Some Hsunchen are more Hsunchen than others...

From: Gary R Switzer <gswitzer_at_loop.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 21:46:35 -0800


Trotsky and Dunham put a stick in my chariot spokes and teach me to be more specific about my totem animals. =) I was refering to those Hsunchen who have totem animals that could potentially be ridden in an effective, war-like fashion, similar to the way the Galanni of the East Wilds ride horses. Re-reading Trade Talk #3's article on the "Orlanthi" of the East Wilds gives me some hope however. Maybe some of the Elk Hsunchen kept their link with their totem animal when they became Orlanthized such that some use elk instead of horses to pull their chariots. Maybe chiefs and heroes do some sort of heroquest while the rank and file use horses but mount antlers on their chariots to show the connection to their ancestors. Didn't some Swedish kings still use goat-drawn carts into the Viking age? In any case, I found a way cool Elk Rider figure in Heartbreaker's "Chronopia" line; check out #2820 if you have access to a catalogue.

As my title suggests, it seems likely to me that, just as there is no one singular kind of Orlanthi or Westerner, the Hsunchen of Genertela vary all over the map in how close they come to the "ideal" presented in the Genertela Player's Book. In the East Wilds the line between "Hsunchen" and "Orlanthi" might be a little blurry, depending on when your campaign is set. I think this is a Good Thing.

    "In Orlanthi lands there are 60 gods and only one sauce.~~an unknown Western philosopher"

Gary R. Switzer
Aero Hobbies


Powered by hypermail