[Glorantha] Elementals

[Mikko Rintasaari]

I've been wondering what the various kinds of elementals should be like in
Glorantha. I'm familiar with the RQ2 / RQ3 / HW / HQ descriptions, but I'm
trying to figure out a more coherent version.

[In RQ-2 the elementals were basically humanoid-shaped, quite stoopid, but
at least they had intelligence. The shade was unique, since it was a
"tall, cloaked human figure in a pool of shadow. In RQ-3 all elementals
were just a given volume of of the element, like a shade being basically a
sphere of darkness]

The elementals come in three flavours, daemon, spirit and essence.

* Essenses are propably the easiest. The elemental essenses are propably
almost as simple as RQ-3 made them sound like. I think the summoner gives
the elemental some shape and intelligence, just by the act of summoning. A
fire-essense propably looks like a bonfire, with a vague some human
features. Parhaps a suggestion of a torso, arms and head at the top.
Something similar with all the elements.

Daemons are basically small elemental gods (or entities of the God world).
For some reason this makes me think of animals. A fire elemental daemon
could indeed look like a salamander. Like a komodo lizard that is made of
fire. These creatures should propably have a somewhat solid body, in
addition to the flames. I'm not sure what the requirement for summoning up
a daemon elemental would be. Usually one needs something to serve as the
body, like one needs a shadowcat to summon up Gavreninkin. There are
propably several kinds of fire daemons, ranging from simple salamanders
and syphs, to lesser elemental gods (and indeed onto great gods like
Orlanth and Yelm).

What about elemental spirits? I think here we have a spirit that has firy
powers, but that can exist outside fire as well. The shaman can propably
have a bound fire spirit, and then release it into a campfire to get
himself an elemental. These spirits can propably have varying powers and
abilities, and how these powers link to their elemental nature may not
always be clear.

Input would be greatly appreciated,

	-Adept

Thinker, dreamer and adventurer