Sartar Tribes

From: David Hall <100116.2616_at_compuserve.com>
Date: 15 Jun 95 04:58:31 EDT


Here's my take on the subject.

In 1535 there were the Colymar, Malani, Cinsina, Culbrea, Telmori, Aranwyth, Estanval, Kheldon, Maboder, Nostali, Sambari, Balmyr, Locaem, Lismelder, and the ducks. There were probably others too (though not the six Far Point tribes). My source for this list is King of Sartar (p.222). Please note that there are two tribes listed that we had not heard of before.

By 1610 we have the Amad, Aranwyth, Bachad, Balkoth, Balmyr, Cinsina, Colymar, Culbrea, Dinacoli, Dundealos, Kheldon, Kultain, Lismelder, Locaem, Malani, Princeros, Sambari, Telmori, Torkani, Tovtaros, Tres, Vantaros, and the ducks. My source for this is an unpublished Sartar tribes list and map by Greg Stafford. (NB. Wulfsland is not a tribe, but instead the old Maboder/Telmori lands granted to Duke Jomes Wulf and his followers.)

By 1621 we have the Amad, Aranwyth, Bachad, Balkoth, Balmyr, Cinsina, Colymar, Culbrea, Dinacoli, Enstalos, Kheldon, Lismelder, Locaem, Malani, Princeros, Sambari, Sylangi, Telmori, Torkani, Tovtaros, Tres, Vantaros... and the ducks. Note the changes! The source for this is Home of the Bold & the Rough Guide.

In addition I have an old undated map from Chaosium which lists the Portulti as a tribe just north of the Cinsina - from the other tribes listed the dating is before 1607. Also note that the Sanchali tribe was broken up and formed the followers of Geo.

Based on this research I find that the search for the precisely 24 tribes of Sartar is a fools mission. "Name the 24 tribes of Sartar" is a common Eurmali riddle in southern Sartar. The thing to bear in mind is the fact that tribes change, die and are founded throughout the history of Sartar. I find this concept of change pretty logical for an Orlanthi barbarian society! Indeed, underneath the tribal structure I'm sure that clan allegiances to tribes change with some regularity, whether voluntarily or by coersion.

I think if you *really* wanted to know what the precisely 24 tribes of Sartar were you'd have to heroquest back to Chaosium's offices in 1980. I'm afraid I don't know the ritual, and I have a recurring nightmare that if I did go back, and I did force Greg to count them up, he'd get a completely different number!!

Cheers,

David


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