I'm still playing around with the deep background to Whitewall and
Broyan. Here's some thoughts on the Volsaxi and the Hendreiki:
At the Dawn, the 200 humans of the upper Marzeel River who survived the
Darkness belonged to the Garanvuli tribe - a small Star Tribe, saved by
their leader Garan who descended from the Sky to save his lover Serias.
The tribal center was Seriasdova (Temple of Serias) which was a temple
to Orlanth and Ernalda. They were Heortlings and agriculturalists. The
leader of the Garanvuli at the Dawn was Volsax, a great leader who
became chieftain of all the people in the mid- and upper Marzeel River
valley. (Sources TP:LoT p. 59, Habitations at the Dawn).
In the wake of the Evil Year, many Garanvuli (and other Heortlings) men
left their steads and communities and sought freedom as rebels in the
Wilds of Steal Forest (the forest which once covered most of the
Heortland Plateau). Their leader was Hendreik the Free, the great
unconquered rebel. Hendreik brought together a magical brotherhood
called the Larnsti from the residents of the many holy places in the
region (NB: Seriasdova, Stormwalk,...). He taught the Larnsti the
secrets of Larnste, the god of Change - by being unfettered in thought
and soul, the Larnsti could also be free in action.
The rebels who followed Hendreik renounced stead and village, old ties
and bonds (NB: in a version of Harmastssaga, the folk of Exilestead
reject the path of the "rebels" - no women, no community, no hope for
peace). Their way was hard - constantly on the move, with no past and
no future, and filled with constant danger and violence. The Larnsti
could not overthrow the Gbaji Empire, but they kept their freedom. And
their freedom gave hope to the other Heortlings.
Hendreik and his followers helped Harmast, supported Arkat and made
Owenrath High King of the Heortlings. Hendreik and his followers were
granted the old Garanvuli lands and the Heortland Wilds by (Owenreth,
OOO, Arkat?). The Freedom of the Hendreiki was protected by the Larnsti
and the Hendreiki chose their High King from amongst the Larnsti. The
Larnsti reformed the Hendreiki twice prior to Andrin's reforms (NB: when
they became a tribe? when they joined the tax revolt? to keep them
from being subjected to the EWF? The God Learners? After the
Dragonkill? Does it even matter?).
The Garanvuli ceased to exist as a tribe during the Gbaji Wars or
shortly thereafter (e-mail discussion with Greg). After the Gbaji wars,
the Volsaxi clan became the chieftain clan of the Volsaxi tribe, and
their tribal territories were much larger than Marzeel vale. The
Volsaxi were a component part of the High Kingdom of the Hendreiki - as
were the other new tribes of the Hendreiki (NB: were these Heortling or
Vingkotling tribes).
The Volsaxi fought ferociously against the Pharaoh at the side of their
High King Andrin. When Andrin returned from the dead as the slave of
the Pharaoh, they fought against Andrin the Zombie, but were ultimately
forced to accept him as High King (c. 1350) . Nonetheless, they
resisted many of Andrin's reforms and never allowed sheriffs to replace
their chiefs or earls to replace their kings. They permitted bands of
refugees and exiles to cross their lands into Dragon Pass. During the
reign of High King Arkellor the Clerk, King Karsten Nine-with One of the
Volsaxi feuded with the Bacofi tribe and warred with the Earl of
Karhend. During the reign of High King Eparikondos the Holy, the
Volsaxi participated in the Great Sacrifice along with the other
Heortlending tribes. However, when ***** Earl of Gardufar was selected
High King, the Volsaxi rebelled. King Hardrand the Green - a member of
the Larnsti brotherhood - was proclaimed High King of the Hendreiki
despite of the Pharaoh's acknowledgement of the King of the
Heortlendings. The High King and his companions took up residence in
the impregnable fortress of Whitewall to resist the Pharaoh (circa 1405)
and King *****. Although the Volsaxi failed in restoring the Kingdom of
the Hendreiki, they remained independent of the Pharaoh and the
Heortlending kings.
The Pharaoh got his revenge when he unleashed the Kitori Darkmen upon
the Volsaxi and they conquered the lands from the Kitori WIlds to the
Shadow Plateau (circa 1500 or so). The Volsaxi held out in their
fortress of Whitewall, but their fields and herds were subject to annual
raids by the Darkmen. The other tribes paid an annual tribute to the
Darkmen. During the Kitori Occupation, the Volsaxi Night Jumpers raided
the Darkmen. The Volsaxi aided Prince Tarkalor in conquering the Kitori
and formed the Volsaxar Confederation with the other liberated tribes
(Bacofi, Curtali, and Sylangi).
It is pretty clear that Volsaxi kingship is a complex affair - we've got
a tribal kingship, a tribal confederation, and periodic claims of being
King of the Hendreiki. I now think that the Volsaxi kings follow the
Vingkot rites and not Dar. Lots of reasons for that - their tribe was
formed after the Gbaji Wars and thus don't have to be truly Heortling,
they are much older than the Sartarite tribes, and they had a ruling
clan, so we've got kingship restricted to those who share descent from a
single ancestor. As a result, I think we need to rethink Broyan's
father - he was either king of the Volsaxi or part of the Volsaxi ruling
elite. I actually prefer it if his father was king (and killed by the
Pharaoh, or the Kitori, or Seshnegi mercenaries).
Thus it would make sense that Broyan was a Vingkot Victorious and
Vingkot Allfather worshipper at the beginning of the siege. During the
siege, we start having Broyan explore his people's myths and legends for
ways to defeat the Lunar assaults - the first big heroquest being to
obtain a means of defeating the Crimson Bat (which brings us into the
Vingkotling Age), and the other big heroquest being how to escape the
doom of Whitewall (which brings us to Chaos Age and OiD).
Any thoughts?
Jeff
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