Jeff

Anymore? There's never been an official writeup of Yggs before.

I doubt the Theyalans knew him as anything other than "another Vadrudi" until the Wolf Pirates came on to the scene. Given that Orlanth is now the biggest cult among the Wolf Pirates, Ygg is clearly an important nephew of the Storm King.

Some notes people mind find interesting: WOLF PIRATES OVERVIEW In 1621 there are some 60+ Wolf Pirate ships, before Harrek's circumnavigation. Let's say that losses get replaced and by 1625, we have 60+ ships operating in the Choralinthor Bay, which comes out to about 3100+ Wolf Pirates. The average Wolf Pirate ship has on average 50 warrior-rowers, 1 captain, and 5 officers. Each ship has a small Dormal shrine and a protective spirit housed in the figurehead on the prow. <For comparison purposes, this is comparable to the total number of pirates in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy and comparable to most of the Viking fleets that operated around the North Sea.> Although they started in the Yggs Islands, by 1625 the Wolf Pirates are multi-ethnic, as soldiers, refugees, outlaws, and adventurers have joined Harrek's fleet. Yggs Islanders now form a relatively small minority of the Wolf Pirates. The lingua franca among the Wolf Pirates is a Theyalan creole made out of a simplified Ygg Islander with strong influences from Rathori and Jonating, Many Wolf Pirates also use Tradetalk. WOLF PIRATES NATIONAL ORIGIN No. Origin % 620 Yggs Islands 20% 620 other Fronelans 20% 155 Malkioni heretics 5% 310 Maniria 10% 310 Sartar 10% 310 Holy Country 10% 155 Teshnites 5% 310 Fonrit 10% 310 Other 10% SOCIETY The basic unit of social organization for the Wolf Pirates is the ship crew. Joining a ship's crew is an initiation into that community - the crew worships the spirit of their ship. Every crew elects its own captain and officers. Every Wolf Pirate is entitled to an equal vote when choosing their captain and officers; but once chosen, the captain and officers must be obeyed unless replaced or personally challenged. Every crew member gets an equal share of any plunder, except that the officers get two shares, and the captain three. The Wolf Pirates welcome anyone into their society who is willing to live by their rules. Captives are offered this opportunity if they have the skills, and many folk seek them out when they are in a neutral port, or even raiding the mainland. Others take ship or boat and sail to Three-Step to join. Despite this, Harrek the Berserk is the unquestioned Sea-King. Although all have the right to challenge his decision, none dare contradict the savage demi-god. WARFARE The Wolf Pirates do most of their fighting on land. In sea battles, they try to board enemy ships and use their superior numbers of warriors to overwhelm their victims. On land, the Wolf Pirates use a variety of arms and armor. Wealthy pirates often wear corselets of bronze and linen, or just out of boiled leather. They are famed for their horned or feathered helmets. They use javelins as distance weapons, and engage with sword and shield. RELIGION The most important cults of the Wolf Pirates is Orlanth (more than a third of all Wolf Pirates are initiates of Orlanth) and Ygg (about 20% of all Wolf Pirates are initiates of Ygg). The next most important cults are Dorma (more than 10% of all Wolf Pirates are initiates of the Sailing God) and Humakt (nearly 10% worship the God of War). Gods of lesser importance include Valind, various Sea Gods, Hrestol, Arkat, the Two Brothers, Abdamedric, and Tolat. YGG The North Wind Ygg is a rapacius son of Vadrus, and brother of Valind. He is one of the Vadruding, the terrible sons of Vadrus. He raged across the land and water, bringing death and destruction in his wake. Ygg took many hostages from the sea gods until Neliomi submitted to him. Ygg plundered and pillaged the Western Lands and aided his brother the Winter God in his attempts to conquer the world. Rune Spells: Increase Wind, Shield, and Sleet, and Wind Warp. He can command up to Medium Air Elementals. Ygg has a subcult (Wavebeater) that can summon and command enslaved Small and Medium Water Elementals. Ygg is served by Rune Priests and is associated with Orlanth and Valind. HISTORY The Wolf Pirates originate on Yggs Islands, a small chain of forested islands off the northern coast of Fronela. They were visited by Dormal in 1583, and the Islanders returned to the seas. The Yggs Islanders fought a long war with the Kingdom of Loksalm. About two dozen Wolf Pirate ships left Yggs Islands in 1598, and defeated the Loksalmi fleet. For a dozen years, these pirates plagued the West. Many settled on the island of Ginorth, in Old Seshnela. In 1607, Gunda the Guilty, a Jonating warrior-woman became a Wolf Pirate ship captain, and within a few years, made herself one of the leading Wolf Pirate leaders. In 1610, the Wolf Pirates settle on Three Step Isles, barren islands south of Kethaela that had been abandoned since the Dawn. This has became the main base of the Wolf Pirates. In 1615, Harrek was chosen by the god Ygg to lead the Wolf Pirates and be their Sea-King. He led the Wolf Pirates to raid the Genertela coast from Fronela to Prax, sailing as far abroad as Jrustela. In 1621 Harrek led his Wolf Pirates on a three-year voyage around the Homeward Ocean, raiding Teshnos, Teleos, Font, Umathela, Jrustela, and Seshnela, before returning to Kethaela in early 1624. Surprisingly, he allied with several Kethaelan leaders to fight the Lunar Empire at Pennel Ford. Later that year, he received his reward and plundered the magical City of Wonders. For the next several years, the Wolf Pirates raid Kethaela with impunity. The Kethaelans agree to follow Argrath of Sartar if the new Prince can get rid of Harrek and the Wolf Pirates. The Prince achieves this by allying with Harrek, and that year, half the Wolf Pirates follow Argrath over the Dragonspine into Tarsh. Although Harrek later quarrels with Argrath and leaves Dragon Pass altogether in 1631, many of the Wolf Pirates that followed Argrath into Dragon Pass remain. NOTES THREE-STEP ISLANDS A substantial island-bound population has settled on Three Step Islands now. These are wives, concubines, and families of the pirates, as well as refugees, merchants, shop-keepers, and fishermen who make the pirates lives bearable upon the isle. There are even a few farmers and a large number of sheep-herders. The only sizeable settlement is Skullport, which serves as the main port of operations for Harrek's fleet. Given that the Wolf Pirates themselves are transient, Skullport is normally populated largely by slaves capture by the Wolf Pirates, and by those foreign merchants (including Vadeli), shopkeepers, wine sellers, entertainers, and prostitutes who live of the pirate's plunder. It is estimated that there is at least one drinking house for every ten residents. LEADERS OF THE WOLF PIRATES Harrek is king of the Wolf Pirates. His authority is supreme and unquestioned. He is also a demigod, and doesn’t really care about administrative matters. Gunda is the military brains behind the Wolf Pirates. She leads the battles, as Harrek just kills. Gold Gotti is the organizational brains behind the Wolf Pirates. He keeps the food and supplies flowing. He organizes the efficient plunder of everything.

