> Martin Dick:
>
> >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.
>
> Look at the Sartar description on p153 Glorantha: Intro for the
> origin and maintenance of the roads. They were magical in nature
> and so Sartar could do without any centralized road-making
> bureaucracy.
>
I'll have a look tonight, but even if they are done magically, surely that implies a significant use of the area's magical resources and heaps of community support from the tribes of Sartar?
> >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.
>
> But it is sustainable by the tribes that make up the Jonstown
> confederation.
This is exactly the point I'm making, the confederations of tribes have been actively working together for generations on things like the Library. I don't believe that this can happen if the Princes of Sartar spent the 1500s just keeping the lid on inter-tribal and inter-clan warfare.
>
> >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.
>
> Sartarite history is quite turbulent. The Elmali clans refuse to
> aid Jarosar. The Maboder refused to fight for Boldhome during
> the invasion of Sartar. A Colymar King is noted as having fought
> the High King.
>
I'm not trying to say that Sartar turned the Dragon Pass Orlanthi into a regimented society akin to Prussia and Germany, I just think that too heavy emphasis on the differences between the clans and tribes downplays the commonalities they have and downplays the role of the Princes of Sartar and the belief that many Sartarites have in him and his heirs as the ruler of the nation of Sartar.
Martin
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