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M Helsdon

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Everything posted by M Helsdon

  1. Most infantry regiments have a nominal thousand troops; cavalry around five hundred. Magical units tend to vary. Much of the 'data' is derived from the Dragon Pass boardgame.
  2. Composition of the Sartar Free Army A large portion of Sartar’s army consists of mercenaries and outlanders, with only the core drawn from Sartarite tribes and City Rings. Brotherhood of Death Sartarite Eaglebrown Warlocks Sartarite Earth Twins Tarshite Egglord Warlocks Hendriki Eleven Lights Sartarite Free Philosophers Sartarite Mularik’s Men Western mercenaries Snakepipe Dancers Sartarite Tosti Runefriend’s Company Light Sartarite Warm Sisters Esrolian Bullocks Praxian Swordbrothers Tourney Altar Twin Spear Praxian Antlercase Sartarite Kheldon tribe Colymar Sartarite Colymar tribe Headhunters Sartarite Culbrea tribe Pavis Royal Guard Pavis Thieves’ Arm Pavis - many Sartarite adventurers. Tworidge Sartarite Malani tribe Bush Rangers Tarshite, Grazelander, Sartarite mercenaries. Boldhome Royal Guard Sartarite Free Men Hendriki Gold Gotti Mercenaries Guildsmen Sartarite 1st Bush Children Tarshite 2nd Bush Children Tarshite 3rd Bush Children Tarshite Candle Dancers Sartarite Wolf Runners Sartarite Duck City Militia Sartarite Tribal Levies Sartarite Tribal Levies Sartarite Flash Jack High Llama Tribe And-Jay Bison Tribe Krise Sable Tribe 1st Pol-Joni Pol-Joni 2nd Pol-Joni Pol-Joni 3rd Pol-Joni Pol-Joni 1st Amber High Llama Tribe 2nd Amber High Llama Tribe Potor Bison Tribe Ansil Heavy Rhino Tribe
  3. At a guess, it's taking the population numbers in the Guide and taking the percentage given in Cults of Prax, then dividing the result by two, assuming only males are likely initiates: Impala Riders 120,000 13% = 15,600/2 = 7,800. No allowance for those too young to be initiates. Perhaps the actual numbers should be halved again?
  4. Here's the source of my Yelmalion numbers.
  5. I've taken this from David Scott's recent posts on the forum (which I may have misunderstood). Vanntar raises two regiments; Alda-Chur none. The Vanntar regiments include archers, who act as pseudo-hypaspists, providing some cover to the flanks of the phalanxes. The Sun County regiment instead relies either upon militia spearmen on the flanks or supporting auxiliaries hired from a Praxian tribe. I need to add this information to my notes.
  6. Army Lists Sun Dome Templars Rurik Runespear Type Hero Magic Factor 4 Missile Factor 2 Melee Factor 2 A Rune Lord of Yelmalio, Rurik was slain by trolls. He was sent back by his god to lead his people in battle and inspire all with the Light of the Son of the Sun. Vanishing on the Giant’s Cradle which sailed down the River of Cradles in 1621, he became one of Argrath’s boon companions, sharing incredible adventures across the world. He is said to have brokered the secret agreement that saw the Sun Dome Templars desert their Lunar allies at the Second Battle of Moonbroth in 1624. Rurik returned to Pavis in 1625 perched on the back of a golden wyrm to participate in the liberation of the city. In 1627 Rurik was instated as the new Count of Vanntar. Sun Dome Templars Type Heavy Infantry Armor Lacquered leather Weapons Sarissa, large round shield Morale Regular 4 Patron Deity Yelmalio Notes From Vanntar in Sartar Magic Factor 5 Missile Factor 1 Melee Factor 5 They fight using a long fifteen foot long pike, in close formation, resting their round shields on a neck strap which permits them to grip their heavy spear in both hands. They fight and drill in Squares of 64 men, and are superbly disciplined to present a forest of pikes to their foes. The Templars have the best armor the cult can provide: a corset of lacquered leather and a crested full helmet. Sun Dome Templars Type Heavy Infantry Armor Lacquered leather Weapons Sarissa, large round shield Morale Regular 4 Patron Deity Yelmalio Notes From Vanntar in Sartar Magic Factor 5 Missile Factor 1 Melee Factor 5 Sun Dome Templars Type Heavy Infantry Armor Bronze Weapons Sarissa, large round shield Morale Regular 4 Patron Deity Yelmalio Notes From Mo Baustra in Prax Magic Factor 5 Missile Factor 0 Melee Factor 5
