From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer) To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest) Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily) Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Sat, 28 May 1994, part 1 Sender: Henk.Langeveld@Holland.Sun.COM Content-Return: Prohibited Precedence: junk X-RQ-ID: Intro This is the RuneQuest Daily Bulletin, a mailing list on the subjects of Avalon Hill's RPG and Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha. It is sent out once per day in digest format. More details on the RuneQuest Daily and Digest can be found after the last message in this digest. --------------------- From: jonas.schiott@vinga.hum.gu.se (Jonas Schiott) Subject: East Wilds History Message-ID: <9405271355.AA04203@vinga.hum.gu.se> Date: 27 May 94 17:55:12 GMT X-RQ-ID: 4212 OK, a couple of people have said that this is a good idea, so here goes... The following history only covers the first age, because: a. It's long enough anyway. b. The first age is the one that is best documented (a mixed blessing - it means more info to work with, but also greater confusion). c. We only have the bare bones written down for the other two ages - it needs to be fleshed out a good deal more before we hang it out for public display. Most of this is either from published sources (including, but not limited to, Cults of Terror, Trollpak, the Glorantha box, Dorastor and King of Sartar) or our own twisted minds (Sten Ahrman, Dag Olausson and myself). A few exceptions: The term "Udrai" for otter hsunchen is from Martin Crim's Hykimi write-up. Calling the Galanini sun-god "Ehilm" is something I've picked up from several people here on the net. Not really sure what to make of it yet... The text is a rough draft in the sense that I haven't cleaned it up stylistically. Hope you can put up with it anyway. ****** HISTORY Note that throughout this section, geographical regions are, for simplicityUs sake, referred to by their third age names - in earlier times, regions either had no special name at all (hsunchen tend not to see the point), or were referred to by the name of the people who lived there. First Age At the Dawn the East WildsU eastern part was dominated by Halikiv trolls, and the rest of the lands were populated by various kinds of hsunchen. The great hsunchen tribes were Basmoli, Galanini and Telmori. The Basmoli were located in the parts of theWilds that later would became Keanos and southern Saug (they also populated southern Safelster, Basim, Seshnela and Tanisor). The horse people, Galanini, roamed northern Saug and Delela (non-East Wilds lands controlled by them were Otkorion, Naskorion, south Vustria and northern Safelster). They kept a watchful eye on the lion folk, as the legendary birthplace of Galanin was located on the border to Basmoli territory. The Telmori ruled Telmoria, Ormsland and north Vustria. Beside the great hsunchens there were some major hsunchen tribes: Damali (deer people) in the west of Delela, Pralori (elk people) in southern Saug, Rathori (bear people) in southern Delela and northern Saug, Jarvi (wolverine people) in northern Delela and southern Vustria and Velori (puma people) in northern Keanos. Eastern Ralios was also inhabitated by a large number of minor tribes and clans of hsunchens including: Aleci (moose people) in east Delela, Lotari (raccoon people) in northern Saug, Udrai (otter people) throughout the rivers, Falani (beaver people) along the Allspring and its tributaries, Barathori (horned bear people) in northeast Saug, Flari (red owl people) in Corolaland and Caroni (mountain goat people) in the Mislari mountain range. A major tribe of hsunchens neighboring the East Wilds was the Bisami, the muskrat people of Naskorion. Another tribe, not very large but still notable for mythical reasons, were the Loon people living around Lake Felster. During the whole period the Basmoli were constantly at war with the Malkioni, a war they were losing step by step. Their cultural and religious identity was also declining during this war and the Basmoli (along with some minor tribes) populating the Safelster region were eventually converted into westerner beliefs(though most of these converts later rebelled against Seshnela again). The Basmoli in Basim, Keanos and southern Saug stuck to their hsunchen ways. Due to the pressure on the Basmoli the Velori succeded in overtaking the lands of Keanos from them. The Galanini and the Telmori lived in relative peace during