jajagappa

I think the Imtherians largely do not. I'm sure some of the Vanchite clans and confederations do. I'm sure the lowland Sairdites do. The Jajalaring dog servants are largely a 'thrall' underclass of long-time subservient clans. Holayans most likely do.

I suspect that the location and magics unleashed in the Night of Horrors opened a rift into the advance of Chaos coming south from the Stormfall and on its way to the Icebreak and the destruction of Genert's Garden. Basically the full brunt of the chaos army - I think Tien fits fine here.

Thanks, she was an interesting one to write up. The Esvulari/Aeolians are a bit odd in that respect. Mythically 'western', yet have been amongst the Orlanthi since the Dawn so they acknowledge the Orlanthi deities, but get their magic via 'sorcerous' spells and rituals. The nice thing with HeroQuest is that I don't have to worry about the 'magic system' to run it!

Yes. Only the Group Simple contest is an oddity since a bunch of Hero Points applied there will completely skew results. A tie only occurs when masteries are equal or have been applied, and the success/fail result is the same, and the roll is the same. Otherwise there is a clear winner. Example 1: Beohrt has Spear & Shield combat at 17 and fights a fire demon with difficulty moderate at 14. Beorht rolls 10, the difficulty roll is 10. No masteries involved, Beorth succeeds, the demon succeeds, both rolls are the same. This is a Tie. The result is inconclusive. Example 2: Dyrrkind uses is God-talker ability at 17 to try to overcome the divisions in the clan at the Moot at very high level 14W. Dyrrkind rolls 14, the difficulty roll is 14. Dyrrkind succeeds, the reluctant clan succeeds, but there is a mastery involved. Dyrrkind's result is bumped down to fail. Failure vs. success in this case, so minor victory to the reluctant clan. Example 3: Aren battles the demon Veloramash. Aren uses his augmented Spear at 7W, the resistance of the demon is very high at 14W. Aren rolls an 8, the difficulty roll for the demon is 8. Masteries cancel so effectively it is 7 vs. 14. Aren fails, the demon succeeds. While the roll is the same, it is a minor victory for the demon. Example 4: Harrik attempts to solve the logic problem posed by the White God. Harrik uses his Keen Mind at 1W and the difficulty is 20. Harrik rolls 10 and the difficulty roll is 10. Harrik has failed, while the difficulty is a success, but Harrik has a mastery, so he bumps down the result of the difficulty from success to fail. Both results are now fails, and the rolls are the same. This is a Tie and the result is inconclusive (Harrik makes no progress in solving the problem). Now, using your example, I'll assume that the heroes' ability is 17 and the difficulty is the 4W you note. You roll a 3. You've succeeded. If the difficulty roll is 2, that is also a success. But the difficulty has a mastery so bumps you down to a fail. Failure vs. success is a minor defeat for the hero. In the story, your hero saw a clear opening, drove his sword in, but was turned aside by an unexpected maneuver and suddenly the foe scored a clear cut upon your arm. You roll a 3. You succeed. The difficulty roll is 5, which is a fail. But the mastery is there and bumps you down to a fail as well. Failure vs. failure. But now high roll wins rule (assuming you are using HQG and not HQ2) comes into play so it is a marginal defeat for your hero. Your hero saw a clear opening, attacked and seemed to drive the foe back, but the hero slipped on the bloody ground and lost his advantage. You roll a 19. You fail. The difficulty roll is 20, which is a fumble. Again the mastery is there and bumps you down to a fumble as well. Fumble vs. fumble, high roll wins. Again a marginal defeat for your hero. Both stumble badly over the broken ground as they try to engage, but your hero twists his ankle and falls down taking some damage on the sharp rocks. You roll a 5. You succeed. the difficulty roll is a 5, which is a fail. The mastery bumps you to a fail as well. Both fail, and the rolls are equal. This is the inconclusive Tie. Hope those help clarify.

