Of the human cultures?

[Paradus hithili]

Greetings everyone

Sorry about posting another question post so soon but I just got into Glorantha and have a surge of questions which would love answering. I'm just a man whom loves learning about lore.

Anyway here's my next curiosity.

I'm currently reading through the second age book and of the worlds history and cultures. One thing though I'm unsure of is the technological level many of these cultures have.

I know the mostali have iron, stone and industrialized tech as does the zistrol culture with magic instead of electricity.

Also that the aldryami are very nature and primative and their tech is based around plants and the like. i.e copper trees.

Plus dragonewts are more bone themed , no metal for them.

But what of the human civilisations, the EWF culture. What tech would they have? medieval, bronze age, primative, iron age etc.
Did they fight with swords, spears, bows, chainmail, horses, guns, cannons etc?

cheers.

 

[simonh]

It's complicated because the availability of materials is different in Glorantha than on Earth, so for example the dominant metal on Glorantha in Bronze and iron is rare, but this is because iron is extremely rare and Bronze is commonly available.

This is very different to earth, where copper and tin deposits are pretty rare, but the metals are relatively simple to extract, whereas iron ore is plentiful on Earth, but the metal is hard to extract.

I'm more familiar with the 3rd age but I'd say that the advanced cultures on Glorantha best approximate to late iron age cultures on earth. Say 1st or 2nd century Rome and China, with some more advanced capabilities due to access to magic and 'advanced' materials or 'alien' technologies such as from the Mostali.

Simon Hibbs

 

[simonh]

Just to clarify a particular point. Glorantha is sometimes described as "Bronze Age" world. That's only true to the extent that the most common metal in use is Bronze, but the rest of their technology and level of social organisation in the most advanced regions is more similar to the late iron age on earth.

Simon Hibbs