Castle Coast and Malkioni Questions (Again)

From: Ian <ilikemonkeys.geo_at_uh1lapt2HNBb93pAezmqVDKvGtmlU4a4GxDF9UEwZJbgQXsCd6z95TR-mDo>
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 07:17:00 -0000

It's late, I can't sleep, and when that happens, I find it best to empty my head.

So, here's a big old question dump. Anyone with answers, canon or made-up on the spot, share!

1. What is up with the island of Guabelle off the south-west coast of the Castle Coast? It doesn't seem to be part of the CC, but it seems important enough to warrant a name on the few maps I've found online. Ginorth doesn't even get named as often.
2. Are all the Kanthor's Isles named? I've discovered Ginorth of Wolf Pirate fame; Volonne, Culonmac, and Varskolin of the Quinpolic League; and Gilboch of Seshnela. If the answer is yes, and the reason is G:CotHW, just let me know. I think I should probably buy this book anyway.
3. Elf forests in the Coast? Yea? Nay? Anything that makes them special?
4. Who controls the mines in the Iron Mountains? Mostali? Seshnela? The Castle Coast? Arolanit? All of the above?

Revealed Mythologies spends a lot of time on the exploits of Zzabur; this makes sense and all. However, it seems odd to me that he would feature prominently as a *hero* to a population that got kicked out of Danmalastan during the bad times. That's okay, Malkion is there to do things like race Eveddo and recommend fish. But, um, after Malkion dies, we're left with something of a gap.

5) I'm confused on timing here. Zzabur seems present when Malkion dies, but I also thought Malkion and the Chosen were expelled prior to Malkion's death. What is the proper sequence of events here? RM is just confusing me on the issue. Should I just let it go and accept that due to the nature of the Darkness, Malkion could die and still lead his people to Malkonwal?

6) And who *is* the Malkioni culture hero? Zzabur is certainly prominent, what with being active *well* into History, but he doesn't feel *right* to me for a culture based on him basically being a dick to Moses *and* Jesus in the form of Malkion and Hrestol.

7) Many, if not most, saints seem to have existed In Time. How exactly does this translate into Malkioni HeroQuesting - do these events within time still have timeless reflections on the Hero Plane? Are these saints themselves merely reflecting actions and stories performed BEFORE the Dawn by other mythic figures? Should I be focusing more on the Girl Twins of Jederes and Desdoram than on Gerlaint Flamesword and St. Shalara when writing myths?

8) Speaking of myths, are there any proper Chaos "gods" in western myth that might still have active "Satanic cults" underground? I'm specifically looking at Chaos entities that provide Grimoires. Vivamort was big in Tanisor, and Dadamus may or may not be associated with Chaos, or just Darkness. And then, of course, there's The Devil. But who are his Demons other than Vivamort or Kajabor?

9) I'm basing my understanding of the old pagan Seshnelan theist religion on Latvian mythology, with a dose of certain Welsh elements (such as magic wells and odd non-human saints). The heavy serpent and grain imagery associated with Seshna Likita seems to have a mirror in the heavy serpent and grain imagery associated with Latvian old religion. And of course the Pendali/Basmoli were spirit practioners, right? How much of these Old Time Religions survive amongst the lowest classes and isolated communities of Seshnela, the Castle Coast, and points Monotheist? I mean, I understand there's been something close to a thousand years of God Learner/Hrestolic domination of Seshnela, but even in real world Europe where the magic *doesn't* seem to work, we see a lot of pagan carryovers into modern folk practice. Have the Old Faiths been subsumed entirely into quaint traditions and folklore, or are there secretive underground cults still meeting at the crumbled wells and sacred mounds of the West? I know the answer for MY Glorantha, but I'm curious about you folks.

1. I have festivals associated with a few of the rogue Eranschula; Ehlim's Day is the Solstice (as far as I know, Glorantha has one equinox and one solstice); it remembers the day Ehlim tried to take all the sun's energies into himself, and failed, but at the cost of weakening the Sun (the days get shorter until we reach the Equinox at the start of the new year). I see it as a day of wild tomfoolery and much fun and japery at Ehlim's expense. There is probably a strained air to the proceedings, as the days *are* also going to be getting shorter and the darkness stronger until the intercalary symbolism of Holiday and "I Fought, We Won".

Any ideas for a similar festival for Worlath? Am I working too much paganism into my monotheism with these festivals?

1. Share some knowledge with me about real world monotheist mysticism. I have a whole mini-myth cycle in my head associated with the Ancient Animals of Danmalastan, with numerology playing some part. For instance, when the Five Material Animals are the important, named parents these are stories about the Castes and appropriate virtues, while if the Eight Power Animals are the named parents, these are broader lessons about doctrine. I also have some rough mantras going from One God through three pairs, five tetrads, four pentads, two trios, and then back to One God. I fear I'm getting a little too Hindu and abstract, and was hoping to pull back into some RW western traditions.