  7. Yelmalion Regiments The Yelmalion military is under the command of the Light Captain, one of the administrative assistants of the High Priest of a temple. Yelmalion Organization Light Captain Light Captain Lieutenant Regiment Militia Regiment Captain Guardian Captain File-Leader Half-file Leader Templar phalangites carry a fifteen foot pike and fight in close formation, resting their round shields on a neck strap, permitting them to grip the long spear with both hands when in battle. The basic unit is the sixteen man ‘file’ consisting of fourteen soldiers, a file-leader and a half-file leader. In combat they shift to battle file, or close order, in Squares of eight half-files (64 men) with locked shields to present a forest of pikes to their foes. In column for road or frontier travel, this unit of 64 marches in a two-abreast double-file formation. For battlefield march or maneuver it moves in open order, four lines 16 men deep, with wide spacing between the lines to permit skirmishers and missile troops to move through the ranks prior to contact with the enemy. Each man wears a corselet of lacquered leather or bronze and a crested full helmet. A Square is commanded by a Captain. Eight Squares comprise a company, with additional skirmishers and bearers, and two companies a regiment. A Yelmalion regiment is commanded by a senior captain, usually the Light Captain or his deputy. All Light Sons may pick three Templars as their bodyguard, and in the regiment the commander’s retinue act as his dedicated bodyguard and standard bearer. The militia is commanded by the Guardian, also a Light Son, who has Templar bodyguards and standard bearer. The Sun Dome militia uses similar formations, but are more typically are arrayed in a line two ranks deep. Yelornan Regiments The cult of Yelorna in the Third Age is relatively small, with the largest number comprising the Unicorn tribes of Prax and Ralios. The cult in Pavis retains some of the ancient organization. No Yelornan regiments have existed since the Second Age, but the unicorn riders often serve as auxiliaries for the Sun Dome Temples of Mo Baustra (Sun Dome County) and the Karia March. Yelornan Organization Star Priestess Regiment Wanderers Star Lady Star Lady Troop-Leader Section-Leader
  8. And a related main text sub-chapter. Sun Dome Temples At the end of the Second Age, when all the lowlands united against the Empire of the Wyrms Friends, Yelmalio again led the fight. The destruction of the Invincible Golden Horde in the Dragonkill in 1120 marked a massive decline in the cult. The Sun Dome Temples in Saird contributed much of the manpower of the Invincible Golden Horde, and the destruction and devouring of those armies critically wounded the Temples for generations. Though its Dragon Pass temples were destroyed, the cult lived on among elves, and in Prax and Peloria. In the Third Age, the cult moved back into Dragon Pass at the request of the House of Sartar. There it restored some of the cosmic balance of the area and stabilized the kingdom for the ruling house. Both the Dragon Pass and Prax temples have proved relatively minor, though they have always been well-supported by their worshippers. Throughout the entire region of central Genertela, including the Lunar provinces where the temples probably originated, there are no more than fifteen temples extant during the Hero Wars period. The region in Southern Peloria called Saird is clearly the center of the cult, with ten Sun Dome Temples (three in Holay, two in Tarsh, two in Aggar, one in Sylila, one in Vanch, and one in Imther). The Daysenerus cult was given good lands confiscated from rebellious Heortlings after the Theyalan Wars, and Mirin’s Cross was the Second Age center of the cult. The Yelmalio cult supported Verenmars and his Kingdom of Saird. Most Yelmalio cultists are farmer-soldiers who belong to one of the Sairdite cities of South Peloria. They are a very well-drilled militia and rarely fight outside of their own domain unless paid (which deals with the loss of agricultural labor for a season or two). The Sun Dome Temples provide approximately 11,000 Templars to the Lunar Provincial Army. These strategically located temples are the military anchor of the ‘Sairdite’ Solar culture and defend the lowland farmers. Yelmalio is the main soldier cult of the river cities of Saird, coexisting with the cults of Humakt, Hwarin Dalthippa, or Yanafal Tarnils. Historically, Jannisor’s Rebellion included the Sun Dome Temples of Saird, allied with the Sable Tribes, and the many Orlanthi tribes surrounding Saird. At least some of the Sun Dome Temples were part of the Kynnelfing Alliance that resisted but ultimately was defeated by the Conquering Daughter. The Sun Dome Temples fought on all sides of the wars during Third and Fourth Wanes, but have been mostly allied with the Lunar Provincial Government since the Sixth Wane. Outside of Saird, there are only four temples – one in Fronela, one in Delela (near Karia), one in Sartar, and one in Prax. These temples are almost entirely autonomous and independent of their cousins in South Peloria. Mo Baustra The Yelmalio cult was imported into Prax by the rulers of Pavis in the year 875 to help against barbarian raiders. The Templars brought their phalanxes, their cavalry and chariotry to support the beleaguered city. Regiments rode and marched as part of the Invincible Golden Horde in 1100 to plunder and destroy the Dragonewt cities in Dragon Pass. They were entirely destroyed in the Dragonkill. This disaster was traumatic, and the cult purged itself of any vestiges of EWF-inspired Solar Draconicism to return to