriof]

Sure, but the logic of evolution should hold. Offspring still resemble their parents, and animal breeding is possible. Cause and effect still hold

Evolution, in Glorantha is a bit of a non-starter as you should recall from previous discussions.

Such things do happen but they are definitely strange such as the Deer/Wolf war mentioned in Anaxial's Record.

If you dismiss that, the world becomes so strange a place it's pretty much
unplayable.

If you say so. I respectfully wish to disagree. Glorantha is a world composed of Aesop's Fables and Just So stories brought to life. Greg's said things like this on numerous occasions.

Intuitive logic, and coherence are also important. Female broo dying of broobirth sounds pretty damn stoopid to me.

Sounds rather appropos, given what we know of the myths, cults, and the species. Considering their breeding methods, they don't actually NEED females - if you want to bring evolution into it. :roll:

As I said, YGMV. That said, if I'm writing something, I try to stick with what I know of the world - which is what I've done where Thed is concerned. Perhaps you writing something where this is not so might be more to your liking?

Jeff

 

[fruitsoftheforest]

Many of my opinions are propably shaped by the fact that I study Ecology. Things have to make at least some sense, and female broo exploding from broo-birth doesn't make sense either biologically or mythically.

I suspect when the Unholy Trio made their pact with Chaos it pretty much altered the 'biology' of the Broo.
Instead of just being randy goat folk which probably bred with its own species, they gained the ability to 'mate' with other races.

Broo no longer needed the female of the species, in fact Thed rejects females.

Chances are young females are going to be abandon after leaving their host/left to their own devices. the likely hood is females will not rejoin the male Broo society, but live apart gathering power through malia to resist the males.

Those females who are part of broo 'society' are going to be subjected to the lusts of the possibly more powerful males as will the weaker males, ending up as breeding material or food.

Sorry it reads a bit confused, but the general gist is a male dominant society based on physical or magical power - those at the bottom of the pile are ultimately subjected to the dominant in some pretty unpleasant ways. The social order being pushed by their patron Thed, who has no regard for the females.

H'mm OK but I'm not sure about the low status thing - remember Muriah in High Holes? She was hated by her gang because of her infertility but were still prepared to be led by a female - albeit a human. Why didn't Mujabjab and co. simply kill her if they despised females?

 

[soltakss]

Because she was a scary powerful shaman of Mallia and she is effectively immortal. Two good reasons for not killing her.