> For some time now, I've been considering a campaign set in
>Afadjann and Golden Kareeshtu, using a mix of old Carthage and Moorish
>Morocco/Spain as rough RW inspiration. Can anyone tell me if any source
>material exists dealing with Fonrit in general and Afadjann and Kareeshtu
>in particular (other than the very brief mention they get in the Glorantha
>and Elder Secrets source packs)?
The best source is the (rather dry) writeup of Fonrit given in Heroes vol 1 #6. The other source is 'Cement Ships and Leafty Sails' which mentions that Golden Kareeshtu is actually known as the Unity of the Republics of Kareeshtu and gives details of their naval warsails (a yacht in other words).
Given this, I'm inclined to make Kareeshtu an oligarchic version of the Athenian Empire (all cities have to maintain a fleet or pay tribute to the Temple of Dormal in Dindanko). Thus civic power within Kareeshtu becomes concentrated into the Big Three (Tondiji, Dindanko and Katele). Naturally, the political terminology is swiped wholesale from Aristotle's description of the Carthaginian Constitution in his _Politics_; hence the rulers of Kareeshtu are Suffetes who have absolute civil power but no military etc.
Balancing Kareshtu is Afadjann. IMO this is a more aristocractic state which uses the Western Castes to organize their state - they naturally claim that Malkion learned the system from them. The basic Fonritan social system (masses of slaves, rich plutocracts etc) still can be seen through this facade. According to GoG, the thieves of Selarn have survived harsh government and secret police for centuries. Given this, I'm inclined to make Afadjann rather despotic.
Elsewhere is a pot-pourri of city states ranging from the city of Faladje, where the Sun is supreme, to wicked Kalabar, the city of sorcery, and Fanjosi, where no women may enter. IMO The people of the east coast of Fonrit are renowned as Idolators - they know of a similar scuplture magic as the Kimosans (some Fonritans claim descent from the legendary city of Thinobutu and speak a related tongue to Kimos) and use this magic to fill their cities with a devilish panolpy of idols. Acceptance of the Idols varies in the rest of Fonrit. Kareeshtu doesn't care but Afadjann shuns them due to western influences (although again they claim the teachings are home-grown).
>I would be especially interested in material expanding upon the
>social order of the Veldang peoples.
For Fonrit, there isn't an intact social order of the Veldang - they are all slaves and follow what customs that the ruling Argimori allow them to have. By the cults of Ompalam and Jraktal, most of the Veldang are kept passive. There isn't an uniform policy on how the Veldang are treated. In some cities, they can act as police as the concept of one citizen laying hands on another is offensive. In Barueli, the ruler is a blue sans balls (he has to worship the Hungry Goddess). In some places, any blue caught wielding a weapon is punished by death. Most of the Veldang are poor and downtrodden slaves no matter what upper social limits there are.
Certain old veldang females can manifest the gift of prophecy through their connection with their ancestress, Veldea. The more coherent among them are sequestered by the authorities to serve as Oracles while the others shriek their ramblings in the gutters. The God learners identified Veldea as the Blue Moon but no assasins are known.
Other veldang make a living through helping the scholars decipher the ruins of the ancient Artmali Empire.
There is the City of Jokotu in which slavery is not known. I don't think they are abolitionists but heretics. Instead of using the discipline of Ompalam to become a better slave, they use it to attempt the impossible in asceticism (ie like trying to hold one's breath indefinitely) and revel in the spiritual release that occurs when they fail. Most Fonritans simply tap their foreheads when they hear of these people rather than foam at the mouth at the supposed subversion of their social order. The city may be connected with the brother that murdered Garangordos.
Cory Davis:
>In another question, why do Orlanthi priests have to have an ox cart ? I
>could understand having a chariot because of the mythic link with Mastakos
>but why an ox cart, I have never read anything that involves Orlanth and ox
>carts except the ROC cult write up. So could someone explain why in 1620
>Dragon Pass/Prax a Orlanth priest has to have an ox cart and why not a
>chariot
It dates from Cults of Prax. Originally, only the high priests were obliged to have these carts. However the stricture is for the cult of Orlanth Adventurous and I doubt that the average wind voice or godi needs this cart. As for why the Priest has an ox cart and not a chariot, I can only surmise that it's a relic of an earlier belief which is now largely forgotten.
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