Re: Argrath of Saird

From: Paul Andrew King <paul_at_morat.demon.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 21:41:45 +0100


>Paul Andrew King:
>
>>Me>If the events of Holay don't refer to Argrath of Saird.
>
>>If the CHDP was presented to Argrath at his wedding in 1640 then it
>>is unlikely that the Argrath credited with winning the battle of
>>Dwernapple in 1638 is someone completely different.
>
>I'm not referring to Dwernapple but the events that took place
>in Holay before the battle of Yoran.

So why introduce that to a discussion of the aftermath of Dwernapple ?

>
>> >then there is the alternative route
>>>of a Pass ruled by a Giant who fought alongside Argrath at
>>>the battle of Dwernapple.
>
>>Which would be rather an odd way to go from Dragon Pass to Holay -
>>especially with a large number of Bison Riders.
>
>Why is it "rather odd"? The description of Gonn Orta's Pass
>in the Genertela Book states:
>
> "With a handful of unusual denizens he trades here.
> and decides whether to let inhuman raiders pass
> onward south, and Praxian raiders to pass north"
> Genertela Book p91
>
>And Joh Mith can reach Gonn Orta's pass from Dagori
>Inkarth.

Dagori Inkarth to Dykene via Gonn Orta's pass is a far more sensible route than Dragon Pass to Holay. Dagori Inkarth lies between Dragon Pass and Gonn Orta's Pass, and Dykene is at the Eastern edge of Balazar with Holay on the Western border.

And raiders can and will take paths that are not suitable for armies.

>
>> >I dispute "ripe for the plucking" and I have never suggested Argrath
>>>leaves Tarsh alone.
>
>>Since I was replying to Jeff Richard with no reference to your
>>claims, I am under no obligation to restrict my reply to arguing
>>against your suggestions.
>
>I don't see Jeff arguing anything of the sort and the suggestion
>of leaving Tarsh alone after Dwernapple does follow from my
>theory that Tarsh was not reconquered after Dwernapple.

Nor am I restricted to arguing against Jeff Richard in my reply to him. In fact I was pointing to parts of CHDP that tend to support what he remembers hearing from Greg.

>
>>However since you dispute the idea that Tarsh was ripe for the
>>plucking, I have to ask what force is there to prevent it ?
>>According to CHDP the Lunar forces in the area were weak at the time
>>and after the losses at Dwernapple it is unlikely that they would be
>>in a position to defend Tarsh.
>
>That's an interpretation, not an actual statement. The reference
>is to Saird and the Lunars aren't said to be weak but rather
>they've disbanded part of their army and sent others elsewhere.
>What appeared was a scratch force.

In fact it appears to be a reference to the raising of an army in Dragon Pass, and possibly that army's march into Holay

[...]
>
>In any case the outcome looks like the battle of
>Kadesh (painted as an Egyptian Victory but was
>more like a draw).

Argrath's troops hold the field, their biggest weapon (the Giants) remain and Queen Penelori is captured. The expense may be high but it seems to be a victory to me.

>
>Considering what is known of the forces available to
>both sides in Dragon Pass, there are still plenty of
>other troops that could be used to protect Tarsh and
>other provinces until a proper army can be
>reconstituted.

Given that a scratch force needs to be assembled from Sylila and Oraya it appears that there was not an adequate army in or near Saird to meet Argrath's force. So it is not clear that Tarsh has forces adequate to defend it. More seriously Argrath needs Tarsh to keep communication lines open between Dragon pass and Saird (both of which he supposedly rules after Dwernapple).

-- 
--
"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.


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