Mostali of Teshnos

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_voyager.co.nz>
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 18:36:30 +1200 (NZST)


Keith Nellist:

Me>> The Keeper allows pilgrims to enter the valley and reach the tomb
>> of Soravatoor. There after passing several tests, they are allowed
>> to take home either a Diamond or a worked Iron. Hence the Teshnans
>> have ample access to Iron.

>I kind of like this. When I say kind of I mean that I like the general idea
>but would see it as some sort of human interpretation of the facts. I do not
>go along with the idea of Mostali worshiping some sort of Krishna type.

I never said they worshipped Sorvatoor. They were made by him in order to keep the Great Wheel in Diamond Mountain turning and they do that job admirably. Their magics are indistinguishable from mostali magics by other mostali.

>Mostali are there to repair the World Machine/Cosmic Wheel/Gearbox of
>Destiny/Glorantha Gadget.

And IMO the Mostali of Teshnos do this by keeping the Wheel turning. Think of it as a minor cog that keeps the Wheel of Life moving.

>Octamonists are weird enough. Mostali are weird enough.

Classic Octamonists are dead boring. You can't even speak to them because they shun contact with the outside world. Hence my modification of them to make them exotic and blend into the Teshnan mythscape.

>Perhaps you have further Mostal/Sorvatoor godlearner type speculation?

I do but it's not much.

MOSTAL: To help keep the Great Wheel turning, the mostali also give the Teshnans prayer wheels to help them in their worship. A small amount of worship given to the Prayer Wheel goes to the Great Wheel inside Diamond Mountain to keep it turning. To ensure that the wheels are in working order, the mostali are often seen in Teshnan Temples repairing the prayer wheels.

The mostali of teshnos do not look like classic dwarves to humans eyes (although they and other mostali are incapable of telling the difference). They have darker skin (possibly a different type of clay was used in their manufacture) and are generally beardless. Very few foreigners realize that the ugly midgets of Teshnos are actually mostali.

The mostali also provide the Sacred Mirrors for the Golden God to help him oversee the land. Every Somash temple in Teshnos has these mirrors in which the Priests recieve instructions from and tell the Golden God of events that have occurred in their area. The Mostali listen into these messages to find out what goes on in above ground.

For a suitable price, the mostali are willing to provide magical artifacts. Most notorious is the flying dagger that relies on the opponent's motion in order to target him. This has been used in several recent assasinations. The Mostali do not provide muskets or blackpowder kegs nor do they seem able to make them.

SORAVATOOR: Many of the myths of Soravatoor would be recognizable to foreigners. For example, a cult in Teshnos claims to be able to make the water burn. They claim they received this wisdom from Soravatoor when he made the water burn to destroy a fleet of Green Men that was plotting to sink Teshnos. When outsiders point out that this is a thinly disguised myth of God Learners vs Waertagi at the battle of Tanian's Victory, the Priests respond that the outsiders can believe what they like but the Teshnans know the true story.

End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #195


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