Here's Tathorine Stone-hearted that I created for Chris Bell's short-lived Warlocks of Sartar campaign. Tathorine is from the Esvulari/Aeolian community of Nochet, of the priestly line of Bauric the Blessed who led the priesthood through the Adjustment Wars and Ernaldine of Leskos, sent to the community some 160 years ago by radiant Belintar to aid Queen Bruvala. She is the daughter of Alboric Speaker of Aeol (high priest of the Esvulari of Nochet) and Elanine the Bountiful. Tathorine was of the priestly (sorcerous) caste of the Esvulari - as the castes are endogamous, Tathorine was destined to be a priestess of the Aeolian Temple from the time of her birth and was schooled to that end (and held the vow to only marry within her caste). Like all Esvulari, she was not tattooed. Teased and harassed by the neighboring Rokari for her Esvulari ways and her skewed-eyes, she often ventured into Nochet itself, exploring its many by-ways. She learned to be street-smart and savvy and how to use a dagger to defend herself, though counter to the ways of her caste. Tathorine was initiated when she came of age to the Aeolian temple outside of Nochet - she gained her runes: Earth, Law, and Change. She was a very pragmatic and logical child, though distant and stone-hearted, who followed the prescribed patterns of ritual. All that changed when she encountered the goddess Delaina directly in the midst of a Nochet Earth ritual. One day she found herself carried along by the great mob of people to Grace Square amidst the wondrous ritual called the Blessing of Grace. Though of the Aeolian way and practices, she not only saw the goddesses emerge from the temple, but the great goddess Delaina, the goddess of wisdom, music, magic, and heroes, walked directly to Tathorine and literally kissed Tathorine upon the forehead. Not only was Tathorine marked and blessed by the Mark of Delaina (an earth rune filled with an eye and surmounted by the crown of mastery), but she was filled with the songs and voices of the earth. This cathartic revelation nearly drove Tathorine mad. Her parents and community were horrified by this event (not to mention the divine marking). She was cast out by her temple and fled into Nochet (though she stole her favorite grimoire on the way). She had always been the One - one of those destined for the path of the Aeolian priesthood. Now she did not know who she was. And amongst the multitude of Nochet she was only one of the Many. She lived on the streets of Nochet, always hearing the thousands of voices of the earth gods there, but eventually found herself amidst the Dark Warrens, the troll center of Nochet, and ended up at the shrine of Sacred Murder, a dangerous trickster shrine. Here it was revealed that her third rune was in fact the rune of Disorder, not just Change. At the trickster shrine, she encountered The Old Good Shadow, who led her into experiencing a new perception of the gods, the laws, and the runes - she became Illuminated. This enigmatic figure (possibly of the Umbarite or Spolite School, possibly an Arkati, possibly Argrath himself!) showed her three teachings: "The Earth and World are but part of the infinite cycles of birth and death and rebirth", "If we are not Light, then we are Dark; if we are not Order, then we are Chaos", and "Whether following the arcane logic of the Runes, the proscriptions of the Spirits, or the paths of the Gods, there is Always Another Way". These messages brought Tathorine back from madness and back from the Many to Herself. They also offered a strong sense of anti-authoritarian and rebellious impulses. She came to understand that Life is broken by Death and Death is broken by Life, but only through Disorder and Chance can those properly occur for they can never be Reborn the Same. Further, the Earth holds Light and Darkness and all the Elements and Powers within - only by breaking the Earth can the Elements be freed to be fashioned anew. The breaking and rearranging of the World is both the logical and pragmatic thing to do. She understands that she was marked to do this by the goddess, but that it could equally have been any other than herself. She is simply the vessel of such action, and has unique skills to do so, but that she will be broken in turn. It was the Mark of Delaina which caught Sir Narib's eye, and he recruited Tathorine to join his company. Abandoning her Esvulari and Nochet heritage, she travelled with his company, drawing on the magics of the Grimoire secreted out of her temple and became a Warlock. Sir Narib has sent her on to Sartar to help Argrath fashion something new. Tathorine looks like most Esrolians or Heortlings. She is olive-skinned, with brown hair and green eyes. Her eyes are skewed apart and she always appears to be looking both at a person and off into the distance or into another world.

Joerg and Peter have both noted Saird, where the Orlanthi and Dara Happan cultures overlap (and get Lunar cultural trappings overlaid on top of that). Aggar is the most 'traditional' whereas the area around Mirin's Cross and along the Oslir have a strong heritage of Lodril farmers mixed in. Here's a bit of my cultural keyword for Imther: "The people of Imther are a hardy, rustic pastoral folk, and considered hospitable with a reputation as hard-working and honest. But underneath this surface is a conservative, stubborn, and quarrelsome nature, as rough as the land they live in. The clans cling to old Orlanthi ways, though many in the lower and more fertile lands have embraced the Lunar Way. For many, the adages "No one can make me do anything" and "Violence is always an option" hold firm. Feuds between clans are common and are long-lived, even erupting over matters such as the theft of a cheese secret. Only in the western and southern regions do tribes exist." And a similar bit for Vanch: "The people of Vanch are widely considered thieves, a people who will eagerly take whatever is of use to them without concern for their own traditions and others’ rights, whether a god, a city, or a treasure. The Vanchites themselves know better – survival and a ready adoption of new ideas are actually central to their tradition, taught by their wily raccoon god, Tunoral, and the nest-building Green Woman, Negalla. Many gods and peoples have conquered them, but they have always survived and come through the experience somehow richer. They are like raccoons: nocturnally successful, omnivorous, opportunistic, and mean and ornery as hell. Neighboring peoples were all robbed of survival traits useful to these people. The result is a culture made up of such a blend of bits and pieces that it has gone beyond imitation and created something new." And then down in Nochet in the Holy Country, you have something totally different: urban Orlanthi where the 'clan' is an extended family dominating part of a neighborhood and "chiefs" run protection rackets, and organize skilled crafters, merchants, weavers, potters, and so on.

