Paul:

No, I wasn't familiar with Gododdin: I have little familiarity with the history of the British Isles.  Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

It's interesting that the tale survives.  Many cultures were crushed so completely by their invaders that little survives, not even their language -- and certainly not tales of their heroism.  Often all that's left are a bunch of loan words.

It's not so much that the gnolls discourage the telling of heroic tales as that they're relentlessly practical, not terribly imaginative, and not much given to telling stories in general.  They're very focused on the moment and their environment, because they must be in order to survive.  As Aidan said, "Your bad ideas starve in about two weeks." That's why Aidan has to tell the story.

JS

Rob:

When we are unable to give meaning to our lives through the accomplishments we have been selected for millions of years to achieve (hunting, foraging, making tools, providing for our family and tribe), we get stuck in all sorts of strange dead-ends.

I hope TGC helps some people realize this...among many other things.  Most people aren't stupid: they've been taught to be stupid, and punished for being smart.  (Though whether some of them can ever be taught otherwise is an open question.)

JS