On Pentan specialties and more generally, style
Terra Incognita on Pentans:
> 2: They have many varieties of Tribes as Praxians. (See Redline History
> Third Wane and Names of Tribes.) Think about Praxians famous for variety of
> Many Tribes of Waha, Impala, Sable, High Llama, Bison and Morokanth. But
> they ride only Horses. How to make their specialities?
Peter Metcalfe:
> Tribal tattoos, dress and fighting styles (remembers with fear
> the Revolt in the Redlands).
There are various mixes of Wareran and Kralori stocks (G:IttHW on Pentan culture). Wareran blood may come from their successive occupations of Peloria, in Dawn Age and 3rd Wane, but it's also possible that the people of Pent come from different breeds and owe their cultural unity to common mythology and lifestyle. Surely each tribe has also a set of peculiar spirit traditions, including their tribal founders and many demons that they worship when it's convenient: some of their shamans have tremendous powers. The Reds might worship some Lunar god made out of crap for them. For their various symbols, dresses and fighting styles, the RW steppe nomads were quite varied throughout Central Asia and all along history (though many had big wagons too).
As an example of styles, here's some Central Asia steppe nomad styles that
may be helpful:
- - The Scyths wear a shirt, trousers, high leather boots and a pointed cap.
- - Turks and Mongols were often very poor and wore only barely tanned animal
skins (poor, but sometimes rich of many horses in nomad standards). When
they're wealthy and can trade, their can on the other hand wear opulent
garments, but many nomad leaders despises luxury, like our Pentans, and did
this mostly for purpose of showing off with the civilized.
- - Animal totems were common in some art originated in the Caucasus. Mostly
herd beasts and hunted beasts were pictured. (In Pent, Kargzant himself is a
fiery horse) Their arts were saddlery, jewels, weapons, cups, mirrors,
shields and beltlock plates and small metal sculptures on top of their
standards. The standards was very important in battle because the soul of the
totem animal was in it. The support of the soul often was the animal's tail.
Animals pictured were stags, goats, horses, lions, bovines (aurochs;), and
some wolves, dogs, preybirds, hares, boars, fish. Surely the Pentans have
horses and preybirds, maybe some others.
> 4: Ridge of Fire...Pivotal Point. (I pay attention to Japanese Pent Pack for
> Fanzines...) For Pentans, Keyword may be Power or Loyality. I like they are
> always in War than Praxians.
On the subject of Pentans in Pelorian and Kralori eyes:
The Dara Happans as well as the Kralori are renowened xenophobes. The Pentans, who gave both of them a big scare, hold of big place in their selection of evil barbarian enemies (themselves being the "good civilized"). In Peloria, the Southern Orlanthi are tamed for the moment, and besides they never took over Dara Happa.
Thus the nomads inspire fear and horror (they are the Gog & Magog).
There is a mundane as well as mythical barrier between the Pentan and Dara Happan (pre-Sheng)/Lunar (post-Sheng) people. This is mostly apparent on the Lunar side, with Sheng Seleris as the Emperor's alter ego. Looks like this barrier is possible on the Kralori side too, Sheng having been an Anti-Dragon as Terra Incognita said.
Pentan Torture
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Long ago, Wesley Quadros gave a tasty example of Char-Un resistance-tests of human body. Doing nasty things to the enemy's soul could be well spread in Pent too.
Rist
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Peter Metcalfe about Petal Throne and Palace of Flowers:
>
There's a writeup of Hwarin Dalthippa by Harald Smith on the net, with complete biography. But the info can probably be found in Fortunate Succession or Entekosiad as well. It says that the Palace of Flowers, atop the Thousand Granite Steps?, was founded by Hwarin as a sanctuary for being able to resettle Rist after the destruction of the elf forest. There's a sacred pool where Hwarin's daughter with serpent Nestentos, Lenstira, is worshipped. Around the pool is a garden sanctuary. From there Hwarin became Queen of Rist, maybe on a Petal Throne. There is a lot of info on 2nd Wane Sylila here by the way.
Jerome
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