the unsullied, pure light of Yelmalio. The Great Ballista was constructed to protect the Sun Dome Temple, but when draconic retribution never came it was later moved to the high bluffs above the river and renamed the Harpoon. Eighty years later the city of Pavis fell and Sun Dome County, still reeling from the losses in Dragon Pass, struggled to survive surrounded by hostile Animal Nomads. The theocratic enclave of Sun County spent most of the Third Age in isolation in what they call the Solitude of Testing. Their tradition of horse rearing was lost in the enduring face of nomad hostility and they relied solely upon their infantry. When required, the Templars have been forced on occasion to rely on allied nomad tribesmen of their religion for cavalry support. The capability of Sun Dome Templar Squares to set pikes to withstand a heavy cavalry charge was one of the factors in their survival during the Testing. The Sun Dome County has maintained its autonomy from the Lunar Empire at the price of military alliance. It can muster spearmen militia and a regiment of Templar pike. Auxiliaries In addition to the Sun Dome regiment and militia, Sun County often recruits cavalry auxiliaries from their fellow worshippers among the Praxian Tribes, and from the Yelorna-worshipping Unicorn Tribe. Scouts and light troops are also recruited from the Basmoli Berserkers, the lion people. Yelmalions in Prax There are about 14,700 Yelmalio worshippers amongst the Praxian tribes. The population of Sun County is only 20,000, given that half are children, the remainder is half men, giving a maximum of 5000 Yelmalio initiates. The nomads significantly outnumber them. Yelmalio amongst the nomads is very different from the organization of the Sun Dome temples. The nomads eschew the use of the pike and shield foot tactics, favoring instead their mounts, and the long spear and the bow or javelin. They have none of the fixed structures of the temple-bound Sun Domers, having only Light Khans, but no priests, so the Yemalio temples are their major worship temples. Tribe Number of Initiates Agimori tribe 225 Bison tribe 400 Bolo Lizard tribe 158 High Llama tribe 163 Impala tribe 7800 Ostrich tribe 90 Pol-Joni tribe 42 Rhino tribe 90 Sable tribe 5625 Zebra tribe 34 Claws of the Leaping Sun A Basmoli bachelor society in the area around Sun County, the society is named for a hero who first served the Yelmalions. The first Basmoli to serve as auxiliaries rapidly spread the word amongst their kin, and Basmoli seeking mercenary service can expect welcome in the lands of the Sun worshippers. Wandering males, ejected from their home pride, have a deep yearning to ‘belong’, and transfer this desire to the bachelor societies and mercenary bands. The Basmoli are renowned for their strength and their ferocity in combat. Basmoli are lean and fleet of foot, adept at serving as scouts, trackers and light infantry, equipped with bow, spear and light shield. Most Basmoli have long auburn or red hair, and are vain about their appearance, decorating their hair with brightly colored ribbons and bells. The Templars have a very superior attitude to their auxiliaries, though many of their victories have been won with the aid of Basmoli scouting and reconnaissance. Vanntar Vanntar, the Sun Dome County, in southern Sartar is an ancient sacred site to the cults of Sky and Light. It was depopulated by the Dragonkill and abandoned until 1579, when King Tarkalor recognized the Yelmalio cult as the legal possessor of Vanntar and the land surrounding it. Since 1585 this Sun County has sought its own way, independent of the Princes of Sartar. It can muster massed archers, spearmen and two regiments of Templar pike, though half the army always remains to guard the county. The Sun Dome Temple of Vanntar is served by half-thrall helots called the Ergeshi, named for the Dara Happan god of slaves. They serve as field-workers and as baggage-carriers. The Vanntar hoplites are able to stay in the field almost indefinitely because the helots will work their land holdings. In 1627 Argrath installed his companion Rurik as the new Count of Vanntar. Thereafter, the regiments of Vanntar served in the ranks of the Sartar Free Army. Alda-Chur In 1611, Harvar Ironfist, a Light Captain of Yelmalio of the Vantaros tribe established himself as the ruler Alda-Chur and the Far Place. He ruthlessly quelled the Righteous Wind Revolt and punished whoever had not helped him or resisted the rebels. The Lunar Provincial Governor named him Duke of the Far Place. Harvard Ironist was killed in the Dragonrise in 1625. Whilst he ruled, he was a Lunar Ally, but the Far Place provided no regiments to the Lunar Empire. The large temple of Yelmalio Golden Spear is impressive, but there is no tradition of Templar regiments here. The Yelmalio cult is the largest disciplined military force in the Far Place, directly under the command of the Alda-Churi temple’s Light Captain.
