RE: Gloranthan military

From: Sandy Petersen <SPetersen_at_ensemblestudios.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 16:46:26 -0600


Michael raaterova
>I think that Waha's reputation as chaosbreaker during the early ages
comes solely from ... the absence of a widespread
>Stormbull cult. He simply had no competition until the Stormbull cult
come up and took over the chaos-breaking business.
>Anyway, in the 3rd age Stormbull IS the premier anti-chaos god,
especially in Prax.

        Certainly Waha may no longer be seen as a "chaosbreaker", but he is certainly anti-chaos. His closest allies are also anti-chaos, his people live in a land blasted by chaos, and his khans are required to kill a chaos thing before they can achieve their status. Of course, Eiritha is, technically, anti-chaos, too, but she's even less effective than Waha. In fact, pretty much all the cults of the wastes are considered anti-chaos, even including Dark Eater, their Malia/Zorak Zoran hybrid. Again, being anti-chaos is not the same as being a good chaos-fighter. Foundchild is undoubtedly opposed to the forces of chaos, but he has no anti-chaos abilities whatsoever. Compared to bozos like Foundchild, Wild Hunter, Frog Woman, and Ronance, no wonder Waha looked good as an anti-chaos force. (And no wonder Storm Bull worship took off like a house afire once it was introduced)!

>ancestor worship doesn't really help, since a 400-years dead ancestor
has had 400 years to forget what really happened

        Not only that, but anyone practicing ancestor worship by definition is _not_ a good Waha worshiper, and it's doubtful her ancestors were, either.

>Frinstance, how do the nomads see the city of (Old) Pavis? Do they
remember it as the eternal city, which has stood their
>forever, or do they remember a time when it was not there?

        In my opinion, the nomads see it as a recent intrusion. When they contact the spirits of those who knew about it (like Jaldon), those spirits remember it as being recent (it was, for them). No doubt they think of it as only a generation or two old.

>Tadaaki Kakegawa
>1) Why Androgynous isn't mentioned in KoS though she/he is one of Super
Heroes?

        Androgeus didn't come through Dragon Pass that much in the Hero Wars. In a conversation with Greg he opined that it was probable that Androgeus entered D.P. only once during the entire period. The KoS discussion just might have skipped the one or two campaigns including Androgeus as irrelevant -- after all, it's an overview. Certainly Androgeus was a major Hero Wars figure, but her main activity was elsewhere (certainly he came through Fronela, at a minimum).

> 2) Does Anyone know ten (or more?) Phalanx Cults in Red Army? I have
heard of Granite, Basalt, Beryl, Marble, Jasper
>and Malachite Phalanx Regiments.

        Answering these two questions in order: I don't know how many phalanx cults the Red Army has. There are probably inactive cults for no-longer-extant regiments that could be recreated if there was need.

> 3) Regarding Lunar Regiment Units in WBRM. Where are they stationed,
especially in Provinces? I know Queen's
>Regiment and Spell Archers are Carmanian Satraps' Regiment and
sometimes go to Dragon Pass. Of course Tarsh Corps
>are stationed in Tarsh Kingdom.

        The Lunar Army is composed of two subdivisions: the Red Army, consisting of the Cavalry Corps, the Heartland Corps, and the Imperial Bodyguard and second, the Provincial Armies. The Red Army serves wherever the Empire has need. The Provincial Armies mostly stay in their home provinces. Example: Camania provides the Queen's Regiment & Spell Archers (and probably other units as well) to the Red Army, but there is doubtless also a native Carmania army that musters within Carmania only.

        Much of the main Lunar army in 1621 is in the Redlands, where the fighting is going on.

> 4) Recently I learn Grim Soldiers are the elite of DX cult and
Bloodspilers are under command of Jar-Eel Razoress and
>maybe the elite of YT cult. Are there any information about other
units, like Yalamese, Jintori, Feathered-axe, Starkin,
>Unriver, Bell Temple etc.?

        As far as I know, little or nothing is known of these guys. Why don't you make something up?


End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #299


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