Re: Glorantha Digest, Vol 11, Issue 111

From: SIMONBRAYUK_at_aol.com
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2005 05:19:41 EDT

In a message dated 08/04/2005 23:14:33 GMT Standard Time, glorantha-request_at_rpglist.org writes:

So turning up the two Unspoken Word books that detail animist
> traditions we get the Char-un who don't appear to have death
> spirits at all - indeed binding the spirit of the dead into
> the material plance is regarded as an honour.

Huh? What are you on about? Thats not what the Unspoken Word said.

First of all, the Char-Un have lots of spirits of death. Foilen the Slayer, is the Night Bird that brings death to the world and watches over the herd that roam the Cold Steppe of the Dead. He has death spirits and even has the secret of 'Ending' which allows you to permanently lay any spirit to rest. Foilen is the psychopomp of the Tradition. Iriloy serves a similar function for
the herds of the Char-Un, guiding horse spirits to the Cold Steppe of the Dead.
Tunal is the Half-Dead, who wanders the Cold Steppe of the Dead, and contols Dead Steppe Spirits and Spirits of the Dead. His brother Yunal the Half-Man, also controls the Dead Steppe Spirits.

Secondly the reference by Promantis to the funerary rites of the Char-Un mention the binding of warrior spirits into their corpses to protect the people,
as an honour for 'Some'. It is at the end of a long discourse on funerary practices. The standard practice is to burn the corpse after a brief mourning period or to raise them on to a platform to feed the hawks. You must remember that Promantis like his earthly counterpart Herodotus can be a resource of varying usefulness and should not always be trusted in his conclusions.

Finally, while none of this information is canonical, I hope people have enjoyed Sons of Kargzant, and find it fills the void in this area of Glorantha and provides fun for all :-)

Simon


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