in >Peloria; etc, etc. Please elucidate. There are few coincidences in Glorantha. Consider the downfall of the Second Age. Six huge empireswere all overthrown in the span of a century or so, and none of them by the same force. We talk a lot about the crimes of the minimaxing God Learners, but the "crimes". if any, of Errinnoru, the EWF, Eastern Seas, Six Leggers, and False Dragon Ring were totally different (okay, the Six Leggers and False Dragons overlapped somewhat with the God Learners, but still ...). How did the end of the God Learners bring on the destruction of the other six (or vice versa)? Answer: mythical and magical connections not fully understood by _anyone_ in Glorantha.
At the Dawn, the Elder Races controlled around 80% of the land area of Glorantha. Two centuries later, humans were in charge, a position from which they have not been toppled despite local setbakcs. Why did all the Elder Races engage one another in those mutually-devastating struggles? Even intra-species wars were widespread, especially among the elves. Who impelled this ruin? No one? Everyone?
The connection between the KoW and the destruction of Peloria and Dragon Pass may be indirect. As Nick (I think) points out, the mere existence of a state of Total War somewhere in the cosmos tends to exacerbate problems elsewhere. Without the KoW's malign influence permeating the cosmos, perhaps Argrath could never have gotten his fanatic supports whipped up to war.
On the other hand, the connection between the KoW and Peloria's fate may be very direct indeed. Consider Harrek the Berserk. No matter what has been published to date, does anyone NOT clearly see that Harrek obviously spent time in the KoW? Think of his ruthless nature, his distaste for gods, his obsession with death. Harrek may have hated the KoW or he may have admired it (I suspect the former), but it obviously left its mark. Who else is from the horrors of the Fronelan wars? In a private conversation with Greg long ago, he opined that Gunda the Guilty was from Fronela. We all know that the core of the Wolf Pirates are Fronelan. And I recall an ancient conversation in which it was concluded that Androgeus's latest peripatetic wanderings started and ended in Fronela -- during his travels, she did visit Dragon Pass at least once. I would not be surprised if the KoW's birth stimulated Androgeus to action.
Where would Argrath be without Harrek or the Wolf Pirates? That single contribution made the Lunar Wars possible for the Sartarite princeling. I predict that Fronela will produce a greater number of heroes than any one other part of Glorantha. They probably won't stay in Fronela, but that only adds to their influence.
Sandy P.
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