Belintar and Pavis?

From: narsham01 <Narsham_at_82gMYQghoToCD4i3h0Ca7oLvwiBsaT66c5iqB0MDUm-RWHUlsP1T2kHnvYc_KWvkZ4TI>
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:26:43 -0000


I may have missed some more recent material on the Pharoah, but what I'm most interested in is what is known of his history before he washed up on the Genertalian shore. Has his origin ever been revealed? Any hints?

I ask in part because I see a number of interesting parallels between Belintar and Pavis. I'm curious whether this is just a case of patterns in Glorantha repeating themselves, or if there's something more cyclical happening.

In any event, here's the parallel I see: First Age--dominated by strife between the Elder Races.

Second Age--Pavis, possibly a mixed race being with some access to Godlearner and/or EWF wisdom or secrets, founds the City of Pavis. Pavis is exceptional in that it incorporates members of most of the Elder Races working together (ie. it is a throwback to the First Age model but with somewhat less strife). Pavis history from that point sees the Elder Races missing from the city drawn there. Second age dominated by two empires which operate by incorporating theism into draconic or sorcerous systems and patterns.

Third Age--Belintar washes up (in Caladraland?) and proceeds to unite six kingdoms into a single empire. The resulting empire incorporates disparate theist societies into something approaching a coherent whole.

In each case, it seems like the city/empire founder draws upon lore or secrets of the preceding age to create a social structure which doesn't quite fit the predominant structures of his own age.

In addition, I get at least some sense that the pattern operating here resembles some of the material in GRoY, particularly the idea of a sealed microcosm mirroring a protected version of the macrocosm.

Thoughts, information, and other reactions welcome.

David            

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