After much deliberation, I have decided that my group will begin as members of the Lonisi in the Resettlement Era. We will wend our way through generational crises such as the Taral War and onward into modern-day Sartar. Works out well for me that the last three tribal kings of the Colymar (Kallai Rockbuster, Leika Ballista and Blackmor the Rabid) in the Modern Era are Taralings too. It will be fun to see how far the fate of my Lonisi departs from canon... :)
THE RUNEGATE CLANS (circa 1325)
The Lonisi are one of the three clans of the Runegate Triarchy, known for their fine horses and their strong ties to the Earth. The Lonisi tula lies east of Runegate, primarily between the northern bank of the Swan River and the southeastern edge of Stael's Hills and extending almost half-way to the Thunder Hills. There are also a few steads south of the Swan, nestled in the northernmost hills of the Upper Starfire Ridge.
North of Runegate are the Narri, whose tula centers upon Old Top on the southwestern edge of Stael's Hills and extends north to the southern bank of the Creek. Southwest of Runegate are the Enhyli, whose tula centers upon Ostor Hyalor in the lowland plains along the easternmost edge of the Upland Marsh and extends to the western edge of the Upper Starfire Ridge.
The Runegate clans are bound together by kinship, both ancestrally (through descent from the ancient Berenthtelli Tribe of the Vingkotlings) and affinally (through marriage). The Lonisi take wives only from among the Narri, while the Narri take wives only from among the Enhyli, and the Enhyli take wives only from among the Lonisi.
Runegate Fort derives its name from its eastern gate, brought to Quiviniland from an ancient settlement in Kethaela and, before that, from an even older settlement now lost. The lintel of the gate forms a Luck Rune and the wood from which it is built is of a variety unknown to anyone currently living. The rune-carved doors which hang from the lintel are of a much more recent construction. The gate itself is named Fool's Gate -- for it is said that only a fool trusts to luck.
Questions still unresolved: the location and nature of Taral. Is it a stead? A holy place? A fortification? And are there any maps of Sartar available which are more detailed than those appearing in various issues of TotRM?
-- Michael Richard Schwartz | Language is my playground, mschwartz_at_... | and words, its slides and Ann Arbor, Michigan USA | swingsets. -- yours truly
Powered by hypermail