Re: How many Argraths?

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_YIijbdNqzHGNMDpyY2NlWFkGhgC6i5Ed5ho3XBJHeynNaOVBXAF56vLOpSVGQveJG76>
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 09:53:50 +1200


At 06:26 a.m. 24/03/2007, you wrote:

>However the CHoDP does put an Argrath in the Holy Country in 1624 with
>Harrek:
>
>'Argrath went back to Prax, and with the White Bull brothers and some
>others took the city of Corflu from lunar hands'.

I really like to inject a note of caution into all these theories about Argrath. The CHDP is an unreliable document that ascribes many things to Argrath which we know was done by somebody else. That the many Argrath events described therein have mostly been done by one Argrath is IMO an illusion created by the compiler in order to further glorify Argrath.

Garrath - A pavic hero whose most famous act was defending the cradle. However after it left Corflu, he was killed while defending it. Harreksaga does mention various things that Argrath said or did on his circumnavigation epic but these are all things said or done by Arkati shipmates of whom there are a few.

Argrath WhiteBull is a howling mad beserk who unifies the tribes of Prax to oust the Lunars. He sacks New Pavis and later seeks to sack Dragon Pass but is killed in doing so.

Argrath of Pavis is a minor figure who is chiefly famous for turning New Pavis over to the Praxians. He may or may not have married Kallyr but after her death, he disappears from the record.

Argrath of Saird is a hero who fights against the Lunars there. One or two of his epic feats have become conflated into the Argrath saga.

Argrath of Sartar is the Argrath that succeeds Kallyr as King of Sartar. He is little known before then and is ashamed of his lack of glory in the early years of the war against the Lunar Empire. Although a brave and resourceful heroquester, his principal flaw is pathological boasting about doing things most people know that he never did.

--Peter Metcalfe            

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