The Unity(?) of Sartar

From: Martin Dick <martin.dick_at_...>
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 12:21:38 +1100

John Hughes wrote:

Hi John :-)

>
> Martin Dick (Gedday Martin!):
>
> > Personally, I think that there is currently too much emphasis on the
> > divided nature of the clans and tribes in Sartar. I think that this
> > way underestimates the influence Sartar had on the country.
>
> I've certainly a lot of sympathy for this point of view, even though my post
> might be emphasising the opposite pole. 'Who is Us?' and 'Whom is Them?' are
> continuing tensions in any community, and a great dramatic hook. In Sartar
> especially, we should never be comfortable about assuming who our enemies
> *or* our friends are. We've all played too many scenarios with seventh-act
> twists or reversals for that...
>
> Sartar and his successors certainly did build a sense of nationhood, but it
> was a very *Orlanthi* nation. There doesn't seem to have been many
> centralised institutions created beyond the rituals of the Sartar and Rex
> cults: no central beaurocracy, no national army. In fact the model (in
> modern terms) seems very much to be independant and temporary tribal states
> with a largely ritual Prince (high king). Orlanthi leadership is build on
> persuasion, not compulsion. Perhaps, like the Irish High King, Sartar's
> successors could call the tribes to war, but they *couldn't* compel them to
> stay.
>

I agree that Sartar the country was not a modern country in any real sense,
but I don't really see the Princes as being largely ritual. As an example, the
roads and Boldhome alone imply some form of centralised authority for the Prince.

I also think institutions such as the Jonstown Library indicate a significant level of cooperation amongst the tribes. To build and maintain such an institution would require significant resources and is unlikely to be sustainable by a single tribe.

Are there any situations where the Prince of Sartar calls for the tribes and large numbers don't come? I can't recall any offhand, but my memory is not quite as good as some others on Gloranthan history.

> Several centuries after Sartar, Heortling notions of justice, hospitality,
> worship and war are all thoroughly kin/tribal rather than based on the power
> and authority of a central state.
>
> As well as Sartar, there is the profound and universal influence of the
> Ernalda cult, which builds unity according to its own feminine models.
>
> Why did national unity seemingly disintegrate following the Lunar invasion?
> Perhaps because Sartar as a kingdom spectacularly failed to prevent the
> invasion itself. Perhaps because the tribes could not maintain a unified
> front, and many did deals with the invader or turned traitor. Perhaps
> because the Lunar ideology of "We are all one" sticks in the craw of
> Orlanthi whose first principle is "No one can make you do anything", and who
> clearly regard themselves as *different* and *superior* to those dog-loving
> Lismelder, troll-loving Kitori, sister-loving Balmyr or [insert local
> campaign prejudice of choice, just as long as its not 'sheep-loving
> Tovtaros'].
>
> Perhaps Orlanthi national consciousness is like a supersaturated chemical
> solution, simply requiring the right catalyst (or irritant! :)) for it to
> recrystallise. Sartar is still out there on the Godplane, and rebels like
> Kallyr and the Argraths surely understand his power and potential. Raise the
> tribes!
>

I think that the practical expression of the unity of Sartar is through the family and blood of Sartar. Without that magic/focus, it allowed the old enemities to arise, something I'm sure the Lunars were active in encouraging as well. But that doesn't mean IMO, that the average Sartarite
doesn't look back on the days of the Princes of Sartar without a lot of regret and that the average Sartarite views the current situation as great because it means that now the clan can fix up all those evil Black Oakers, without the Prince of Sartar interfering.

I think that a rebel who can make a believable promise of restoring the Sartar dynasty to power against the Lunars is going to be able to generate
a large groundswell of support all over Sartar and I think that's what Kallyr and/or Argrath do (amongst other things). It's also why using Temertain is so valuable to the Lunars as he blocks this from happening to a large degree.

As well, I think it can make for a more interesting game, if every clan/tribe is purely self-interested, then it is a very one-sided place to adventure in, while adding a strand of idealism/altruism IMO makes things more complex.

Martin

PS Can we lure you down to Arcanacon next year?

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