the first hundred years. In 104 ST Narnarra the Greater, a Theyalan missionary and Storm Voice arrived in the East Wilds from Maniria. She began a legendary mission that resulted in the conversion of Velori(105), Falani(108), Lothari(112), Damali(119) and Aleci(122) to the orlanthi way of living. Her first success was the most complete: every single Velori converted, leaving none to carry on the old traditions. The Pralori resisted the conversions but were forced to emigrate to Maniria(106-112). Narnarra tried to spread the new way of living to the Galanini, but was slain by Niar the Blessed, the High Horse of Galan. A collegue of Narnarra, Stolle Muskrat converted all the Bisami people of Naskorion in 117 ST. Some twenty years after Narnarra the GreaterUs death a granddaughter of hers, Narnarra the Lesser, converted the entire tribe of Rathori (140) but failed with the Jarvi and was killed by them (146). The Jarvi started a war against the Theyalans, but the Theyalans were led by Sakanim Jarvikiller, a Windlord of great reputation; he was the main reason for the defeat of the Jarvi and their (reputed) extinction some years later (167). By the end of the second century most hsunchens in East Ralios except the Galanini and a few lesser peoples had adopted the orlanthi culture. The Galanini were able to hold on to some of their old lands, but the others mostly faded away from sight - some, like the Barathori, becoming extinct of natural causes. In 150 ST the Kivitti, the strange bipedal elephant people of Karia, successfully stopped explorations from Dorastor. The reason for this was that they did not like the way the theyalans treated their opponents, like the Jarvi. Humans were bad news for the elder species. The main problem for the new orlanthi in East Wilds was farming, they had no specific regional crop to grow. But the great hero Nikur of Blackburn quested for a new grain and returned in 160 with the wheat of Ralia. Only interrupted by some minor warfare with the trolls of Halikiv, the orlanthi of the East Wilds lived in relative peace during the rest of the century. In 162 the Dangan Confederacy was formed and Sakanim Jarvikiller was appointed High Councillor. 173 Sakanim dissapeared and his nephew Tobis Sheepbraineater was elected new High Councillor; after a few year of power, Tobis appointed himself as King of the Dangans in 176. The Dangan chiefs were not at all happy about this, and the seed of discord was sown. The succesor of Tobis, Othar Loudbreath was killed in 191 by Gogalim Duskmask, a renegade chief of disputed origin. The Dangan confederacy ceased to exist and leadership devolved to lower levels, new tribes instinctively forming on the basis of hsunchen origin. These tribes to a surprisingly large extent resemble the tribes still in existance today. Despite the antagonism between the tribes, no war broke out, though raiding was frequent. When the High Council of the Land of Genertela in Dorastor (200) was formed, almost all the tribes tried unsuccesfully to get the upper hand over each other by bribing the Council, they didnUt know that the Council already had an agreement with the Galanini. In 216 Yalamor the Purple Father, a high ranking leader of the Council, arrived at Karia and managed to bribe his way through the KivittiUs lands. Later the same year he arrived at the Horse KingUs camp, where he recruited a large horde of Galanini braves. In 218 these braves left the land of their forefathers to fight the horse barbarians of Peloria. In 230 ST the Galanini mercenaries and Prax nomads crushed the horse barbarians at Argentium TriUile. The Galanini where rewarded by landgrants in Peloria and they formed families in their new land. These young braves where overwhelmed by the power and glory of the Solar worship in Dara Happan and adopted that religion and some of its culture. But they made a fatal mistake in supressing their new subjects. Some fifteen years later the Galanini and their Dara Happan wives where forced to leave Peloria due to a peasant rebellion. Again they joined the Council as mercenaries (with their families in the wain) and fought and defeated the Kivitti at Karia in 246. As now nobody stopped the Council at Kartolin Pass, a large emigration began, and major parts of the Doskior river were settled by Dorasta-worshipping maize-agriculturing peasants. This colonization lasted a decade or so and was accompanied by constant raiding from the local orlanthi. In 248, the Sun-worshipping Galanini