Slaves, cities, Pavis

From: Kmnellist_at_aol.com
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 15:27:35 EST


In a message dated 11/23/99 4:30:44PM, you write: Peter:
<< Sog is at the far side of the desert near the Block, and  further from Pavis than Dragon Pass.>>

me: but more accessible, it is linked by navigable sea, and a navigable river. Dragon Pass is a desert away.

Peter:
<< Feroda, the God Learner
 port at the base of the Zola Fel, was bunged by the Giants at  the same time Robcradle was, and we don't hear of its  re-establishment. >>

And did any of these people escape to, or eventually return to, Pavis? I would think that they might have.  

 <<And I don't see why a mere port should be assumed to have  an abundance of crafters ready to migrate into Pavis.  Modern day Corflu doesn't.>>

I could use a similar weak argument about crafters in Dragon Pass.  

 << Pavis has made friends with Waha and sworn oaths.>>

Pavis made a deal, not friends, with Waha. Alliances are always temporary in Prax.   

me:
>Because rebellious Ralian rabble (sounds like the Life of Brian) were
>savagely repressed in 825 by Godlearner Monks and shipped overseas.
>Pavis would have been looking for labour around this time, hence Ralian
>slaves sold by Middle Sea Empire slave traders.

Peter:
 <<Doesn't make much sense. To use an analogy that you used, the  British shipped their own convicts to Australia rather than  Siberia or Devil's Island. Pavis was not part of the God  Learner Empire and so the Ralians would have been sent to  places like Jrustela or Umathela.>>

Who needs slaves in Jrustela or Umathela? Do they have a city to build? Do they have loads of fantastic Cradle Treasures to trade with for slaves?

Peter:

    The morokanth developed a lucrative slave trade,     shipping civilized sod-busters to Pavis and strong     nomad slaves to Dragon Pass for other tasks.

                P&BR p17.
 

 which implies that the "civilized" slaves came from somewhere  local rather than further afield.>>

The Morokanth could hardly develop a lucrative overseas slave trade as they are land based nomads and not seafaring sailors. What the quote shows is that civilised farmers were needed. If you had quoted further you would have read that Feroda appears to still be operating, that Jrusteli goods are being imported through Pavis to the EWF, and that Pavis supplied the nomads with material goods.

Since we are quoting , here are some others from River of Cradles: On Pavic Orlanthi (that is, settlers who came with Dorasor):P23 "speak a Sartarite dialect heavily influenced by Pavic and Praxian"

Sun Domers: P24
"speak Pavic, a Theyalan tongue, but heavily influenced by Old Pavic and Praxian"

This second sentence implies to me: that Pavic is a different language to Old Pavic (because no one would say that a language was influenced by an old version of itself); that Pavic is a Theyalan tongue (because it is specifically referred to as such) while Old Pavic is not (because it is not specified as such)

Since Pavic, the main language of modern Pavis-Outside the Walls, is the language that Rurik speaks, it explains his Theyalan ability. Old Pavic would be what Zebra Riders and Old Rubble families speak.

Keith N


End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #172


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