Re: Wolves, Flames, Swords

From: Jane Williams <janewill_at_mail.nildram.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 19:19:05 +0000


Thomas Gottschall asked:
> 1. In RW wolves get usually only 5 to 9 years old, but if the two
> legged Telmori live say till 40 he would had many wolfbrothers or do
> wolfbrothers life as long as the two legged Telmori live ?
Well, the Telmor cult writeup says that the wolfbrothers are a special species of wolf, so I'd expect non-standard life-span. It also says humans and wolf-brothers treat each other as being the same species, so they must have about the same life-span as the humans, surely?

> 2. How long do two legged Telmori live ?
Average for very primitive humans is about 35, isn't it?

And on the Flame:
I said:
> I think geting the Flame to respond to you in some way is a part of
> the Crown Test.

And Thomas:
> Yes, I would think so, I just wonder who started this custom.
Sorry, don't know. Saronil was presented to the people by his father, either just before or just after the Flame was lit depending on which account you believe. Salinarg had trouble with the thing nearly going out at his coronation. We don't seem to have accounts of any coronations in between.

And of my idea that the SLBQ was used to rescue Sartar's spirit:
> But, according to KoS the ritual was spoiled or are you speaking of
> another LBQ ?

No, that's the one. It's only Denseros saying "the effects of the spell were spoilt" - and this is the guy who tries to pretend she died permanently at Old Top and never lit the Flame. I agree that she took a lot of damage, but that can be accepted as a fair price to pay for success. Even if you want each individual statement Denseros makes to be literally true (for Truthspeaker witnesses), this sentence could have been referring to a "spell" as it says, not the LBQ. In fact, my guess would be that it was a healing spell. She was wounded, remember? What do you bet it was one of those un-healable ones?

And of Kallyr in person:
> Again I disagree, she is a better warrior though an unlucky (Battle of
> Queens) than HQer.

Opinions are bound to differ, so no arguments.

> But what I see as her achievement is to unity of the tribes. She was
> the one who forged Sartar again.

Agreed. Her abilities really aren't important, it's the way she inspired people to follow her that matters. And the fact that she kept trying after so many defeats.

Swords:
> Again you win, the Flame burned brightly after Argrath's coronation.
According to Denseros: and he was really describing Kallyr lighting the Flame. If you want the Flame to go out as Garrath is crowned (in disgust?), and have him make a sword out of the brazier, I won't argue.

> But at last Argrath's sword is something special since it is
> mentioned in KoS p.156 : "Argrath stood tall, holding aloft his sacret
> sword,and prayed to Orlanth..."

I'm not convinced that was the same sword - in fact, I'm not convinced that was the same Argrath. I think the sword described in the WBRM notes (and presumably in DP) is from when he was ruling, so it's later than 1630. But that's only a guess.

> "Historians from England will say I'm a liar, but history is written
> by those who've hanged heroes." Robert the Bruce
Or those working for them - like Denseros. Anyone with a .sig like that shouldn't be taken in!

BTW, do you have any ideas what Argrath's quarrel with the Telmori was? And, come to that, which Argrath it was? I've heard theories, but you seem to have studied the Telmori in more detail that the rest of us.

Jane Williams                     jane_at_williams.nildram.co.uk
http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~janewill/gloranth/index.shtml

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