overtook the leadership of the Galanini tribe in Otkorion, South Vustria and northern Safelster, they introduced the Ehilm cult to the whole tribe and the social and religious pattern that still exits today was formed. A few years later they left northern Safelster for settlers from Dorastor, as agreed in a contract established between the former mercenaries and their patrons. In 259 Kork the Rider of Winds managed to unite several orlanthi tribes in an open war against the Council and their colonizers. The Galanini were reluctant to help either side in this war and the Council hired Dragonewts to act as protectors for the settlers, even some clans of trolls were hired for the job. The trollUs bargain was the taxation of the trade route between Kartolin pass and the Doskior river, Istakahixa was their headquarters. In 263 Kork the Rider of Winds recreated the Dangan Confederacy. Some years after their arrival the dragonewts found the ruins of a Dragoncity in Ormsland and some of them, helped by dragon magic, defeated the Telmori living there. In 280 the colonisation of Safelster reached its peak with the defeat of the Seshnegi in the southern parts. The Council still craved expansion and the orlanthi and Galanini lands of Otkorion seemed a sound choice. At the beginning of the fourth century the relationship between the Council in East Ralios and the Dangan Confederacy became more relaxed, but in Otkorion the relations between orlanthi and the Council tensed. In 320 these tensions resulted in a great war. Nobody won, but the expansion of the Council was halted. The same year a treaty between the Dangans and the Council made it possible to end all warfare in the East Wilds. The dragonewts where discharged and retired to Ormsland, the trolls kept the administration of the trade route. The Ralia cult was reestablished and superseded Dorasta worship, maize cultivation became an obscure curiosity. In 333 the grandson of Kork, Dorg Walks-on-Water built Sweetweed Castle with the help of the newtling hero Kilwin Stoneheart. The new Dangans decided to found a capital located on the mainland south of Sweetweed Castle. This city was completed in 345 and had over 3000 citizens. The Dorastor settlers around Felster lake revolted against the Council in 350 and proclaimed their independence, calling themselves the Dari Alliance. The Ralia cult replaced Dorasta worship in these lands too. In 365 the Council decided to create the ultimate god, this new direction made the trolls and dragonewts leave the Council, leaving a broken council behind. The Halikiv trolls abandoned their presence in east Delela and Saug and left Corolaland, the trade route (including Istakahixa) was deserted. The dragonewts of Ormsland lost contact with their cousins in Dragon Pass and began a slow process of degeneration, eventually becoming the UbarbarianU dragonewts of today. The Galanini, thrilled by the possibilities of a living god of light, joined the Broken Council. Weakened by the withdrawal of the trolls and dragonewts the Broken CouncilUs godcreating efforts were reignited by the Dara Happans joining the council, in 370. With the help of Dorastor, the Dangans decided to build Istakax (370) as an outpost towards the trolls. Istakax became one of the links in the chain of strongholds along the trade route between the heartlands of Ralios and Dorastor. Istakax was planned to be finished in time for the birth of the new god, but this goal was not acheived. In the year 374 the sun stopped and the Bright One was born. Great festivities where held in Kilwin and the unfinished city of Istakax and all around Delela and Saug. The worship of Nysalor or Osentalka as he was called in Ralios, was rapidly adopted by the Dangans of the East Wilds. Lots of sacred monuments were erected for his glorification and with unnatural speed the orlanthi way of living was forgotten, only the cult of Ralia was untouched by the new religious outlook. The Dangans lived happily under the reign of Osentalka and did not see his dark sides as the westerners did. They cheered the trollkin curse and enslavement of the treacherous dragonewts, they enjoyed raiding deep into Halikiv and killing many trolls. Some of the unconverted hsunchen resisted the Osentalka worship and became more reclusive. In 378 the Dangans discovered a small surviving population of Jarvi and delightedly slaughtered them even though they were the last of their kind. In 380 the Dari Alliance was attracted by the power of Nysalor