As Joerg noted, the particular challenge with I Fought We Won, is that most of the quest is 'I Fought' - it is intensely, and really completely personal. When your hero, alone, meets the Face of the Devil, and possibly the Void, your hero must be able to stand against the forces that would dissolve the hero into nothingness and say 'I AM' and 'I EXIST' and 'THIS IS WHAT I AM'. It is the ultimate existential test. And at that exact point, you discover that every other hero has said and achieved the same. The Void is driven back and 'WE WON'. Your heroes have reaffirmed that the world exists. They have brought order out of chaos. Because this is an existential test, it also makes those first four steps of the quest very critical. For instance, your ancestors may demand that you do this fight for them or for your clan, etc. And you may take the quest on for them. But they will not be there when you face the Devil. And if you try to draw on your loyalty, or your duty, you'll find it's not there! You will have to face your mirror self. This could be exactly you, or a you gone 'wrong' emphasizing 'evil' traits. I ran something of this recently with one character in a 'dream' sequence where a Lhankor Mhy sage was confronted by his 'evil' Dara Happan sage self - a self that was devoted to order, ambition, pure truth, etc (and of course well-oiled and styled black beard vs. free-flowing greybeard of LM). There's lots of ways to go here, but this is a confrontation with those parts and reflections of your self that are unsavory. But if you don't succeed here, these are 'tools' that the Devil can use and destroy you with. Anyway, lots of ways to potentially play this, but I do think it's critical to keep each person's actions distinct and completely separate at certain stages such as the mirror self, the meeting with the Devil, the confrontation with the Void. From a session PoV, you might find it interesting where each hero can see the others confronting that stage, but they cannot speak or say anything or give any clues to each other. And you withhold the outcomes until each has gone through that stage - heightening the tension, and hopefully the fear for what each of the others is doing.

Only some 50 miles by the new Skik Mountain Tunnel should the mages happen to fund that newly proposed dwarf thoroughfare.

Yes, I would translate those the same. The one that is different and more specific is the Gods War, which is only a part of the God Time.

