harrek and nonmammalian hsunchen

From: Peter Metcalfe <P.Metcalfe_at_student.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 22:05:29 +1200


Simon Bray:

>Is there such a thing as Harreksaga? By that I mean has it ever been
>physically written, and possibly sold at auction. If there is does it
>fill in any of the details regarding Harrek and Argrath in Pamaltela,
>as is suggested in KoS?

Not that I know of. However the known details of Saga don't leave much room for Harrek to have a large impact on Pamaltela (large as compared to Errinoru, Hon Hoolbiktu or Garangordos).

Harrek leaves on his famous circumnavigation quest in 1621 ST and returns in 1624 to defeat the Lunars at the Battle of Pennel Ford. His adventures in Nolos and Pithdaros are probably connected with the Seshnegi Invasion of Nolos in the same year.

So in the short span of three years, Harrek has adventures in Teshnos, Teleos, Flanch, Teleos, Fonrit and Jrustela. That doesn't leave much time to set up a permanent kingdom in Pamaltela. Hence I'd assume that Harrek's kingdom is ephemeral.

One could always argue that after 1624, Harrek goes back to Pamaltela and consolidates his kingdom as there is ample time for him to do until 1628 when renewed Wolf Pirate problems are recorded in Kethaela. This raises the question of why Harrek left his kingdom in the first place. There are also indications in the Genertela Book that Harrek will not return to Pamaltela after he leaves his kingdom.

The answer lies IMO that Harrek is involved in a heroquest when he circumnavigates Magasta's Pool. The only other person to do this was the Elf Emperor Errinoru. We know from ToTRM#10 (Wolf Pirate article) that the legends of Errinoru was known to the Elves of Winterwood. Harrek through his association with the Wolf Pirates would have heard of this. So his circumnavigation is in direct imitation of Errinoru IMO. Harrek took the trouble of making a kingdom in Pamaltela because Errinoru had one. Once he had started up the kingdom, he discarded it.

Now after Errinoru circumnavigated Magasta's Pool, he sails down it and becomes a Hero with his star in heaven. So IMO Harrek after he fought at the battle of Pennel Ford, sailed the Ice Serpent down Magasta's Pool and eventually became a recognized hero in 1628.

So where did Hunralki of Jolar come from if Harrek and Argrath did not reach the plains of Jolar? IMO Hunralki was a slave of some importance in Fonrit (like perhaps the Kislar Agha of Afadjann) who betrayed his position to join the Wolf Pirates. It is noticable that the northern version of Argrath's Saga speaks of the help from the South as being led by Hunralki whereas the southern version is contradicted by Harreksaga.

Thomas Gottschall:


>1. In GoG (sorry but I have the german edition only) there are the grain
>goddesses mentioned. Everyone of them has a special fruit. Most of them
>are known (at least to me) but what are bloodbeans, lagniappe, squaa and
>sweet grass ?

In the english edition, there's an asterix by these names and a footnote indicates that they are peculiar to glorantha.

>2. I've notices that Glorantha has a large variety of Hsunchen (with
>Telmori clearly the best!) but why are they all mamals? I would find it
>very cool to see also bird Hsunchen (actually I had once an NPC eagle
>Hsunchen) and others. Is there any good explanation why Hsunchen are
>mamals ?

There are non-mamalian hsunchen. There are eagle hsunchen in the Shan Shan. The widespread Sofali are turtle hsunchen. The Jaskali of Slon are reptile (or rather dinosaur) hsunchen. There are spider hsunchen in the jungles of Pamaltela. In Dragon Pass live the wasp hsunchen who war against the Bee Folk of the Holy Country. A locust hsunchen tribe is recorded in Trollpak and probably exists in Tarien. The Kralori know of the Jungle Hen and the Dragon People who are now extinct. In the East Isles live the fearsome Rakuti, the Shark People of sunken Tamanjary.

End of Glorantha Digest V4 #532


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