Argrath in Dorastor, and Dating Debate

From: Joerg Baumgartner <joe_at_toppoint.de>
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 96 20:32 MET


Philippe Krait wrote among his Outrageaous Lunar Assertions (2/4)
>Harald Smith:
>> Nick B offers some wonderful Lunar pieces. I particularly liked the
>> King Argrath story--the ending was great (and the Dorastor bit seemed
>> inspired).

>Yes, the story was great, although unsupported by any "historical
>fact".

How about circumstancial evidence? There is the cover of Genertela Box, which depicts Harrek and an unspecified Orlanthi swordsman facing the scorpion-armed broo rumoured to be the "other Ralzakark".

The "historical facts" are thin for the period between the Battle of Dwernapple and Argrath's Lightbringer Quest. Dwernapple was (will be) fought in 1638 (according to CHDP p. 158) or 1639 (Events of My Life, p.213, both KoS).
CHDP breaks off after Dwernapple, apart from Jain's Sacred King List, which tells us that Inkarne's Wedding "was the last great festival _of the Old Days_". I read this as "before Argrath's LBQ". Argrath Saga continues to recount the story of Argrath's marriage in 1643, but has no reported activity by Argrath before the Lunar retaliation, and Argrath's Lightbringers Quest to counter this.

My current belief is that the Lunar retaliation leading to the LBQ occurred within five years at most, more likely one year, after Argrath's wedding, and the provocation of the Temple of the Reaching Storm. Argrath was never one to sit down and enjoy peace, as Nick's story so brilliantly showed. If there was more than one year between the wedding and the retaliation, Argrath and his buddy Harrek may well have visited or faced Dorastor. Alternatively, the Other Ralzakark may have led (part of?) the Monster Empire.

I have collected the dates and series of the events after 1625 from KoS in a spreadsheet format, and I have found some possible and drastic re-evaluations of the dating given in KoS - sufficient to let the Utuma ritual take place in or around 1678, at the end of the 8th Wane. (Which would still be one wane too many for numerical freaks, unless one doesn't count Sheng's occupation of the Empire).

If anybody is interested to see a rehash of the old KoS dating discussion, say so. I am, but being the holder of a yellow flag (IŽll bring one to Convulsion's Meet the Digest - if there isn't one scheduled yet, I'll host it, if needs be outside, and provide a trial about my stoning with LARP-props, if that is desired) I don't want to risk putting my name into the rules I caused in part - yet...

P.S.:

On the Lunar Way thingy: Nick, would you be so kind to tell the public what exactly entices the Lunar Way? Those of us who experienced your performance at Heroes of Wisdom might have an idea, but that's the minority.

And I don't feel that the Orlanthi are cheated by removing the Red Goddess chaotic body from the Middle Air. That's what all the trouble really was about, wasn't it? Valare Addi's claims that Entekos/Dendara's air powers were robbed by late-coming Storm rowdy gods, and Shepelkirt's dubious claims to regain these?
<smugly citing the Entekosiad>


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