Regarding the Bad Uncles, and the Orlanthi initiation rite, see the Prince of Sartar web comic. http://www.princeofsartar.com/comic/introduction-chapter-1/ Read through the first 6 pages of chapter 1, particularly pages 4 and 5 as these are the story of I Fought We Won. http://www.princeofsartar.com/comic/4-meeting-the-second-son/ http://www.princeofsartar.com/comic/5-argrath-faces-evil/ You can also get the gist of it from the story of Hengall the Second Son in Heortling Mythology, p. 90. "Hengall gathered his weapons and followed in his father’s path. He left his kin to fight the Predark, alone. He was not heard from again until six generations had passed. There, at the edge of the world and within sight of its doom, the Second Son met with Heort the Swift and told him of his great and terrible battle - I Fought, We Won. He showed Heort his wounds. He told Heort about the secret of the Star Heart and the secret of I Fought We Won battle. Every man relives Hengall’s lonely battle during his initiation rites. As a result, there are few sagas that tell of Hengall’s quest, for his secrets are words of power and cannot be passed on lightly." And p.121 "Heort remembered that fight, and went on past the Second Son, and to the edge of the world. There he met the evil of his world, and won." Also in the story of Heort and the Unity Battle in Heortling Mythology, p.104 "But the world did not end because of the great heroism of Heort. Heort was a Vingkotling who lived in the Ice Lands. To combat the evils of chaos he searched through broken places and forbidden powers to survive, or to know why he should not. He underwent the I Fought We Won Battle wherein he personally resisted Wakboth. When he returned to the world it was warmer, less broken and Elmal was quite brighter. This began the Grey Ages. Heort saw that Wakboth was not dead from the Spike imploding. He was marching to destroy them all, the last survivors, in Dragon Pass. Heort went among the other creatures of the area, and he made peace and plans with them. They too, it seemed, were blessed by their own inspirations to resist chaos. Men, trolls, elves, dwarves, beasts and the feeble spirits and lesser gods all joined to fight Wakboth. They destroyed his army, sent the god reeling into Prax. This is the famous Unity Battle, and they chose their strongest leader, named Ezkankekko, to lead them." There's also a good essay by Greg in that work on p.122. "The martial struggle of Heort is appropriate to his role as warrior and culture hero. It is the manifestation of some raw masculine powers of violence, destruction, and general active, energetic role. In the IFWW these prove ineffective, the individual is destroyed, yet some part struggles on and, surprised, the chaos opposition is destroyed, runs away or dissipates. The subsequent reconstruction of the Hero is based on an acknowledgment of the essential masculine role (I Fought), but it encloses the Secret just learned (We Won). He rearms, then goes forth and rescues his wife from the Ice Palace, and teaches the secret to the men of his tribe." Also see Greg's article on Orlanthi initiation here which pretty well outlines the steps: http://www.glorantha.com/docs/orlanthi-initiation-rites/ They travel into the world of myth, into the broken world that is the Great Darkness Whatever gods are there, depart and the heroes are on their own They must find and follow the path of the Second Son and reach the edge of the world "The idea is to get as close to the Great Secret as possible. This is revealed through the myths of the voyage of Heort and Harmast, who walked on the trail of Second Son. Its shallow stages include: Confrontation with Ancestors Confrontation with Ancestral Enemies Confrontation with Mirror Self Confrontation with the Devouring Monster Almost everyone experiences and learns something at these. These are the external and superficial things that make the men to be members of their bloodline and clan. Then it goes deeper: Meeting with Second Son Meeting with Star Heart Confrontation with the Devil’s Face Confrontation with the Void These are the things that people experience differently. Most people get to the Second Son, who explains to them the things that lie beyond. Most people are content with that. But some will have to go farther, and they will see, perhaps touch or (more rarely) even get their own Star Heart and place it into their breasts. A rare individual sees the place where the Devil’s Face appears and most of them then retreat. Some confront the Face and survive, emboldened and empowered far beyond normal humanity. Survivors of the Void are rare, for it dissolves the soul of most who dare to look on it." Essentially, you have up to 8 stages in the quest. You probably need to reach the Confrontation with the Devil's Face to complete I Fought, We Won as a quest. Hope that helps.

The Grantlands, where Borderlands/Shadows on the Borderlands largely occur, are 100 miles south of Pavis and both are part of the Zola Fel valley (aka the River of Cradles). This is a fertile part of the wastelands known as Prax. The HQ Pavis book provides some overview of the whole river valley to supplement the Pavis setting (and one scenario takes you down the whole length of the river and back). In addition to the Borderlands and Pavis books, the RQ3 supplements Sun County, Strangers in Prax, and River of Cradles all take place in this region.

Of course, if you really want to be nasty, there's nothing like a Walktapus for some fun, especially when the severed tentacles start to regrow into more walktapi.

@Mark Mohrfield "When and how did this happen?" See GRoY p.57 and its footnotes. Nemarthshar (the Red Overseer): "He was attacked by a cloud of burning traitors who pummeled him to death, and then burned the crushed remains." Footnote 188: "Those outrageous bandits were eventually defeated and enslaved by Shargash." But mythically Nemarthshar and Shargash can be overlaid. Consider GRoY p.8. and the footnotes; and then p. 12. "That which lay to the right of Yelm was called South, and the color was Green, and the Power was Strength and the Guardian was named Nemarthshar. His city was called the Bronze Camp." Nemarthshar - footnote 26: "Literally “South-Overseer-Red.” Probably “red” because the celestial palace of Shargash is red. He is on the Gods Wall at 9." "Alkoth, the City of Strength, in the near south. It was the home of Shargash." (And remember that the wall of Alkoth is Green) The South Overseer is Red. Both Nemarthshar or Shargash are red gods. The city of the South has the power of Strength and its color is Green. In a myth, one can stand in for the other. Of course, while Nemarthshar was defeated, Shargash was not. So, the ritual of Tatius will likely be strengthened by using a Shargash lord in the role (and, correspondingly, that may be a weakness in the ritual that can be exploited by the foes of Tatius).

