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, Tue, 31 May 1994, part 2 Sender: Henk.Langeveld@Holland.Sun.COM Content-Return: Prohibited Precedence: junk --------------------- From: 100102.3001@CompuServe.COM (Peter J. Whitelaw) Subject: non-Gloranthan notes. Batch Five Message-ID: <940530153110_100102.3001_BHJ55-7@CompuServe.COM> Date: 30 May 94 15:31:10 GMT X-RQ-ID: 4261 THE TASKAN EMPIRE ================== Cities of the Taskan Heartland - Part II ----------------------------------------------- Zarina, Largest City in the Empire Before Zygas Taga made Taskay his capital, Zarina was the most powerful city of the Tarsenians. It is still to this day the most populous, its inhabitants said to number more than 100,000. It is the seat of much of Tarsenian culture and learning, and Zarinian society often sets the fashions which become accepted throughout the heartland. Zarina is blessed by an excellent location, on the shores of the gulf of Taskay and close by the estuary of the Felsang River. It is surrounded by arable land, and fine pastures are to be found in the uplands to the East which form the watershed between Tarsenia and Osrolia. There are a total of 11 distinct suburbs, of which only four are encompassed within the walls. The remainder spill out onto the plain, except for the necropolis which is built on an island connected to the shore by a bridge. Each suburb is named after a celebrated hero from the city's past. Zarina sports residential buildings of 4, 5 and even 6 stories. The ground floors of these blocks are usually occupied by the landlord, or else let out to shopkeepers. Dimarnis is a residential quarter of Zarina-within-the-walls. This is where the wealthy citizens live, in a city which preserves its class distinctions from pre-imperial times. The inhabitants of this district no longer have legal privileges, but they retain their ancient obligation to present themselves for militia service equipped with a horse and cuirass. Busatis is the administrative quarter of Zarina, where the Zygas Taga temple is located with its open court where the priests sit in session. Close by is Nysim Quarter, which features many shops, the city's largest market, and the Great Library, which is the most famous seat of learning in the Empire, said to hold more than 10000 books in over 50 languages. The fourth quarter within the walls is the Sutermin or Temple Quarter, featuring the Great Temple of Tethis and Mansu. The plaza surrounding this structure, the Court of Tethis, is the territory of prostitutes and entertainers, and on Machank's high holy day is the scene for a contest of arms between devotees of Bast and Machank in which participants are frequently killed. Outside the city's northern gate is Gortyn Quarter, a district of inns and taverns clustered around the Theatre. Across Gortyn bridge is the island suburb of Sugartis, which consists in the main of the Gomorg temple and the necropolis. Timna and Jumatis Quarters are mostly residential, with a scattering of workshops and businesses. Bordering Timna Quarter is Thumastin's Menagerie, a collection of exotic beasts from many different lands collected and put on display by the eccentric magus Thumastin Thumank. Raheb Quarter is a residential area containing many rich houses with impressive gardens, and close by is the outskirt suburb of Kebal, which is mostly inhabited by agricultural workers, clustered around the impressive Temple of Samanse and Kait. Kebal hosts the city's main market for agricultural produce. The last suburb is Samais Quarter, a sprawl, located the other side of the Felsang river and reached by a ferry, which runs once in the morning and once at night in each direction carrying passengers and animals at a fixed rate. Wealthy patrons may hire it privately at other times of the day. Samais is the poorest district of the city, inhabited by all sorts of undesirables excluded from the other side of the river by the militia. Besides these it also has a substantial population of agricultural labourers, who have no land of their own and can only find work at certain times of year. Those who are citizens can at least expect handouts from the government to help them through hard times. Samais' most notable features are a large, secure inn at which travellers failing to make the last ferry can find safe lodgings; and a government office which is at the same time a dole centre and hiring hall for the military. People of Importance Among Zarina's influential leaders are: Morshek Musabis Morshek is the head of Zarina's Emperor cult. He is probably one of the three most powerful sorcerers in the city. He has held his current job for 30 years, which means he is probably more than 90 years old - nor does he look a day over 100. Morshek appears to be failing in health, and he is carried most places by a team of litter-bearers. He may often be found in the library, where it is his pleasure to test young students on their studies, and impress the assembled company with the breadth of his knowledge. Varshang Keban This fellow is an ex-soldier who is head of Zarina's underworld, and a favourite of the god Hamath. Varshang was once a Machank devotee, who lost an eye in a skirmish on the Korazoon frontier. After leaving the army he ended up working as hired muscle for Zarinian villains, but through the combination of a keen mind and a brutal nature he ended up as a gang leader. Following some brief and bloody in-fighting, Varshang's gang became the most powerful in the city, and all others have to pay tribute to him. He has many hideouts, but for some time now he has lived in a fine house in Dimarnis Quarter, where his rough habits and shady house-guests scandalise the neighbours. Daryla Modarin Daryla is the chief priestess of Tethis. In her normal aspect she is an attractive though unremarkable woman of 35 years of age. When enthused with the goddess's spirit, however, her voice takes on a divine, seductive tone and she cuts the most striking figure imaginable to mortal men, each seeing in her those features which he deems most alluring. The winner of the annual tournament between Bast and Machank wins her company as his chief prize, and retains this privilege for an entire year. Boy children of this union are given to the temple of the God which the father championed. Daryla is only likely to remain in her post for another year or two, after which she will be replaced by a younger priestess. She is currently assessing likely candidates to succeed her. Naktamel Jehab Naktamel is a famous astrologer and diviner, who is also guardian of the Sacred Books section of the great library, and a priest of Zarina's Emperor cult. He publishes an Almanac at the start of each year, which is distributed and carefully studied throughout Tarsenia and even beyond. Its chief purpose is to set out the omens for the year as revealed to him by his arts, and lay down which days are to be the most