How much mythology do we have for Carmanian Humakt?
Most of the Humakt information we have is from an Orlanthi, and specifically Heortling, context. That context could never include cataphracts, so the absence is not significant. The Heortling context also explicitly describes Humakt as Orlanth's champion, which is clearly culturally specific. Heortling warriors mostly fight on foot (although thanes will ride to battle), so it would be surprising if those sources DIDN'T describe Humakt as a footman.
If Humakt is more generally a god of war and fighting, he certainly could be a god of cavalry warfare. The brutal efficiency and terrible appearance of charging close order cataphracti seems very Humakt like to me.
Jeff Richard wrote:
> It is not so strange for the god of War to fight in an anachronistic
> manner. Death and War is what matters, not specific combat style.
I think we agree that the Carmanians introduced cataphracti to Oroninela, and that before their advent most soldiers in Oroninela were infantry (and specifically hoplites).
If Humakt is native to Oroninela, he would not have had cataphracti aspects when the Carmanians arrived. If the Carmanians brought Humakt with them, he certainly would have had a heavy cavalry aspect (for western knights). If Carmanian Humakt is a synthesis of a Pelorian Humakt and a western Humakt, the Carmanians might have supplied the cavalry aspects. Even if Humakt did not originally have a cavalry aspect, he might have developed one under Carmanian influence.
http://www.glorantha.com/library/history/hle-0wane.html#birth-goddess
The Redline History says:
...
> Four days before the birth of the Goddess, a horse tribe shaman, who
> was probably in the conspiracy as well, ambushed and wounded the
> Carmanian wargod (Humakt) during a ceremony in Spol while an
> enchanted hunt had drawn off most of the regional nobility.
...
An old source, so perhaps now Gregged. If Humakt is *the* Carmanian war god, and cataphrati are *the* distinctive military force of the Carmanian army (which, as you point out, will have Pelandan and other infantry too) it would be odd for Humakt to not be the cataphracti god.
I believe the Entekosiad and The Glorious ReAscent of Yelm contain no mentions of Humakt. That lends support to Humakt being an import by the Carmanians themselves (and therefore always had a cavalry aspect).
http://www.glorantha.com/library/prosopaedia/h.html#humct
The Prosopaedia says:
...
> Humct was eventually driven from the western lands.
...
Driven, like the 10000 were? If the westerners associate Humakt with the 10000, the Carmanians brought Humakt with them.
Humakt seems to be a Pelandan word (Akt means Death in Pelandan), which suggests Humakt is native to Pelanda (and therefore did not originally have a cavalry aspect). However, it could just be a small variation of Humct, exploiting a fortunate similarity between -ct and -akt.
ILH-1 gives "Bisos the Hazar" as the name of a Carmanian fighting deity. However, it is listed for foot soldiers, which contradicts the "Hazar" part. The deity for cavalry soldiers is the (Lunar) Aronius Jaranthir, which provides little help for identifying the original Carmanian cavalry deity.
http://www.glorantha.com/new/imperial_military.html
Welcome to the Imperial Army says:
...
> Hazars were the professional elite of the army, manned by a
> hereditary class of warriors riding upon heavy mailed war horses. The
> other professional soldiers, nearly all of whom prayed to Saint
> Humakt before battle, were known as 'Humakti.' They were supported by
> unreliable irregulars: levies, mercenaries or foreigners.
If only the non Hazars are called Humakti, that supports Humakt not having a cavalry aspect. This is our most recent source, so we ought to give it most weight.
So, it seems possible that the 10000 brought Humakt with them to Oroninela, but Humakt is not the cataphracti (Hazar) deity.
Peter Metcalfe wrote:
...
> I'm tempted to make this Syranthir himself.
...
I'm not keen on inventing a new deity just for this purpose. I'd prefer to develop an aspect or sub cult of an existing deity, but only Humakt seem suitable, yet is excluded.
Peter suggests Syranthir. Would Carmanos be better, being more important in the existing mythology?
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