Red Overseer of the South, Ruler of the Right Angle, Keeper of Strength. The Red Overseer is effectively replaced by Shargash, so I'd likely play him as a Shargash warrior or demon. The Right Angle could be a Mace or some other club-like weapon, perhaps giving off a magical attack (at a 'right angle'). Blue Overseer of the West, Ruler of the Plumb, Keeper of Sovereignty. Given the west's association with sorcery, I might use the plumb-bob as a sorcerous tool to force the foe to submit. The Plumb-bob suggests powers that may weigh the hero down (with duty? or magical shackles? or feelings of inferiority?). I also think of the plumb-bob as made of Lead so might have Underworld connotations. Yellow Overseer of the East, Ruler of the Ketstick, Keeper of Insight. He is also called the Beardless Measurer. He uses the Ketstick to take the 'measure' of the heroes. I like Peter's idea that this reveals hidden flaws that can be attacked through magical (mystical?) insight. White Overseer of the North, Ruler of the Compass, Keeper of Wisdom. He is also called the Long-bearded Measurer. A different type of measurer. I like the idea that he not only reasons, but uses Logic to confound the heroes. The compass suggests the creations of circles - circles that maybe confine a hero or separate the heroes or contain the hero (much like a pentagram to confine a demon). It requires either a greater logic or the illogic of the Trickster to escape the traps of the White Overseer.

There are dwarfs in the Big Rubble - always good to bring in - as well as the aldryami there. And both those Elder Races hate the trolls - you can't please all of them! Lots of chaos options besides broos. The old Shadows on the Borderlands material was a great extension for the original Borderlands. Muriah is back with several broo gangs seeking vengeance/destruction on Duke Raus. And there are deeper caverns from whence you can get Gorp, or Thanatar cultists, or Krarshtkids, or sinister Ogres or whatever other horror you want to bring in.

You can absolutely play in Pavis with the combination of HQG and the HQ Pavis book alone. The Classic Pavis/Big Rubble will give you all the Big Rubble to explore though, and for the campaign you are envisioning, I'd definitely add that. As for the Sartar books... Sartar: Kingdom of Heroes will give you the following not in the books above: the full Clan Generator - very useful if your players like creating clan background stories and if your player's heroes are of the Orlanthi clans in Pavis the cults of Storm Bull, Chalana Arroy the healer, Elmal, and Yinkin - the first two are both present in Pavis, particularly the Storm Bull. and three epic-scope scenarios that you can mine for stories, ideas, and quests into the Underworld Sartar Companion will give you: significant Sartar locations - the Old Wind Temple and the New Lunar Temple are both useful destinations for Pavis-based campaigns while the others would be much farther afield the Sartar Encounters - ~50 pages of great, descriptive encounters - almost all are usable in Pavis/Prax settings in some form or another the cults of Argan Argar, Babeester Gor, Kolat, Eurmal, Heler, and Odayla - the latter two aren't useful in Pavis (no rain, no forest hunters), but all the rest could be usable as player cults or to flesh out NPCs. Kolat provides some good examples of spirit traditions. 6 scenarios and a quest outline which again could be mined for stories, ideas, etc.

I agree with SDLeary that it is worthwhile to get both for the reasons stated. The HQ Pavis books gives you descriptive reference for the identified locations vs. a name in the Classic Book. Example: HQ Pavis book R-89 Training. Scharman’s Academy. Recruiters. Ingilli Guardsmen. Scharman Ingilli established this place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. Here young men and their wise elders gather to discuss lore and business, as well as the affairs affecting the riverfolk. Varanos the Tall, the Lhankor Mhy sage, can often be found here. Corresponding entry: Classic book R-89 Training. Scharman’s Academy. Recruiters Ingilli Guardsmen. The HQ Pavis book gives you detailed encounters vs. a generic description. Example: HQ Pavis book (Guard) Lothran Baldi is from the Heran clan of the Kheldon tribe. His family were crafters in Swenstown but after Starbrow’s Rebellion they lost everything and moved to Pavis. Lothran’s father is a day-laborer in Oldtown; Lothran became a mercenary bodyguard, selling his sword as a guard or mercenary for hire. His prize possession is his fine bronze sword, Free Man. Corresponding entry: Classic book (just a short general description, which is in the HQ Pavis book too) Guard - A private bodyguard for a merchant or other authority of the town. If with his patron, his goal is to keep his employer safe. If alone, he may be fractious and interested in a good fight for the sake of fighting. Could be from almost any culture or cult. The HQ Pavis book also has a nice set of scenarios (which fit in nicely as continuations of scenarios from Classic Pavis & Big Rubble book). They provide additional setting and character info if you don't want to use the actual scenarios. The HQ Pavis book also provides a bit more on settings and encounters in the surrounding lands as well. But for all the Big Rubble settings, you'd want to get the Classic Pavis book. And there's plenty of good settings there! Hope that helps!