favourable for important undertakings such as sowing, reaping and going to war. Naktamel is coy about his age, but he appears to be 70-ish. Sharustang Kemur Sharustang is a bald, bear-like, 50-year-old, commander of Zarina's militia forces. Although he comes from Felkar (as town gossip has it, born of a good mother and a slave father) he has been on the move all his life and has only recently decided to settle down in Zarina. Sharustang won a reputation for himself by serving several years as a Machank devout. After turning down early retirement he re-enlisted in the regulars, and was awarded a captaincy in a frontier unit stationed at the Tengissian Gates. Within a few seasons he had been elevated to the command of a cataphract squadron, and at the age of 34 was made one of the Iron Companions. Now suffering from chronic joint-rot, he has finally retired from active service, bought a fine house in Zarina, and settled down to write his magnum opus, a treatise on military affairs. In view of his illustrious background, the Zarinian Emperor-cult had no hesitation in co-opting him into their ranks, conferring on him the largely honorary role of commander of the Zarinian militia. Felkar, Headquarters of the Taskan Army Felkar is a soldiers' town, where the Taskan army is assembled, trained and outfitted. A constant traffic converges on the city of young men, and sometimes women, who have enrolled with recruiting sergeants in their home town and have been sent on their way with just enough money in their pockets to live off on the journey. Needless to say this pocket money is often squandered, and would-be recruits end up stealing and robbing to provide for themselves, making the roadways leading to the city dangerous routes to travel alone. In addition to the army recruits the regular round of delegations to the court of the Iron Simulacrum, whose palace is at Felkar, a stream of tinkers, entertainers and other purveyors of goods and services to the troops and a constant to-ing and fro-ing of official couriers makes the Felkar Road the most travelled in all the Empire. Felkar is an unwalled town, although it is overlooked by a strong fortress. This place is the palace of the Iron Simulacrum, a defence work of considerable size approached by a long, winding ramp, guarded by all manner of devices manufactured by the Guild of Artificiers. It is constructed of dressed blocks of brownish stone atop a natural tumulus, the only high point for miles around, which commands views over both land and sea. At the foot of the fortress is the town itself. On one side are the various camps of the regular and mercenary units, of which there are five permanent ones and many more during the winter months. On the other is a long beach suitable for shallow-draughted warships, and an artificial harbour which can accommodate the merchantmen bringing supplies for the troops. During the campaigning season Felkar is a fairly quiet place whose people are a peaceable and law-abiding crowd, involved in agriculture, crafts, shipping and services to the many official visitors who come here. During the winter months the bulk of the army is quartered here. The troops, camp-followers and hangers-on then outnumber the townspeople by 2-1. Foodstalls and wine-shops open up all over, the gaming houses open their doors, entertainers and showmen from all across the Empire bring new and exotic acts to town for the season, and Felkar becomes a very rough place indeed. So much so, in fact, that the wealthier inhabitants retire to the country for the duration, and the army's Enforcer battalion takes over much of the responsibility for law and order. The town's major features include Temple of Machank, in which a proportion of the spoils of war are placed as trophies, and at which a brave few dedicate themselves to the pursuit of death or glory before setting out on campaign. There is also an arms factory belonging to the Emperor's estate and employing 200 slaves in the manufacture of weapons for the army; and similar enterprises on a smaller scale belonging to local landowners and businessmen produce shields, helmets, spearshafts, armour, belts and other leatherwork, tools and mess equipment, rations and hardtack according to regulations laid down by statute. Between the town and the village of Kispal where the Samanse temple stands are the two military training grounds. The first is the Choosing Ground which is used by the town's militia, the second, much larger, is the Field of Machank, where the professional army drills its men and trains new recruits. In one part of this field is an area is roped off from the rest, where the portable temple carried on campaign by the army is erected during the winter. People of Importance Influential people of Felkar include: Samarsin, The Iron Simulacrum, Samarsin is the familiar of the Emperor Zygas Taga, and in all ways acts as his chief representative. Samarsin's word is taken to be equal to the divine Emperor's own. Samarsin is an iron statue of great beauty and fine workmanship, magically animated and then invested with a part of Zygas Taga's own being. Samarsin is a sorcerer of impressive ability, having had 300 years to develop his skills. He is commander in chief of the army, and the college of Emperor-cult priests which he leads forms its general staff. The Simulacrum spends some two hours each day hearing petitions from representatives of cities, provinces and peoples of the Empire, or even from private individuals. It is also he who receives the ambassadors of foreign powers. Gomo Farchang Gomo is the commander of the imperial guard regiment known as the Unconquerable Heroes, or, more popularly, The Fire-Eaters. A detachment of 300 or so guard the person of the Simulacrum, armed with the new muskets. Gomo Farchang is the more senior of three priests of Thesh who command the regiment, and as such has membership of the Iron Companions. He is the Simulacrum's confidant and chief agent, entrusted with knowledge of the most secret plans, and often with their execution. Maranis Askim Maranis Askim is the Companion who commands the cavalry. At 33 years of age he is the youngest of Saramsin's generals, and a handsome, dashing character to boot. He frequently puts himself at the head of his men in battle, wishing to set an example in coming to blows with the enemy. Maranis is from a wealthy family in Zarina, and he returns there at the end of each campaigning season to winter with them. Narkut Bunais The commander of the Infantry is Narkut Bunais of Tarsang, a 40-year old general of the Iron Companions. Narkut is a lover of wealth and all the pleasures it can buy, and spends what spare time he has drinking and feasting with his crowd of hangers-on and lavishing his considerable share of booty on new estates, fine clothes, works of art and personal adornment. This strutting peacock is nevertheless an efficient commander and a strict disciplinarian