Atgxtg - at this point it might just be better if you just walk away again. RQG discussions have been less tedious without you there. And after looking at four pages of you ranting about the role of women during the Enchantment of Britain, I think Pendragon discussions would be better off without you. As an aside, this is not about being “woke” - it is about making a game we can play with our friends. And guess what, many of our friends we game with are women. And just as many men prefer to play male characters, many women prefer to play women characters. That’s not really hard to figure out. And few women that I know want every session to be a constant struggle against male NPCs trying to “put them in their place”. That gets real boring real fast.So go on your merry way. Go and play your WWII game where everyone can play good National Socialists (but no Jewish characters allowed) or whatever works for you. Just do it elsewhere.

As an aside, Greg's "Arthurian monomyth" allows us to experience and play through as much of the myth as we want. But to do that, it is not particularly historically grounded. Pendragon leaves our history with the Enchantment of Britain and enters a mythological and magical realm filled with plenty of ahistorical features such as plate armor. Or indeed chivalrous knights. Or even knights at all. None of this may have existed in history (and certainly not circa 520 AD) but it is all part of the myth.

The option exists for players to play a female knight if they so want and without getting constantly screwed over by the setting. Because there are lots of players who would rather play a female character. Just as there are lots of players who would rather play a male character. There is no reason to create barriers that prevent people from wanting to play in one of the greatest RPGs of all time. When we've had female knights, they have always been exceptional and noteworthy, but not so exceptional or noteworthy that playing them is a constant uphill battle. At the end of the day, Pendragon is a FUN role-playing game, that lets us explore the Arthurian Romances - one of the greatest collections of stories and archetypes of all time. And every assembler of the Romances made their own additions and twists to it, which is in part why these stories continue to have power and meaning even to us mythically illiterate moderns. In short, there should be no obstacle to making Pendragon something fun for you and your players. Take it, run with it, and make it yours.

Sometimes called that, but it doesn't mean much.

It is actually pretty easy. Just base things on the building blocks of Glorantha Sourcebook, King of Sartar, RuneQuest, the Guide, etc. It only gets tough when you try to put the HW-era material in.

During the Darkness, there were stars that plunged down to protect the lesser beings of the world. Many greater gods, like Orlanth and Ernalda, had already disappeared from the dying world. And so the last lights of the world were all that left. This is pretty universal myth among humans and elves. Dayzatar is worshiped by gods. That's how awesome he is. There are certainly stories that Polestar swore loyalty to Orlanth. But I think that is merely a projection by Orlanth's mortal worshipers. Polestar is not associated with the Orlanth cult. When he has a wider cult, it tends to be associated with other Celestial deities.

Yes. Kallyr's great power comes from the Pole Star. Which is interesting, isn't it. That could have been a terrible weakness for her when she tried to perform the LBQ, don't you think?