It should read: "If the hero loses the exchange, the number of Resolution Points lodged against her/him decreases by 1" You're working to keep damage against you minimized so you gain on defense and largely give up your attack. My players have found it very useful when fighting a far superior foe. One or two will use a Defensive Response to keep the foe engaged and facing the multiple opponent penalty, and subsequent characters get the benefit of the lowered resistance level for their actions. Doesn't guarantee that they won't still take a beating in the process though!

Yes, you can add on the Old School RQ Source Pack to your pledge. IIRC it is $50 for hardcopy, $25 for pdf of the same. You get all 5 items for that.

Might as well make this a triad! This is a slightly updated piece that originally appeared in NLG #1 and is part of the report of Galacrustus on the eastern wilds of Imther. Gordaval [GOR-dah-val] - Lord of the Chase, the Hunter, son of Orlanth and Norian. Lord of hounds runs prey down Lord of knots ties them taut Lord of game gains great fame Lord of beasts brings our feast Gordaval is an acknowledged figure in every Imtherian clan, but his stories differ in each. The most common tales say that Gordaval (also called Gordio) was a child god saved from the darkness by Orlanth or Khelmal (though certain stories claim it was Arahar, and some say he was one of the sons of Orlanth). Subsequently, Norian, the Lady of the Wild, taught Gordaval how to hunt and trap and live by his wiles during the Darkness. Gordaval ensures that all men and animals can find and catch food. He also ensures that the spirits of slain animals are released so that they may travel along the Knotted Trail to the Underworld. Gordaval is sometimes called the guardian of youth. He is usually depicted as a young man in hunting garb with a bow, a javelin, and a trap. The Knots of Gordaval The Master Hunters of Gordaval know the secrets of powerful, magical knots. The better known knots include: The Blood Nip: this knot automatically stops the bleeding from any wound it is placed around. The Flail Knot: this knot is placed upon a short piece of rope twined around three other ropes and transforms the joined ropes into a magic flail which can strip away magical armor. The Spirit Cord: a knot made of wiregrass, milkweed, and the silk of the Four-eyed Moth. When properly released, it can bind any spirit, great or small, including the fiery Oakfed spirit and the swirling Kolating spirit. The Stasis Hitch: this knot is placed around a rock or tree. It will not slide or release from that rock or tree except by a voice command known only to the knot maker. The Way Knot: another knot that is placed upon trees and other markers. When certain words are continuously chanted, the knots glow faintly and guide pathfinders towards the next Way Knot.