and joined forces with him, they became as staunch worshippers of him as the Dangans. Most of the Telmori people did the same. Tanisor adopted the Nysalor cult in 385, but was overwhelmed by the dark sides of him, being a perverted people. Tanisor attacked Brithos and the Seshnegi in 400 and defeated them, one of the Brithini soldiers was the young Arkat. Ten years later, in 410, Tanisor was conquered by Arkat, leading an army from Seshnela. Tanisor recieved no help from the rest of the Nysalor-worshipping areas, due to research done by them in 407 where outrageous secrets were revealed about the Tanisor kingdomUs corruption. In 417 Arkat was appointed Grand Marshal of the Seshnelan Grand Crusade against Chaos, and advanced into Ralios. He was helped by orlanthi from Otkorion to conquer the Dari Alliance in 419. But eventually his forces where weakened and exhausted and he was repelled by the Dangans near Kilwin. In 420 Arkat left his army to heroquest, and returned in 424 with new powers. During that time a status quo was established between his army on one side and the Dangans and Galanini on the other. When he came back, Arkat decided on a lightning attack at Karia from the north. He conquered Karia, leaving a ruined Vustria behind as a result of his efforts, but was stopped at Kartolin Pass He then decided to leave one army in Karia and try another way to Dorastor. Before leaving Ralios in 425 he defeated the Nysalor-converted Telmori, who fled to Fronela. The pure ones withdrew into central Telmoria. Not all of the former orlanthi were satisfied with the cult of Osentalka. There were those who longed for the stormy old days. In particular, the Berenneth tribe, which had been formed by colonists of the recently troll-free Corolaland, was a hotbed of reactionary feelings. They went so far as too reintroduce Orlanth worship, initiating their young men into the banned mysteries. For this crime, large portions of the tribe were exiled, including a young farmer named Harmast. The remainder of the Berenneth were either absorbed by other tribes or destroyed in the next wave of trollish expansion. HarmastUs role in rescuing Arkat, and thus aiding NysalorUs downfall, went unnoticed by the Dangans, who were busy fighting a holding action against the enemy forces left. A Zorak Zorani force helped by the Arkat army stormed Istakax in 440, and that marks the real beginning of troll dominance in the East Wilds. In 449 Nysalor died, leaving the East Wilds an empty shell, as the Dangan Confederacy dissolved, easy to conquer by Arkat when he returned a year later, founding his infamous Dark Empire. Arkat donated Guhan to his troll allies in 450 and established a dynasty of his own in the unpopulated land of Lankst. During the rest of the first age Arkat consolidated his domains. ****** This account attempts to acheive some sort of objectivity. Nobody alive in 1620 knows the full story, as it is related here. Contemporary orlanthi are often unaware of their descent from hsunchen, and would be sorely offended if someone were to claim that their ancestors once abandoned Orlanth in favor of a Chaos god. Stories tell of a bygone age of peace and plenty, when a benevolent deity of Light was worshipped _together_ with Orlanth; this Good God was slain by that Demon of Darkness, Arkat, and since then the people of the East Wilds (a term arising in the 2nd age, BTW) have had to fight for their very existance more often than not. I'd appreciate comments on this, either here on the daily or through e-mail. We believe that we've managed to cram in all the published facts, but there is of course a possibility that we've missed something. [P.S. Gary, I'll get back to you about your henotheist stuff when I've had time to study it thoroughly. D.S.] [P.P.S. Sandy, this doesn't answer much of your question about what's there _now_, does it? But if nobody stops me, I'll probably post some more contemporary info later. D.D.S.] ( Jonas Schiott ) ( Institutionen for Ide- och lardomshistoria ) ( Goteborgs Universitet ) --------------------- From: carlsonp@wdni.com (Carlson, Pam) Subject: RE: RuneQuest Daily, Thu, 26 May 1994, part 3 Message-ID: <2DE50226@itlab.wtc.weyer.com> Date: 26 May 94 17:05:00 GMT X-RQ-ID: 4206 Neil Robinson says: P.S. Has anyone considered an international gaming directory for RuneQuest? Outside of my group, it seems like the nearest other RQ gamer is David Dunham in Seattle. I hope that isn't the case. (Actually, there are seven of us out