The mesa of Masada is quite small about 0.5 km by 0.3 km. And the plateau can be easily accessed from the east and west sides - it is the north and south that end in cliffs.

Rigsdal is not a member of the Storm Tribe.

The plateau Two Ridge sits atop is some 6 to 8 kilometres long. Think more Mesa Verde, Table Mountain, or the Nor-Westers. Western Sartar has a lot of mesa and butte geography, more like out of the American West or South Africa. The Ambas of Ethiopa might make better reference points. Two Ridge, Starfire Ridges, and the Pegasus Plateau are all part of a rugged landscape that would make Western Sartar a really amazing place to look at. With redwood groves in Tarndisi's Grove, and the high snow-covered peaks of the Quivin Mountains.

Sing.

Polaris is an important cult in lowland Peloria and Pent. His runes are Light, Stasis, and Harmony. He is sometimes worshiped as a spirit in Prax and among the Orlanthi. Despite the efforts of Kallyr's poets to concoct stories to the contrary, he's never managed to be incorporated as an associated cult of Orlanth. Orlanth usually dealt with Polaris as an enemy, and lacks even the tales of cooperation he has with Yelmalio.

Here's the canonical list of significant rebellions and other events: 1602 – Boldhome is sacked by Lunar Empire, its temple profaned, and its people slaughtered. The last known heirs of Sartar are slain or driven away. 1603 – Conflict between Telmori and other tribes. 1605 – A major thrust by the Lunar army to invade the Holy Country, striking at heavily populated Esrolia. Countering with magical strength, the god-king Belintar stopped the Lunars by inflicting a decisive and humiliating defeat. At the same time, a minor thrust of the Lunar army reached the city of Karse and laid siege, but withdrew without permanent success. The Lunar victory was clear over the Hendriking defenders. 1606 – Lunar assassins begin infiltrating south to kill the remaining members of the House of Sartar. 1606-1611 – Civil conflict among Far Point tribes. This grows to become the Righteous Wind Rebellion. 1606 – Amidst the widespread Sartar clan disputes and tribal wars following the Lunar conquest, the struggle against the Telmori stands out. The Telmori wiped out the whole Maboder tribe under their fangs. 1607 – Jomes Wulf, a Lunar general, led a brilliant campaign, and tracked down the wolf-people in their own territory, using great personal heroism. The Telmori sued for peace but not before taking extreme losses. Pol-Joni defeated by Praxians. 1610 – Pavis falls, as do the Prax barbarians as the Lunar Empire searches for a route to the sea. Provincial Government imposes repressive laws on Orlanthi. 1611 – Righteous Wind Rebellion in Far Point crushed by Harvar Ironfist, Alone occupied. 1613 – Kallyr Starbrow leads a Sartarite rebellion, quickly crushed by the Lunar Empire. Temertain the Pretender rules with Lunar support. 1615 – Fire Bull Clan of the Sambarri rebel and are crushed by the Lunar Army. 1618 – Dundealos tribe destroyed by Lunars. 1619 – Lunar Empire invades the Holy Country, Karse seized. 1620 – Malkonwal broken by Lunar Army. 1621 – Whitewall falls, beginning the Great Winter. 1622 – Culbrea tribe in open rebellion. Lunars defeated by Hendriki and Sartar rebels at the Battle of Auroch Hills. Great Winter ends. 1624 – Lunar Empire defeated in Holy Country at the Battle of Pennel Ford by a coalition of Wolf Pirates, Esrolians, and Hendriki. Temertain the Pretender killed by Humakti led by Sarostip Cold-eye.

The map in TCS has a few errors.

It represents the map in TCS getting a few details wrong.

There is no official map of the fort itself. But the site is perhaps more interesting than the fort! Here's the writeup: Two Ridge Fort (hill fort): This ancient fortress was fashioned atop a steep-ridged butte at the end of the Gejay Hills, and includes farms and pastures. This is the political and religious center of the Malani Tribe, and has temples to Orlanth and Humakt.

You mean like this?

I am not sure Doburdun has much of a cult in the Third Age. He was a Darsenite Thunder God associated with Entekos. By the Third Age, he's probably just a local manifestation of Orlanth or a servant of Entekos.

If people assume that the alliances in the Hero Wars are straight-forward and easy, that is their problem.

Similar dynamics can be seen within the Lunar Empire, where several of the Seven Mothers really don't care one way or another about the Orlanthi or about conquests in Dragon Pass or even about the Lunar Empire except in an abstract Obey the Red Emperor level.

People seem to forget that Issaries, Lhankor Mhy, and Chalana Arroy largely try to stay out of the fight between Orlanth and the Red Goddess except when Chaos gets brought in or Orlanth uses the Lightbringer's Summons.

BTW, this should make it obvious that a loincloth is the normal underwear for Sartarites. In warm weather, it might be the sole item of clothing.