> > Works for me. Must have been a pretty small clan.:)
> Yep. Stringing together info about her dad and her
> grandmother, it seems to have been a Peace clan with a
> healing tradition. A few of us decided to pick the
> White Quartz as the name (one of her Companions is
> from it), mainly on a "why not?" basis rather than any
> evidence.
Sounds good to me. I'm happy with you and John defining Kallyr.
>> Quite a few distant relatives of the Sartar Royalthose descended from Tarkalor. Kallyr's connection is pretty darn tenuous - from a branch of the family that has been out of power for more than forty years before Boldhome fell.
> > House survived though.
> Very distant, in both blood and miles, as I understand
> it.
And not so distant. I assume the Lunars killed all the obvious descendants - sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters. Especially
> > One complaint that the several Colymar elders had
> > about Kallyr is that
> > even prior to 1613, she loudly boasted of her
> > descent from the House of Sartar.
> If she was trying to make herself Prince of Sartar,
> this would make sense.
Or trying to get respect from powerful and established kings like Kallai (let's face it, the Colymar have a lot of clout in Quiviniland) or Hofstaring Treeleaper (hundred-year old heroquester). Kallyr's connection with the House of Sartar was enough to establish primacy amongst these more powerful kings and I think it made it difficult for Kallai to oppose the Rebellion.
> > Good King Kallai thought she was
> > contemptible and a braggart -
> > the tribes should look to the Colymar for
> > leadership,
> Not that he'd be biased, of course ;)
Of course. But he had a point - the Colymar were the strongest and oldest of the Quivini tribes. He had been king for over a decade and was married to one of the most important Ernalda priestesses in Dragon Pass. And Kallyr still established herself as leader - based (as he saw it) solely upon having made the cold ashes of Sartar's Flame flicker!
> > Kangarl thinks she is a poor warleader (he
> > fought with her during Starbrow's Rebellion)
> And he may have a point.
Yep. Remember, Kangarl led the Colymar's "thousand howling warriors" in the Rebellion.
> > and an empty-headed fool.
> erm....
IMG, Kangarl is a very clever, very ambitious Orlanthi.
> > Leika's presence makes WW a natural stronghold for
> > outlawed Colymar.
> Especially those specifically outlawed for being her
> supporters!
Exactly. And her "supporters" include anyone who actively opposes Kangarl's ambitions.
> > They hate the Lunars and should be deeply involved
> > in the Bat-Blat (it is hard to imagine how much
> > damage the Crimson Bat
> > did to some of the Colymar clans).
> The Bat hit Runegate and Boldhome, as I understood it?
Yep. And ate pretty much everyone at Runegate (except those who took shelter under the Fool's Gate). Those eaten by the Bat are gone - on Ancestor Day 1602, many Orlmarthi and Taraling families weren't visited by their ancestors, which really freaked them out. Here's David Dunham's notes for the Orlmarth clan in 1602:
One night Nisk saw another small moon moving in the sky. It got larger
and larger, and the children were brought into the folds. News came
that the Bat was at Runegate. Then a handful of riders came, and the
adults began crying. They were the only survivors. The Moon Folk had
summoned the dead.
When the Colymar had defeated them, they brought the Crimson Bat. Men
were boiled away by its spit.
News came that the Moon Folk were on the other side of the ridge. Brenna went to look, and Wilms went to look after the cows. Soldiers with curved swords were taking them, and killing a few. Wilms managed to save some, but most of the cows were lost. A day later, news came that the army was at Quackford, still stealing cows.
Gordangar Kenstrelsson was elected chief. A new king was elected, and led the tribe to help defend Boldhome. The bat followed them. Boldhome was heroically defended, but still fell. The flame was quenched, and the temple to Orlanth desecrated. People realized that they were defeated, and would have to pay tribute.
Bandits and refugees began appearing on the ridge. The harvest was bad, and the winter was cold. Many people died of starvation. On Ancestor Day, no ancestors entered the steads, and none of the recently fallen were among them. Urenstal the Lucky had survived the Battle of Runegate, and proved an effective warleader. He raided to pay the tribute, even some of the other Colymar clans.
So the Orlmarthi - as a more extreme example - lost 125 adult men and women, largely to the Crimson Bat. The Bat is the most feared and hated weapon in the Lunar arsenal. The Colymar exiles have to be in the Bat-Blat. Leika's association with the Bat-Blat makes her the indisputed hero for all the Colymar discontented with Kangarl (and forces him to rely even more on the Lunars).
> > Kangarl should be a very very very dangerous foe for > > the defenders - > > someone who can figure out what the defenders are > > actually doing. He > > also knows Kallyr's tactics and fighting techniques > (well, as they were in 1613)
This is a fair point. Kallyr has probably picked up a few new tricks before 1619 - and definitely has picked up new tricks during the siege. Still, I nominate Kangarl as the Heortling most feared by the defenders.
> > - and I think he is > > a better military leader and tactician than Kallyr. > Probably, at least in straight battle. But how does he > compare with Broyan? Or Minaryth?
I think Broyan is a better military leader than Kangarl. FWIW, I think the both Keywords Leader of the Larnsti or High King of the Volsaxi includes the Warband Tactics or Lead Warband skill or something like that. So Broyan is probably around a triple mastery in leading his warriors against the Dara Happans. I think that Kangarl (who I have as initially a Starkval initiate and later something else) has about about a 15M2 in leading his warband. If he had the Black Spear of the Colymar, he'd be better.
Minaryth is more a strategic and grand tactical thinker - and is better than Broyan or Kangarl at that. I view Minaryth as functioning sort of like a Lunar vexilla! (see if that gets anyone in the Lunar group noticing).
> > Does that help? > Yeah! > How does Leika feel about Kangarl?
He's kin - and belongs to her bloodline. Her fight with him is kinstrife. It violates Orlanth's law and brings chaos into the world.
I think she hates him. And would kill him if she had the chance.
Jeff
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