Some time ago, Hervé had privately asked me about any bits about Imther that weren't published in my short-lived New Lolon Gospel fanzine. This is one such bit that was originally planned for the never finished New Lolon Gospel 3, updated to align with the Guide and new thoughts and revelations about Imther. Aegisthus Sevenfinger - military commander of Amber Fort (mouth of the Gap River by the Elf Sea) Aegisthus is an Imtherian native who joined the Lunar Provincial Corps and is the first person new arrivals generally meet and he has put forth an effort to make all feel welcome and to provide work for all newcomers. He is practical and efficient, but seems to have a natural dislike towards merchants, particularly Bulverius Ambereye. Traits: Honest, Just, Valorous, Suspicious (of merchants). Passions: Loyalty (Lunar Empire), Honor. Interests: Military Engineering, Weapons. The Words of Aegisthus Sevenfinger to new arrivals at Amber Fort, 1617 ST. "Greetings! And welcome to Amber Fort, which, though far beyond the Glowline, still bathes in the light of the Red Moon and receives her blessings. I am Aegisthus Sevenfinger commander of Amber Fort until further notice per orders of Sir Petrusius, commander of Soldier’s Ferry and the Elf Sea March. As you are all new to Amber Fort, you undoubtedly have many questions about life here. I hope to answer these as best as I can, though for certain matters other individuals can instruct you better. Q: Where are we? A: Amber Fort is located a mile up the Gap River from the mouth where it empties into the Elf Sea, or Amber Sea. The primitive Balazarings, who you may encounter, call it the West River, rather a poor choice of names since it is the easternmost river of Imther. You’ll hear of a second site, Amber or Yellow Mouth, located at the mouth of the river itself. We are a good two days from the nearest fort at Soldier's Ferry if it hasn’t rained, and far beyond the aid of the Lunar Army or any other soldiers. Don’t count on any merchant to get you out of the storm’s path. We aim to be self-sufficient before the start of the next Darkseason, and all men and women will pull their weight or find themselves working as a dog for the local clans. Q: What’s at each site? A: The primary fortification is here at Amber Fort around Bare Hill. We have a solid defensive perimeter consisting of: outer earthworks, a ditch, and an inner wooden palisade. Beside the river is a boat work and launch site. Within the palisade is a stone storage building, a long house for the current patrol that Sir Petrusius sent down here, a long house for new arrivals like you, and a latrine. Others have built their own stead halls. Construction of a watch tower has commenced. My word is that we must continue to develop our defenses and structures if we are to survive. The site at Amber Mouth consists of the so-called “Trader's Quarters”, two long houses, and a statue to the Conquering Daughter. The merchant Bulverius dreams of a grand temple to Etyries, but they can’t even build a defensive perimeter because they’re in a swamp. My word is that if you encounter foes, you must retreat back to the fort. Q: Who lives at Amber Fort? A: Amber Fort now houses two squads of the Native Holay Corps, rotated through on a seasonal basis. After the fort completes its first season, it is hoped that resident warriors will handle all defensive matters. In addition, veterans of the Lunar army have come here to settle, as well as Imtherian refugees—former clansmen seeking a new home. The merchant at Amber Mouth is Bulverius Ambereye. There is also a godtalker of the Conquering Daughter there. My word is until matters are settled further, that I or my designate keeps peace and justice at the fort, and that Bulverius does likewise at Amber Mouth. Q: Who lives nearby? A: The Bearwalkers of the Haylfang clan are closest, and they are a mean and surly bunch. If you think spouting about the word of the King of Imther or Queen of Holay will get you somewhere with them, guess again. Best to stay on Alakarma’s Path if you should travel from Soldier’s Ferry to Cold Water Crossing – they’ll keep the rights of hospitality there, but if you step off the trail, they’ll hunt you down as like as not. And once you’re past them, you’re in the hunting ground of the Zith clan. Their new champion is devoted to Death itself – not one to mess around with. If you curse the Forfang, though, they may look favorably on you and let you pass. Once you get to the Heltver lands you’ll find friendlier folk who’ll offer water, blanket, and cheese to you. My word is that you keep to your own business and not going stirring up the storm. There are at least two clans of the native Balazarings who have visited the fort--those of the Summer Wind and those of the Greybelly Hare. The first has been generally friendly, while the latter has been more hostile. It has been rumored that a Turtle clan is also travelling here. Our proximity to a couple of their clan sites expose us far more to these spirit folk and their shamans than would be preferred. My word is that caution and suspicion should prevail in all dealings with these folk. Q: What dangers lurk upon the waters? A: We have encountered large water dragons along the shore of the Amber Sea. We have seen large worms far to sea. We have heard rumor of frog people who carry barbed spears. My word is that caution must be taken whenever travelling by boat. Q: What is there to do here? A: There is much work to be done. New long houses and hearths must be created. Food must be gathered from the land and the river to keep us fed. Land must be cleared and crops planted so that we may survive the dark seasons. Defensive works must be established. Vigils must be kept against the savage natives, their spirit-wielding shamans, and hostile demigods. Trade goods must be gained and prepared for their journey west. My word is that there is plenty of work for all. Q: What gods protect this fort? A: The Conquering Daughter has blessed this fort and has established a temple at the river mouth. The Scimitar of Yanafal Tarnils has bound this fort with oaths to protect it from our foes. The Imtherian deities Khelmal and Nealda seek the spirits of the land to aid and nurture us. My word is that the Red Goddess watches all our works and sends us comfort and protectors. Q: What gods oppose this fort? A: Valindum, demon lord of winter, has assailed us once already. We expect his return at the end of the year. The River Goddess, whom the natives call Espalende, has washed away and smashed three boats this Seaseason. She is said to be a fickle demigod. The Amber Sea, which some name Arkos or Azar, breeds the hostile sea serpents that can reach the Monsterstop. He often allies with the storm lords. We watch for signs of his work. My word is that we must be vigilant and strengthen our gods so that our foes are weakened. Q: Who can we see about other matters? A: For matters of law or work, you may see me. For matters of trade, you may see Bulverius. For matters of the spirit, you may seek out the priestess of the Conquering Daughter. My word is that answers to all questions can be found. I await your further questions."

