davecake

I was surprised at how firmly Dendara is now a Lodrili, commoners, deity. Formerly she seemed to be the major feminine deity of the Yelmite Dara Happans.

The Plain of Jars - this is Erkonus (or the earthly equivalent of the celestial Erkonus), I'm pretty sure - it's associated with the Dara Happan Dry People, who grow Barley and Millet and whatever the hell Beezil is. Probably the people who are the ancestors of the Lodrili, later subjugated by the Tripolis/Wet People, a story we only get metaphorically. Its probably associated with both the Dry grain goddesses, and the jar goddesses (who stored the grain). An important question is whether this is the same as Ersorianen, and thus the place where humanity was created.

I share Peters disappointment that none of these interesting chaotic places have a location. Spol seems associated with vampires, so is a possibility for the vampire town.

I disagree. The Primal Masculine and the First Man are not the same thing. Majadan is a great god and a cosmic power, of the Celestial Court level. Grandfather Mortal is the first Mortal - he is of mortal flesh, and he dies like a man. Its like confusing Aether and Mahome.

Sure, Zon An is along way from the Wastes, but Duck Point is a long way from the East Isles too. I dislike excessive proliferation of minor intelligent races myself. Fewer races with more complex history i find aesthetically better.

The Edward Lear and Herschel Gordon Lewis (in the Blood Sun and Black Sun cults) are Sandy, I don't know if he is responsible all of the area though. Though obviously it would make sense for Mr Call of Cthulhu to be responsible for the Lovecraftian and Dunsany references.

I'm not sure that Mandarins are embodiments of the Aptanic tradition. Aptanace is the people, mandarins are the state. on Ebe - look at his runes in the pantheons section. He is Grandfather Mortal.

Peol Jagganoth - this is another Lord Dunsany reference.

Ilkarnet - I like to think the horned idol with rubies for eyes is the one from the original Advanced Dungeons and Dragons players handbook cover.

Bokrug, mentioned in Qitong Zant, and probably Taran-il (Taran-Ish is the dead priest), are both from the Lovecraft story The Doom The Came To Sarnath. So is the city of Kadatheron (it's clay cylinders are brick in the story).

Jankley Bore - one of Sandys many Edward Lear in-jokes, a reference to the Chankly Bore. So Grombul probably a reference to the Gromboolian Plain. the Nimble Hen, with its single twisted leg, is reference to the Fimble Fowl, with its corkscrew leg. The creature whose initials are Y.B.B. Is the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo. Coromandel -> Koromondol, Turtle Cove, Stone Heap, prawns and watercress, are all further references to The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo. The jack o bears are because it's 'where the early pumpkins blow'. Any more?

I'm going to mention the terrestrial Nanai people, who live around the border between Russia and China. They distinctively make clothing from fish skins like the people of Xun Yupi. They have shamans, who specifically revere tigers and bears like people of Yongmincheng. Shamans of that area are often depicted with pointy hats, like the leaders of Xun Yupi. I'm sure we'd find more matching anthropological detail that matched if I had time to look and knew the area.

Hali - my best guess is that this a reference to the Lake of Hali, making ruined Karakosë a reference to lost Carcosa. so a reference to Lovecraft/Bierce/Robert Chambers, which fits the creepy vibe of the area. Though Karaköse was the former name of a city in Azerbaijan, named originally after a 'black church'. I think that is probably just an odd coincidence.

Gartog - Ma-Yood-Sushai is a reference to MĀNA-YOOD-SUSHĀĪ, from The Gods of Pegana by Lord Dunsany. Both must be kept asleep by constant drumming or they will wake up and destroy the world.

Yaanek Mountain - this is a reference to the Edgar Allen Poe poem Ulalume, which besides Yaanek mentions ghoul haunted woodlands frequently. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulalume

Xianguanghui seems to essentially be Kralori Innsmouth. Xian guang could conceivably mean something like 'auspicious radiance', which is reminiscent of starry wisdom. Yuan sou means Marsh, so Yuansou Ebeide is Obed Marsh, who brought the Esoteric Order of Dagon, and worship of the Deep Ones, to Innsmouth, which is rather a giveaway. Exactly who are the equivalent of the Deep Ones in Glorantha is a good question.

The Three Dragon Pagoda story sounds like large scale geomancy. Which is great, because I've always wanted the Kralori to have large scale geomancy.

WangBiao, King Violent Wind, is probably the local version of Orlanth.

I would love to know more about the Emerald Fish Lord and his Masked Spirit Dancers.

The Well of Rising Dragons is so very obviously a great scenario basis.

I don't know about the Red Lacquer King, but the Lacquer King was known in Han dynasty folk tales. He was supposed to assist with the application of Lacquer, but cause a rash, and shamans would humiliate him (by rubbing e.g. Rat feces on his statues) to threaten him into stopping.

Jade Warriors - this could be an allusion to all sorts of things, including a dodgy British prog band, Kung Fu panda, a Finnish (!) wuxia film, or a comic.

Yangku - the Blue -faced Beast is perhaps an allusion to Yang Zhi, one of the characters from the Water Margin, possessor of a magic saber and a blue birthmark.

It seems very awkward that Huan Shan Monastery and Mo GUI valley, which on the map are so close that essentially one seems to be in the other, are described so differently- Mo Gui valley is full of Huan To and ghouls, Huan Shan monastery is the center of a huge group of monasteries and temples.

Lakow - a stone egg is highly reminiscent of the egg the Monkey King hatched from in Journey To The West.