  9. Sun Dome Temples Throughout the entire region of central Genertela, including the Lunar provinces, there are no more than fifteen major temples during the Hero Wars period. There are Little Sun cults popular throughout south Peloria and Dragon Pass. Most commonly associated with Yelmalio, the Sun Dome Temple god, the god’s myths are diverse and contradictory. Sometimes the Little Sun God is a foe of Orlanth (as is common with Yelmalio), sometimes he is a friend of Orlanth (as is common with Elmal). Sometimes he is the husband of the Earth Goddess, sometimes not. A God Learner would say, perhaps accurately, perhaps not, that Yelmalio and Elmal are just variations of the same god. In Imther, the Yelmalio cult of Kareiston’s Temple preserves local variations in myth from the Yelmalio cults of Dragon Pass and the Mirin’s Cross network of temples. The name Khelmal is given to the god there. The locals call him the God of Kareiston’s Temple, and give him many epithets including ‘Little Sun’, ‘Son of the Sun’, ‘God of the Sky Dome’ and the ‘Cold Sun’. In New Lolon his worshippers claim it is the site of his Seat of Judgment, where the Light Protector Heliacal lived with his wife, the Green Woman. Yelmalio is not alone in this diversity. Orlanth has very diverse aspects (so much so that Thunderous, Adventurous, and Rex are effectively separate cults). Throughout its history, the cult of Yelmalio has sometimes almost been extinguished, but as the light that does not go out, though diminished, the cult of the Cold Sun always reignites. Despite severe reverses, and a variety of names, the cult has a strong continuity, and although distant temples may vary in their rites and theology, strong similarities in ritual and tradition are apparent. The Sun Dome Temples have never been unified. Even in Saird, where there are close ties between the scattered Sun Domes, each temple is under its own religious and secular authorities. When two or more temples exist within the borders of a wider state, each owes fealty and service to the ruler, but not through a cult hierarchy. The First Age In the First Age, the God of the Sun Dome Temple was called Hastatus, God of the Spear (sometimes equated with Avivorus) or Antirius, the Dara Happan God of Order. Golden domes are a defining feature of the Sun Dome temples. The temple-fortress to Manimat and Antirius at Haranshold originally built in the First Age also boasts several gold domes. The city of Kesium is now best known for its golden-domed temple to Antirius, built by the Bright Eagle Lords of Rinliddi in the Dawn Age of Peloria. The first temple complex in the style of the later Sun Dome Temples was built by Kestingatha of Kesium, one of the Bright Eagle Lords. His temple of Antirius, a golden dome set atop a square base, was completed sometime between 145 and 155. Mahzanelm, an Emperor of the Khordavu Dynasty, conquered Rinliddi and Vanch around 345-350. The Dara Happans sought to ensure that the barbarian lands could be kept under their control. The Emperor commissioned the construction of a grand structure that would be both temple and a military enclave for his troops. This temple was in the form of a dome within a walled compound entered via a stepped walkway. One of the settlements the Emperor destroyed during his southern campaign was Lolon, inhabited since the Dawn. This was the home of the Tunoraling hunter-gatherers who worshipped Heliacal the Sun and his wife Negalla the Green Woman. After the First Theyalan War (366-368), more of the Dara Happan-style Sun Dome Temples were built – one was even built atop the ruins of Urar Baar (a troll trading place at the confluence of the Oslir and the Black Eel rivers). These were similar to the earlier temple built by Kestingatha, being set on a square base, which was now consecrated to Hastatus, the spear god. In all, five Sun Dome Temples served as Dara Happan military anchors to keep the rebellious Theyalans under the control of the High Council. It was at the Battle of Day and Night in 379 that the constructed god Nysalor revealed Daysenerus - an aspect of Antirius who brings Antirius’ Justice to the barbarians - to be the deity of the Sun Dome Temples. Daysenerus’ first deed when invoked was to crush the army of Kyger Litor and his first new temple was built upon the site of that victor. The name translates as First Herald God, apparently relating to the appearance of the planet Lightfore, prior to the Dawn. During the years that followed, new Sun Dome