Re: Query: Black Horse County language from Richard Hayes on 2011-05-26 (World of Glorantha)

From: Richard Hayes <richard_hayes29_at_AiYq2EtyQhH-hcX4wBQEP-kldqZLUct1F--JIEXldtHSTCoSI5oI-zMFIkOV>
Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 13:20:30 +0100 (BST)

I used the H-word because I (possibly incorrectly) remembered it being used in the Hero Wars write-up of Black Horse County as a homeland.

The obvious candidates for calling the Atroxic Church heretics would be other Malkioni. As you rightly point out, non-Malkioni would not use the term-- even if they were no friends of Sir Ethilrist.

I thought that the adherence of the Atroxic Church to the Book of Betrayal and Murder rather than more conventional scriptures was (or perhaps the better term is "would be"?) thought of as heretical by some/all other Malkioni. Certainly Greg's (?) hand-drawn chart of the evolution of Malkionism that was circulated on this website a while ago placed them well away from the mainstream.

Do other Malkioni know about Black Horse County and accept the Atroxic Church as a valid alternative? Or do Sir Ethilrist's followers simply not have enough contact with other Malkioni for the issue to have arisen? Would other Malkioni churches think the Atroxics were heretics if they did know a little (or a lot?) about them?

As for the term "Church" in Glorantha, is it best understood simply as a title that some Malkioni sects give to themselves to sound important?

If Glorantha still has these, do the grand Councils which debate Malkionism (like the one portrayed in the old free-form "How the West was One"), have anything to say about who may or may not call themselves a church?

Richard Hayes

From: Jeff <richaje_at_RAuwPbsPBvDG5uZdvohXH0bxk-vXPWqvbQlKMD2Zbg1tevRfUDpZL5gPotjTiA0hl5ESiUPLvaZyOyE.yahoo.invalid> To: WorldofGlorantha_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, 26 May 2011, 9:44
Subject: Re: Query: Black Horse County language

> Isn't the Atroxic Church much older than that though? Where and how did the heretical Atroxic Church find sanctuary prior to the creation of Black Horse County?

"Church" can be a very misleading term when applied to Malkioni sects. The origins of the Atroxic sect dates to the Second Age, being based upon the insights and dark secrets of Ethilrist himself, passed on to his household wizards. The Atroxic wizards found sanctuary with Ethilrist himself (who achieved immortality circa 1050 if I recall correctly). Given that Ethilrist commands several hundred horse-shaped demons of the Underworld - what better sanctuary is there?

As for their "heretical" status - according to who? The Red Emperor recognizes Ethilrist as the rightful ruler of that Well into Hell that Ethilrist built his town around. The Tarshite kings and Feathered Horse Queens all recognize Ethilrist as a dangerous demon-lord, but not a "heretic" - same thing with the Princes of Sartar and queens of Esrolia. Certainly Ethilrist sees nothing improper about his understanding of Glorantha. His enemies were the Jrusteli, which pretty much everyone agrees were evil.

Jeff

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