No reason is given. It could, however, be propaganda for external use - or it might be that the current Emperor is less influenced by Dara Happan concerns. However according to Argrath's Saga the name change happens when Argrath is ruling Tarsh, not Phargentes.
>
>>Om p28-9 we have the death of Moirades followed by the capture of Tarsh by
>>Argrath's forces (Part 3).
>
>So there was a temporary setback in the creation of the Good Empire.
>Argrath's conquest of Tarsh is not permanent as he is ousted after
>the battle of Yoran while the CHDP is silent on whether he retains
>control over Tarsh after Dwenapple.
But the name change occurs during Argrath's occupation of Tarsh. And the Good Empire forces seem to be drawn from Sylila, Oraya and possibly Dara Happa (according to CHDP Pardidas commands "the iron-bound hoplites who could crush an enemy wall under their feet).
>>While Phargentes possibly leads the army in Part 4, the two texts disagree
>>and the Northern text's statement that the King of Jillaro lead the
>>army is in
>>my opinion more probable. Neither is apparently the Emperor.
>
>Agrath's adventures in Part 4 may not refer to the Argrath that was enthroned
>as Prince of Sartar. There has been talk that this refers to an
>Argrath of Saird
>who unites the Orlanthi of South Peloria under his leadership. So when the
>Good Empire attacks Filich Kwan, it's actually Tarsh's Empire
>attacking it from
>the West rather than Dara Happa attacking it from the north.
It really doesn't matter which Argrath it is. HWhoever he is, he's not Lunar and controls Tarsh.
>
>The Red Emperor is mentioned in Part 4 not leading the army but in the
>following paragraphs where a feud between him and Argrath is spoken of
>and also where he sends the River Oslir against Argrath. Thus the Saga
>compiler felt that he was leading the Good Empire at the time.
Yet at the start of Part 5 we are told that the Red Emperor "decided
to lead the next army himself". Whether lead by Jarr-eel, Pardidas
or Phargentes the army of part 4 was not lead by the Red Emperor,
indicating that Phargentes was not the Emperor.
>
>>The CHDP version (p159) has Jar-Eel in command with Prince Pardidas
>>of Jillaro
>>commanding the centre, with no mention of Phargentes. Argrath wins
>>this battle
>
>That's the battle of Dwernapple which is not the battle of KoS p29.
>Dwernapple
>is the Battle of Gargantuans which is described over the page on KoS p30.
>Phargentes' absence at this battle is not evidence that he was not present at
>the initial incursion against Filich Kwan nor is it evidence that he was not
>leading the Good Empire when the battle of Dwernapple took place.
Assumign that CHDP is basically reliable on the chronology what
appears to have happened is this:
Argrath's Saga omits much of the invasion leading up to Yoran and
most of the following years and inserts the story of Argraths Rock.
The battles from the initial invasion up to Dwernapple are presented
as a single campaign. The forces described as leading the invasion
are in fact those at Dwernapple. The events leading up to Dwernapple
are close to the description in CHDP so this part is likely reliable.
Phargentes is only named as leader by the Southern version which also calls him "son of Jareel" - it is the Northern version which names him as "son of Moirades", but places "the King of Jillaro" (presumably Pardidas) in command. The Northern version has access to Lunar sources and is more likely to be accurate on this point (and appears to be so on the matter of Phargentes parentage). Given the similarities it is likely that the description of the army given near the start of Part 4 is based on the forces that took part at Dwernapple.
>
>The CHDP mentions nothing of the creation of Argrath's rock but does describe
>Argrath being ousted from Dragon Pass after the battle of Yoran and spending
>time in Prax. It becomes clear at this point that the chronology of
>Argrath's Saga
>is seriously muddled with respect to history and hence arguments based on
>a strict following of its chronology are flawed.
As I argue above it is mainly an omission.
>>p31 (Part 5) has another Lunar attack, reconquering Tarsh, and this
>>leads up to
>>Argrath's quest and his return.
>
>However in the CHDP, the reconquest of Tarsh is the battle of Yoran
>which comes
>_before_ the battle of Dwernapple/Gargantuans that was mentioned in
>the previous
>part.
This relies on the assumption that the reconquest mentioned in the saga is that in the CHDP. However it appears to represent a later event, occuring after the end of CHDP. The saga places it after Dwernapple and it is brought to an end after the Lightbrignr quest which is not mentioned in CHDP
>At this point we have another muddle in the chronology. The Saga implies
>at this point that the Lunar army was irresistable and thus Argrath went on
>the LBQ. The CHDP is silent after Dwernapple and can't help us here. But
>we do have the Argrath's Book which has another king's list (KoS p179).
>That shows that after Argrath left, _Harrek_ rules for four years before
>departing (I've argued elsewhere that the Battle of Heroes belongs at this
>point).
I agree that Argrath's saga omits a lot at this point. THis is consistent with it's treatment of the time between Yoran and Dwernapple.
>After Harrek departs, the King is Phargentes, albeit son of Pharandros.
>This is almost certainly the same person as Phargentes, son of Moirades,
>as when Argrath returns from the Lightbringers' Quest, his lands are
>under the control of the Good Empire (KoS p33) and their leader is one
>Phargentes, son of Moirades. The list says Phargentes is killed in battle
>which is precisely what happens to the "enemy king" in KoS p34.
I agree that that King is Phargentes. However it is best read as indicating that Phargentes is King of Tarsh under the Good Empire, just as Moirades was King of Tarsh under the Lunar Empire. There is nothing that indicates that he has any wider authority..
>
>So to sum up, the Good Empire being born out of Moirades' evil genius
>is something that comes into being after the battle of Yoran and is
>destroyed when Argrath returns from the LBQ.
But you have no evidence for this. The Good Empire is never connected to Moirades, it appears to come into existence prior to Yoran, primarily uses non-Tarshite forces and according to Argrath's saga the Good Empire is replaced by Sheng Seleris' New Moon Empire.
It is likely therefore that it is Sheng Seleris, not Argrath who brings about the end of the Good Empire.
>
>>All this said there is nothing wrong with the idea that Moirades plan is to
>>make another Lunar Empire in Dragon Pass (although the treason part is
>>pretty dangerous). But if so, it does not appear to be successful in the
>>official timeline.
>
>There is an official timeline for King of Sartar?
>
Not IN King of Sartar, but I would bet that there is an unpublished timeline which deals with much of this (even if it is mainly in Greg's head).
-- -- "The T'ang emperors were strong believers in the pills of immortality. More emperors died of poisoning from ingesting minerals in the T'ang than in any other dynasty" - Eva Wong _The Shambhala Guide to Taoism_ Paul K. ------------------------------ End of Glorantha Digest, Vol 11, Issue 245 ******************************************
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