here in Latte Land. Kinda pathetic for a metropolis of 2 million). Not a bad idea! As Sandy has pointed out, gamers move around quite a bit, but they do retain tenuous contact with old friends. I have several friends in other cities who can't find any RQ'ers, or don't have E-mail. In fact, one of them is moving to Chicago this month... does anybody out there game in Chicago? Maybe we should compile a directory. --------------------- Sandy Petersen defending Cloud Call: In the end, you have LOTS of extra rain over any Orlanthi territory. Magic ecology at its finest..... The Orlanthi get plenty of rainfall, and their crops grow well even in the comparatively poor upland area, and so they are a force to be reckoned with. Hey! An example of magic ecology in Glorantha! I like it. And, likewise, the Yelmites in Dara Happa could do the same with Cloud Clear to get plenty of sunshine. With less rain, the D. Happans must be pretty good at irrigation - and they must be quite fond of their river. >From Alex: However, "Fever-brained Gbaji-riddling son of a she-broo" is a tried and tested standby for Lunars of all shapes, sizes, and illuminations. Sounds like that will get your taxes raised, for sure! Pam <^==@ /\ /\ --------------------- From: joe@sartar.toppoint.de (Joerg Baumgartner) Subject: RQ organisations Message-ID:Date: 27 May 94 07:45:33 GMT X-RQ-ID: 4207 Sandy Petersen in X-RQ-ID: 4169 First, I want to take back my comment about 53 lightnings and a true dragon. >> BTW, where does the name [Aeolian Heresy] come from? > It comes from me. I made it up. I did base it on the name > Aeolus, using the logic that it should be similar to the name > Stygian. See? They're not entirely my fault! > I've always felt that spirit magic and sorcery looked very > different. Not only in the postures and words spoken by the caster, > but also in the visible & audible effects of the spell. Speaking of which: what visible and audible effects does magic have in your campaign? There has been a long and fruitless debate about this in RQ4-list a few months ago. > Joerg comments on the lack of a US RQ org. >>I don't know why you don't get organized then in your respective >>home > We don't get government funding for our "youth > organizations". Also, our country is far vaster in size, and much > more sparsely populated. It's physically hard for a band of RQers in > one part of the country to contact those in another. Germany may have smaller distances, but we actually meet only if some of us chance to visit another's home city, or at the annual convention. The US with its great, "everyone's there" conventions would be as good a breeding ground for such a society as Germany where net to noone really leaves his city of birth. Nor do we profit much from being a "youth organization". We aren't heavily taxed, but that's about it. And a society with an average membership age of about 23 years isn't much of a youth organisation anyway. > I feel that any Malkioni who attempt to include CA as a saint > are considered heretics. Who isn't in Malkioni religion? > In speaking of the destruction of bronze in Glorantha: >>The geological upheavals have accelerated geology and geochemistry >>in Glorantha to such an extent, especially because of >the magic >>around, that the short period of time is evened out, IMO. > Yeah, but the period is SO much shorter (only 1600 years) > that, IF YOU WANT, you can claim it hasn't had too much effect. Also, > a lot of the Godtime deaths happened after the geological upheavals, > though of course plenty happened before. Fine. We have a "Do what you want" situation. Now let's do so. Although the geology minor in me still wants to know how long the ice age held Glorantha in sway before the Dawning. > If I'm not allowed to go to Kralorela, or talk out loud to a > Malkioni, or if I've got to stay in the foreigners' section of town, > this certainly doesn't make my world more interesting and quirky. All (85%) strangers are forbidden to enter Kralorela. Does this work for you? Those who aren't have got (or forged) a special dispensation. Wasn't entry into China (and Nippon) forbidden to Westerners as well, for a long time? Did your PCs enter the Brithini library in Sog City/Fronela? Or did the Brithini upper city remain closed to them, and mysterious, and dangerous? I think there's nothing wrong in forbidding access to some areas. No edict remains unbroken as long as there is a single trickster left. -- -- Joerg Baumgartner joe@sartar.toppoint.de