Yes. Pelandan is a more generic term that includes the Spolite sub-group. I personally view the Spolites as those Pelandans from the northern part of the valley were the Great Scourge (a mighty Chaos army) marched across the valley during the Greater Darkness. They worship the same general religion as the rest of Old Pelanda, but with a darker tone. Gerra, goddess of suffering, is worshiped there, for example.
> If there is no difference who did the Spolites take over?
The Spolites took over most of the city-states of Pelanda, starting with those in the north and moving south. I am not sure which city started the ball rolling. Maybe Enthyr?
> Was Burntwall the last unconquered city of the Pelandans when Syranthir and the ten thousand came to the Oronin valley?
Burntwall (originally called Shardash) is a city founded by a Carmanian Shah much later on. I don't think it exists in any form during the MRQ time period.
> Second of all, did the ten-thousand intermarry with the Pelandans
> creating a mixed race of Pelandans?
Yes, generally speaking.
> Are Carmanians primarily the descendants of the ten-thousand?
Some are, and some are not. The Shahs including Carmanos (and Syranthir, sort of) all married local women, so I don't think there would have been much social pressure to avoid intermarriage. Besides, the Ten Thousand were probably more male than female even including camp-followers.
Moreover, Carmanians are those who accepted the teachings of Carmanos. My feeling is that during the life of the Prophet there were many Pelandan converts, and the conquest of the middle and southern Pelandan cities really was a war of liberation. That began to change under the reign of Carmanos' son Surandar when Carmania pushed into the Spolite heartland. Conversions are now quite rare.
I wonder if there were members of the Ten Thousand that refused to convert and became serfs?
> Are the Pelandans who are serfs descendants of the Spolites?
Not all of them. Probably not even most of them. I do think that there are relatively more serfs in Spol than in Jhor or, particularly, Worrian. It's just my opinion, though.
> Are there noble Pelandans who are not Carmanians?
Nope. I think the aristocracy is exclusively Carmanian.
> In short, who did Syranthir protect from the invading Spolites an in
> the second age
Syranthir rescued the city-state of Brinnus. Later, Carmanos lead a series of campaigns that liberated the cities around Lake Oronin and upriver as far as Balovius.
> after Carmanian law and satrapies are established,
> what is the difference between a Carmanian, a Pelandan, a serf and a
> noble?
Pelandans are the descendants of Oronin Valley natives who did not accept the revelations of the Prophet Carmanos. They are mostly serfs, although there are some who have a slightly better position in society. The Lendarshi and Bisosae, for example.
All nobles are Carmanians, but not all Carmanians are nobles.
> And, are Spolites considered different from any of these?
The Spolite Empire is considered to have been a tool of GanEstoro, so its descendants are probably treated with an extra measure of antipathy. The old Spolite creed is anathema.
Sometimes the term "Spolite" is just used to mean "resident of the Satrapy of Spol", in which case it is not (usually) a negative term.
YGWV, ~Kevin McD
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