Arkat's Stygian Empire

From: TERRA INCOGNITA <inarsus-ferilt-z_at_mrg.biglobe.ne.jp>
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 23:55:46 +0900

From Tradetalk First Age List:

Me:
>> IMHO you should leave this matter off if Greg keeps the tone of "The Tale of
>> Selalos Deguys: I hate Trolls" in all Arkat Saga. (though I don't know >> enough about it.) Agnosticism.

David Dunham:

>It's true that Arkat fought trolls in the beginning of Arkat's Saga,
>but this only goes to show how strong his anti-Nysalor drive was. He
>was even willing to become the hated enemy in order to destroy the
>True Enemy.

Always serious problem for me to convince someone about my own idea with my poor English....Greg keeps the same tone through his tale while the characters appear in it, for him, "it is important to maintain a sense of wonder in the world." (Questlines) So we cannot truly understand the motive of Dragonewts, EWF, Godlearners and Stygian Arkati, if we truly try to attack the Nest of Dragon's Eye, Greg's dragons will appear and eat us.

 Then, I want to write about Stygian Empire now. I know as real Safelstans of 17C Ralios, you might never agree to one matter with the opinions of your fellow gloranthaphile about the true nature of "Arkat" and the system of his Empire. And Peter Metcalph wrote something about Arkati in the "Four Scrolls of Revelation" (C02 Book) and I don't read it yet. (I want to do it as soon as possible...If Mark Galeotti may teach me how to do....)

 Several Times many hints their own different idea about Arkat.

From American Heritage Dictionary:

*Stygian also Stygian adjective

1.a. Gloomy and dark. b. Infernal; hellish. 2.Of or relating to the river Styx.

[From Latin Stygius, from Greek Stugios, from Stux, Stug-, Styx.]

R.E. Howard "Conan fought Stygian Sorcery and its Setite Priests (Enemy of Mithra?) and Magicians..."

Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun: "Ascians (from Gloranthan POV....Seshnelans?) comes from the place without Shadow (Castle of the Otter)"

Read Plato's "Nation" how his polis of ideal work in his ideal cosmos.....ruled by philosophers.

<<Her name is Sophia. (Dame Darkness?)

She sang a song inside the perpetual and eternal bliss, Darkness, and from its melody, Erasanchula appeared. From Center of her, the Sea of Styx enlarged and washed away everything which remained in Last Battle of Desperation. (Water = Time)

Three Childrens contested, and later fought for her affection. They are (Malkion), (Genert), (Pamalt) They want to make most beautiful melody for her through different methods.

Demons cursed Erasanchula so they got vision, forgetting the Song of Sophia.

Elder Races created humanity for their harmany for differences and communications. But they forget it when they drink the water of Styx.

Arkat the Destroyer will appear when the Evil succumbed our World again, and destroy everything and remake this world as he did in several times.>>

Original Image 12 Autarchs of Stygia.....(12 Imams of Siia Sect?) Example, and Trolls counts with elevens...(Uz: Unspoken Word?)

They are all half UzUz....? I don't know, but I don't think they can control Safelstans long through too trollish manner and faces. And they have longevity and might have immortality....?

Stygians might be iconoclasts to orthodox Malkioni arts as Muslims and Protestants (and merfolks of Glorantha) They might prefer Music to Sculpture and Icon.....

IMHO, his capital was hidden in the depth of Narar (Modern Felster) Lake, and connected to true Stygia.....

Arkat's Empire was decentralized and there is many different policies between urban (arkati and monotheists) and rural (orlanthi, galanini and trolls) area. Safelstan Cities might already got great independence...(Though I don't think so, cultural independence is no good for total prosperity of one Empire...)

*Arkat the Great: 450-500

Hero Mistress Troll? Third Prophet of Stygian Heresy, Savior, Destroyer, Peacemaker, Chaosbane, Great, Liberator, and...Deceiver. 453 Third Ecclesiastical Council, 480 Dara Happa Liberated. Granted Uzgor Hills to his follower Trolls, Archons.

*Peacemaker: 500-550?

He abandoned some of outer Area protectrates (as Hadrianus did for Trajanus' Mesopotamia) and befriended OOO (his friend in his youth?) and studied Art of Argan Argar. Made peace with Telmorian Werewolves cursed by Talor. Shadow Warrior band founded. (Guardians of Hero Plane)

*Mad: 550-564?

He was devotee of Subere's Secret and did many fanatical bad things, perfectly abandoned human form through sacrifice and Bloody Rituals, many Arkati sub-Heresies appeared in his reign, 578 Massacre of Tax Collector in DP. He was killed by Humathi Sword Council?

*Lawmaker: 564-580?

Oppression to Lanksti Orlanthi for his "Elder-Brother"'s Death.

Made Eight Aspects of Arkat Subcult. Rebellion of Brothers, Civic War weaked Autarchy but trolls intervened from Guhan. Heroquester Zorak Zorani who tried to kill D'Wargon inside of Wonderhome and rescue Kolasting from him. (Of course, he failed)

*Stalker 580-608?

Leader of Shadow Warriors didn't settle in one place, Galvosti (Kingdom of Nomia 607) and Boristi appeared (implanted?) during his reign for his experiment for his cruelty to humanity?

*Singer 608-638?

Orpheus? Connection to Spolites land beyond High Llama Pass, travelling to Underworld? 632 Fourth Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism and failed. (Civil War of Seshnela) He is a sponsor of both Uz Art and Human Art and tried to make synthesis...?

*Stealer 638-652?