Prompted by Hervé Carteau's note in the G+ forum, I posted the following fragment in G+ from my reworked Imther reflecting GtG and other input from Jeff and others over the years. I figure it might be more easily accessed here. As it is the area of Imther closest to Balazar, it may be of interest to those running Griffin Mountain-derived campaigns, particularly around Elkoi and the Elf Sea. Amber Fort is situated at the mouth of the Gap River (known to Balazarings as the West River - clearly a complete misnomer from the Imtherian and Lunar standpoint). Most of the clans in the eastern wilds of Imther are descendants of Orlanthi who refused to accept the Lunar Way and followed ancient traditions of withdrawing into the wilds to wait for the Day When the Winds Return. To: Iridascius, Aide to Quinscion, His Most Excellent General of Procurement and Disbursement, Mirin’s Cross Fr: Galacrustus, Geographer, Sage of Irripi Ontor, Imperial Survey Office, Hilltown Dated: Crescent-Come, Stasis, Dark, 7/46 The bad weather continues to make the roads, aside from Hwarin’s Singing Trail, all but impassable; and merchants venturing along the latter report attacks by particularly hostile spirits of darkness. With such news from the roads, it was difficult to even find a carrier for this report and impossible to find any caravan venturing out! So I remain here at Hwarin’s temple where her most reverend priestess, Rasefala, has seen fit to open the temple archives to me. I had not realized the Jannisor collection was so extensive! Did you realize that despite so many stories of this great hero, that it’s impossible to discern amongst which tribe or clan he was actually born? With this note you will find my survey of the eastern wilds, or as much as I could actually obtain given the hostility shown to all strangers! Thankfully, the merchant Appchus, a garrulous old trader who claimed Jillaro as his place of birth and bemoaned the current state of Imther, accompanied me for much of the journey. He is certainly well-versed and knows all the greetings of Alakarma, Khelmal, and Orlanth, and many of the knots of Gordaval; necessary he claimed if we wished to keep the clansmen peaceable. And, yes, the region is still under the stormy grip of Orlanth, though the clans seem to spend all their time squabbling with each other – as I heard from many of them: “no one can make me do anything!” Yours, Galacrustus. Eastern Wilds Clans Size: possibly 10,000 Clans: 13 Holy Sites: Old Oak, Skald’s Rock, Selkow’s First Tor, Wind Ridge Tor Beyond the Daltach lands stretches vast forest clear to the Elf Sea. It is a harsh, rugged, and broken land with wild untamed rivers, fields of tumbled stones said to be the broken limbs of ancient giants, and sharp rocky ridgelines. The clans here favor Orlanth, the Lady of the Wild, and their unruly children and kin. Once a great hero named Selkow formed a tribe here, and one clan still claims his name and his hills for their own, but the tribe is long gone and the current clans have formed from the dregs and refugees of other lands who fled here over the last wanes. They live by the barbarous Orlanthi mottoes: “No one can make me do anything” and “Violence is always an option”; and their blood feuds carry on from generation to generation. Amber Fort "The Amber Clan", "The New Clan", "The Sea Clan", Chief: Bulverius Ambereye The Etyries merchant Bulverius sought for many years to gain a great trade venture. After many ill-conceived schemes he finally convinced the Lunar Provincial Administration to grant him land upon the Elf Sea at the mouth of the Gap River at the close of the Civil War in Imther. He brought with him Lunar army veterans looking for plots of land, disgruntled refugees from the Civil War lurking in both Imther and Vanch, and an assortment of craftsmen, workers, and slaves culled from Saird. A great cache of amber has brought quick success to this wilderness outpost, as well as the envy and dislike of nearby Imtherian clans and Votanki tribesmen. The inhabitants have embarked upon a ritual to establish a wyter and form a new clan. Haylfang "The Dawn Clan", "The Bearwalker Clan" Chief: Old Vangorl Velorlanthsson Haylfang Vangonsson brought the Secret of the Bear, the Heart of Zardur, and the Horn of Last Mead to the Three Rivers land. Haylfang sought Velhara and gave her the Five Great Trophies to claim the place of his clan in the rugged wilds. His son, Umbarth, proved he was of the Bear when he slew the Moon Sakkar and took the great fangs for his own and placed them in the Great Hall. His grandson, Grorth, proved he was of the Bear when he ripped apart the Tentacled Salmon that could swim on land and run in the water, and reclaimed the Gap Ferry. His great-grandson, Torsoth the Grim, gained the Coonskin Cap and the Tooth of Wisdom and courted Orsahla of the Wild. With her aid, the clan fought the demon steeds and the Fire hordes who sought to burn down the wild lands and slay all the beasts, whether divine or spirit or essence. The great Bearwalkers are still feared by all the clans of the wild.

And if you're running HQG like myself, if he had the Earthwarm feat, I'd just identify whether he's trying to keep the crops from freezing, or trying to encourage foraging traskars to move along, or inflict pain on the attacking Tusk Riders, and adjust Difficulty accordingly.

Cults of Prax... This is the work that really brought Glorantha to life for me.

Definitely not! Lodril is the god of the common man, and of course the loyal servant.