Temples dedicated to Daysenerus were built throughout the lands occupied by the Bright Empire. The Daysenerus cult was given good lands confiscated from rebellious Heortlings after the Theyalan Wars. The military might of these enclaves supported the rule of the Bright Empire. However, their association with Nysalor proved to be their downfall. When Arkat raised the Heortlings in their final successful rebellion, vengeful Orlanthi and their troll allies destroyed every Sun Dome Temple they encountered and eradicated the name Daysenerus from Peloria. According to Monrogh of Sartar, Sereventh in Sylila was the only temple to Daysenerus to survive the destruction of the Bright Empire. Other sources claim it was used by Ordanestyu in his Cold Light Fires Uprising and to revive the culture of Dara Happa after the fall of the Bright Empire. During the ensuing period of troll and Heortling domination of southern Peloria, the other Sun Dome Temples were relit by the prophet Severinalus the Rekindler. Severinalus named the god Tharkantus, the Empty Saving Hearth, prepared for the darkness to come. He settled many temples, for many places prepared once again for the time that the fires all went out. Tharkartus was later recognized to be the same entity as the Elvish Sun god, later known as Halamalao, and in many places the two races shared worship for centuries. It was perhaps during this period that the god of the Sun Dome Temples was given the name Yelmalio (Little Sun God), from which the elvish name seems to derive. Whilst the cult had its origins in the Solar cultures to the north, its presence on the borderlands with the Storm cultures to the south resulted in an increasing intermingling of the two traditions. What began as a title gradually supplanted the northern name. The Second Age In 562 a Sun Dome Temple was founded in Holay. Trolls resisted the construction but met with disaster when a trollkin lieutenant betrayed the attack because the White Women among the Sun Domers had treated him kindly. Circa 640 another was established at Domanand (modern Mirin’s Cross) in Saird within the boundaries of Orlanthland, and was later strengthened as a stronghold against the dragons and their followers. It boasted unique enclosed domes with anti-dragon runes upon their surface, and despite its Solar nature provided a center of resistance for the Orlanthi Traditionalists against the Draconic Orlanthi to the south for a long time. The city of Lolon was also rebuilt. Orlanthland was, as the name denotes, the land of the Orlanthi, extending south into Dragon Pass. Initially, the cult of Yelmalio fiercely aided the traditionalist Orlanthi and spearheaded armies invading the upland regions to fight the draconic heretics. Saird became a battleground between Domanand and southern Orlanthland, which was transforming into the Empire of the Wyrms Friends. But by 750 the EWF conquered Saird; the gold domes of Domanand were shattered - their ruins are still apparent in the modern city. The Lament of Domeland, composed by several poets who survived the catastrophe, recalls the fall of the city. The EWF revealed the Draconic Sun to the survivors. The Sun Dome Temples subsequently became a major military arm of the empire with their soldier-cultists used as mercenaries. Many new temples to Yelmalio were established on the frontiers of the EWF in Fronela, Ralios, and near Pent and in its core lands in Dragon Pass. Another was built at Hesterneo in Esrolia, later destroyed by Queen Orenda. Dara Happa was occupied by the EWF in 850 after its Emperor was killed by elite members of the Golden Dragon Society. In 877 the first Arrowsmith king of the city of Pavis in Prax requested aid from the Sun Dome Temple in Dragon Pass against the trolls and giants. The mercenaries were granted lands to the south of the city. A new Sun Dome Temple was built on the edge of the Wastelands. Karvanyar slew the imperial Golden Dragon in 910, leading a rebellion that drove the EWF from Dara Happa within seven years. The same year Alakoring Dragonbreaker flew into Aggar. He defeated Sun Dome armies and other EWF forces. Between the years 910-925, after freeing itself from EWF control Dara Happan armies marched south. In the Three Armies Battle in 920 the armies of Alakoring Dragonbreaker and a Carmanian adventurer fought the EWF. Alakoring fought Drang the Diamond Storm Dragon and killed it. Over the next fifteen years, Alakoring led the people of Saird, including the freed Sun Dome Temples, in