His great feat against Slontans of South and Aldryami, (but they revolted against him later and the relam of Autarchy shrank, but contemporaries didn't care about it.)

*Wizard 652-668?

He made a pact with Evil Sorcerer of the successor of Enchanter, Goventainer the Greenshirt of Southeast and got Power from Underworld to fight Ascian Seshnelans.

Galanini Cavalry?

*Conqueror 668-702?

He pretended mad early of his reign and test loyalty of his subjects. He regained old Stygian Domain through Conquest, invoking aspect of Arkat the Conqueror, his army fought the Army of Hymat and got once Frowal, through Thyerm and Grodram, he oppressed Seshnelans.

*Quester 702-713?

Leader of Shadow Warriors and researcher of Arkat realm while the condition of war against Seshnelans worsened (Army of Jrustela and Ullmal), he went Sturdom's Well and died heroically in Dove Constellation? The Capital of Lake Narar abandoned for his failure.

*Destroyer 713-718?

Zorak Zorani Tyrant without Arkat ability. He didn't care about Mundane Affairs in his domain and concerned only destruction and frenzy fight, he told his subject, "Arkat waits you after that." Revered only Arkat the Destroyer. And he fought and won against Return to Righteous several times, but died horribly after East Wilders betrayed him.

*Pazlac Martyr 718-740

He sought the way to survival of his Empire and salvation of Hero Quest? Arts from Ascian Hero Questers, he went East and sought help from Halikiv But
rejected by Charmilla Softspeak, famous seer and foreteller of what would occur to Godlearners, he sought to save them from such a tragedy but failed. 736 Aringor's Lightbringer HQ made Dragonewts and Beast Tribes to support Orlanthi of Delela, Narnarra the Greater and Nisaro Flamesword allied and killed Pazlac at the riverside of Naskorioni. Nisaro destroyed the Grave of Arkat but failed to destroy his soul / spirit.

Autarch:

>Safelstan Cities:
>Archons of Other Areas:
>Guhani Trolls:
>Hero Questers (Shadow Warriors (Moderators of Hero Plane?): Nick Brooke)


Enemies:
Ascian Seshnegi and Tanisorians (Crusaders) Slontan Trader Princes and Warriors
Telmori Werewolves
Vesmonstran and East Wild Orlanthi
Galanini and other Hsunchen Naturarists? Dragonewts of Ormsland

As I said, it might be very important for the process of mix-n-match of Three Othersides and Underworld to the Analysis of Arkatism. (Because the Greatest Cross-cultural Heroes of Glorantha, Arkat and Sheng Seleris got great power through such process. But as the change of AD&D 1st Edition to 2nd Edition, Multi-Class character ability inevitably weakened in new setting....)

While Gods War became more serious, the Three Other Realms mixed-up more seriously, Cosmic Promise made the Three independently again...? (But maybe some says Cosmic Compromise is only for Orlanthi....)

But there might be time-lag among three.....

The First Contact between AroTurru (Genealogy Map: P20 Entekosiad) and Deneronan (Genealogy Map p.7 E.) might be the first contact between Spirit Plane and God Plane. (p.14 E.)

HW 1st Edition: Narrator Book p. 114: This Plainly indicates the collision of the Spirit World and God Plane to start the process of creating Glorantha (Green Age) p.116: However, at this time, the first extensive contacts with the sorcery peoples are indicated, invading the magical realm of the gods with logic and disrespect. (Golden Age)

War Field

Change about Adoration and Shamanism
Enclosure and Revealed Mythologies

Jakareel the Witch
(From Sorcery to Animism)
Blue Moon Artmali (Changed by Greg's Speculation for Rufelza and its former bodies) from Golden Age to Storm Age

Famous Swords of Glorantha:
*Justice of Age: Sir Hrestol's Sword, he got it from the Court of Silence
(Tales#13 Crusade)
*God Cleaver: Arkat's Sword, it might be called Unbreakable Sword, it might
be the Sword which Humakt stole it from the chamber of Subere, or the body of himself. (Brithini, Hrestoli and Trolls "know" other truth...)
*Shatternot: Yan Starcere, Hero of Dawn Age, Famous Sword of Humakt's own.
(Tales#5 Humakti Special)
*Ironbreaker: Distan, one of General of Arkat holds it and it was inherited
by Bilini Kings, its peculiar power guards holders from death without avenge. (Lords of Terror)
*Flame Sword: King Gerlant, son of Arkat's sword, it lost during the
Herjan's destruction of Froalar and Luathan's coming. Some says its power can be copied with the Blessing of Saint Gerlant, it marked the Emblem of God Learners. (Revealed Mythologies)
*Tolat's Sword: King of Melib got it from his God, Tolat. Tolat got it from
Artmal when he helped this southern god. (Revealed Mythologies)
*Ormsword: Argrath will use it for his Utuma. (King of Sartar, John Hughes'
Timeline of Far Point)

Nick Brooke said: "Ralian Orlanthi coming from Slontos during the Arkat Conquest."

Peter Metcalph said, "Lanksti might come from Talastar during the Unity Council, so they are not Vingkotling."

Old Genertela Box said, "East Wilders still remember the Good Nysalor era...."

If Palangio's Bright Empire is that of Assyrians, Stygian Empire might be Achaimenesians IMHO.....

EWF believes they want to bring back Golden Age, they are not good Orlanthi, because Golden Age is Stagnant Age in their Cosmology, if I can call Golden Age "Atrilith" and Green Age "Durapdur"....maybe......

Chalana Arroy prevented Utuma of her friend dragon <> Eurmal cut Rostand's tongue into two....

--__--__--

Powered by hypermail