>In Glorantha, a vast portion of the Black Horse County
>people are not as reclusive and shut out from the goings-on
>around their enclave as some readers may think they are.
>The professional mercenaries get a chance to travel far
>and wide in the Lunar Empire, from its Eastern to Western
>borderlands, they will fight Orlanthi, Grazer, and Troll
>foes.
>If they live to tell the tale, there will be a steady
>influx of "Know Strangers" or "Stories About People We
>Killed" in the county.
The average person is going to talk to someone who rides a demon horse? never mind one who is controlled by their demon horse. They probably speak a western language rather than Sartarite or New Peloran so assuming they aren't completely deranged by visiting hell most riders can't communicate if they want to.
If, as suggested, the peasantry are vendref who've been there all along they'll have some contact with ousiders - more than Sir Ethelrist is aware or approves of. Given that the rebellion is training and arming vendref in the Grazelands it's not impossible they'll do the same in Black Horse County.
>Also, if Black Horse County troopers are serving in the
>siege of Whitewall in the south, in the army camps they'd
>be exposed to other Malkioni military men.
>So, while technically the Malkioni churches are all heretics
>to one another, sometimes adherents will find
>themselves lumped in with people from another church in
>the turmoils of war.
I'm not sure why the Lunars would employ Sir Ethelrist in a siege. Heavily armoured knights are just about the last thing they need. If they're anywhere down south it will be in The Holy Country where they'll be useful against other knights ad massed infantry.
In any case I think the Atroxic Church has drifted so far from mainstream Malkioni belief that heretic is the kindest description that would be applied - satanists, demon worshippers and such like would be a more common description. The easiest way of stopping fights will be to keep them separate.
>I think that the Hero Wars will lead to a lot of "30-Years War"
>situations across Sartar and other places, where you'll see
>troops and specialists from widely different regions banding
>together in roaming groups for the common goal of food, money,
>and better survival chances.
In the 30 Years war there were a lot of mercenaries who had no particular affiliation to one side or the other. Most of the soldiers in Dragon Pass are in social groups which have chosen sides so while the group may change sides there'll be few unattached individuals.
>Of course, the Black Horse Troop in itself rates as a rather
>radical, straightforward Hero Band with very strict
>entry requirements.
And, I'm sure, draconian penalties for leaving.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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