Islander remarks

From: Joerg Baumgartner <joe_at_toppoint.de>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 98 23:33 MET DST


Simon Bray

> Someone finally notices the Rightarm Islands stuff we have been
> posting.
> Cheers Joerg.

Yep. I felt it was encroaching on my territory ;-)

Actually, I feel inclined to point out that of the Pelaskans of the Holy Country, only about 50% seem to inhabit the Rightarm Isles (see DW28, also in the "Eurmal" section of the Lore Library), the rest inhabiting coastal Esrolia, the coastal flats of Heortland, and possibly even Mirrorsea-coast Caladraland and God Forgot. IMO they are bound to be different there, heavily exposed to other cultures.

The city state of Karse is Pelaskan in origin, but soon merged with Heortling populace producing one of the bastardized cultures so frequent in Kethaela. (Other bastardized cultures are Thonble, Porthomeka, the Esrolian north provinces or marches both east and west of the Skyreach peaks, southern Heortland, and of course the more poly-ethnic cities.)

I doubt that the idyllic, innocent state of the Rightarmers as Simon and Martin described them survived to a great extent where there were other influences. Fisherfolk from Heortland might be regarded as Orlanthi by some of the Rightarm clans even though they worship much the same gods and even spirits.

> It is our belief that Belintar arrived at the Islands and

Arrived swimming, at Sindpaper? The Caladrans claim he came first to them (or some people claim they do).

> did several tasks, which caused the Pelaskans to join his cause.

> 1) Belintar performed the Sea Kings Tribute, instead of grovelling
> before the sea gods, he toasted with them and sat at their table.
> This is an important ritual for all Ard-Righ-Mahal, they reinact the
> role of Pelaskos entering the realm of the Sea Gods and finding his
> place on the pantheon.

Is this a rite of about the same importance as the Esrolian harvest king rites?

> 2) Belintar created a boat. Not any ordinary boat, but the biggest
> ever seen amongst the Islands. It was carved from the wooden bones
> of the Mangove Monster. It is now called the Pharoah's First and
> sits in the harbour at CoW. It fits the description of the polyream
> in Q3.

Is it as sea-(un)worthy as Ptolemy's monster? Of course, the conditions on Choralinthor Bay make such a beast more useful than on the Mediterranean.

The mangrove monster: an aldryami invader?

> 3) Belintar 'borrowed' the magic of the Pol Dari and raised Loon
> Island fulfilling an ancient prophecy.

> '...and he shall know your ways as if born to them...'

IMO this is the great feat which cemented his acceptance as Living God. To the Caladralanders, his "unchaining of Lodril" (aka destruction of the Obsidian Palace) would have been his greatest divine deed.

I'm really curious how the trolls cope with his treatment of the OOO. In which way did Belintar earn their worship?

> RE: Choralinthor the husband of Esrolia. The Pol Dari claim this as
> one of their biggest secrets. (or so we will proclaim to not loose
> face.)

Do they have secret rites of marrying sons to mothers, then?

Re: Date of Temertain's death, Peter asked:

> Could you be more specific?

> The only relevant contradiction that I'm aware of is a statement in
> Wyrm's Footprints about Garaystar Flatnose having spotted
> Temertain in 1572 despite Garaystar being 'young' at the time of
> the SHC.

KoS CHDP dates Temertain's death to 1624, IIRC.


End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #127


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