The Feathered Horse Queen linked the nomadic Grazer culture to the Earth Culture of Sartar, to ease the their forced transition to a sedentary society.
Naveria brought civilization to Peloria, teaching people how to build walls and eat with forks.
Hwarin Dalthippa, while somewhat martial, is renowned for her road building and industry.
Hon Eel did the corn-thing and pacified Tarsh through marriage.
I propose that these Heroines had a more long-lasting effect on Glorantha than many of the better known, combatative heroes.
I think the "Farmer Boys" epithet was mistakenly applied to the ToTRM crowd. We Seattleites proudly claim that title - we even have periodic visits from Maran Gor.
Most of us have combat skills at 45%, and no armor better than a "stiff hat". Still we face mental challanges (should we trade weak cattle for sturdy pigs?), awe inspiring sites (the Ernalda Temple at Clearwine), life and death challanges (feuds with poor neighbors on one side and murderous kings on the other), and mystical challanges, (how to re-invigorate the Goddess of the Vale, who is unsatisfied by the ailing king Kaggardis).
The most fearsome character of the bunch is Theya Two-Mothers, who has a 70% Ritual, 75% Ernalda Lore, 90% Chiurgury, Heal, Second Sight and Bless Crops. Vengeful and Prudent, she has stood by silently while her kinsman botched healing attempts on defeated raiders, and later she will demand they wipe out the opposing family to the last individual if they persue a feud. She has ensured their mother's murderer will leave no decendants and die unremembered. She controls the stead's resources, and she commands her brothers and their wives with an iron voice. The story is the same in most families in Ormsthane Vale; the men carry the spears and yell loudly, but the women run the economy and make the life and death decisions.
Every strong chief has a wife or sister who is an Ernalda Priestesses sitting beside them. Jim Chapin was correct; there are plenty of heroines in Sartar - they just have different stories.
Pam
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