rebellion. The soldier-cult purged itself of all draconic influence. Around this time, ruined Domanand was resettled, and named Miron’s Cross for a lieutenant of Alakoring who learned the secret of where to cross the Black Eel river and where he crucified a EWF leader subdued in battle. Mirin subsequently claimed the site for his own and after the cross was removed, built an impressive monument to commemorate the duel. Reliefs on each side, now almost worn away, depicted Mirin’s four great deeds. Dara Happa retook all of its lands from the EWF and expanded southwards. A great army marched through Sylila to the Battle of Zelfield where the dragons were defeated. The EWF counterattacked, reaching as far north as Alkoth in 947 but was unable to regain control of the north. In 960, on the abdication of Sarenesh, (an Emperor of Dara Happa of the Karvanyar Dynasty) to prevent war between his three sons, the priests enacted the Great Division of the World. The High Priest of Dayzatar awarded Dayzatar’s portion, Saird, to Verenmars. King Verenemars rallied all Saird against the dragons. He began great sacrifices to strengthen Jajagappa and raised the Jajalarings dog peoples against the EWF. Many Dara Happan colonists followed in the wake of Verenmars’ heroic wars against the EWF. Verenmars and his heirs ruled the Kingdom of Saird until 1120. The Saird Sun Dome Temples initially fought against and then supported Verenmars and his kingdom As a result they survived the fall of the EWF in 1042 when the leaders of Empire of the Wyrms Friends were exterminated overnight. In 1082, the hero Balazar introduced the cult of Yelmalio to the Votanki to the east. He met and wed a local hunting nymph and they had three sons. The Sun Domes of Saird contributed much of the manpower of the Invincible Golden Horde. The destruction and devouring of those armies in the Dragonkill of 1120 severely wounded the Temples for generations, and extinguished Verenmars’ dynasty. After the Dragonkill, the weakened Sairdite culture was mostly absorbed by the neighboring Orlanthi. Far to the southeast, the now isolated temple in Prax erected the Great Ballista to protect their rebuilt temple complex from draconic retribution. Jannisor’s Rebellion (1271-1275) against the rising Lunar Empire included the Sun Dome Temples of Saird, allied with the Sable Tribes, and the many Orlanthi tribes surrounding Saird. Some of the Sun Dome Temples were also part of the Kynnelfing Alliance that resisted but ultimately was defeated by the Conquering Daughter in 1347. The queen of Filichet was acclaimed as Queen of Holay, as a Lunar tributary ruler. Invasions by savage barbarians from Pent led by Sheng Seleris disrupted the Lunar Empire from 1375 to 1460. Much of the south was lost to the empire during this time as it struggled to survive. The Sun Dome temples endured this period, hiring out as mercenaries. Holay became a battleground between Tarsh and Sylila, and was finally reduced to Lunar dependency in 1458. Saird was regained around 1480 though Lunar rule in the Provinces was not secure until 1545, when the Provincial Government was formed. The Sun Dome Temples fought on all sides of these wars during Third and Fourth Wanes (1355-1462), but have been mostly allied with the Lunar Provincial Government since the Sixth Wane (1517 onwards). The Third Age The Sun Dome Temples of Saird have, over the centuries endured and enjoyed the patronage of overlords from the Broken Council, EWF, Sairdite, Tarsh and most recently the Lunar Empire. Throughout history Saird has been a significant battleground between Storm and Solar cultures fighting over Earth as in the myth of Orlanth and Yelm competing for the hand of Ernalda. Outside of Saird, there are only four great temples. These temples are almost entirely autonomous and independent of their cousins in South Peloria. Ever-New-Glory in Tarsh was founded after the Lunar conquest of Saird. At some time after this, Elmal cultists from Alda-Chur, beset by Darkness and Chaos went north to find allies against the trolls. They returned with the Golden Spearman and took him with them to their next battle. A brilliant sunspear destroyed the trolls. The jubilant Alda-Churi gave the Golden Spearman a shrine in their temple to Elmal, the Orlanthi Sun God, and offered him regular sacrifices as one of the defenders of their people. In the mid-1500s, Lunar missionaries proved to the priests that the Golden Spearman was the enemy of Orlanth, as part of a campaign to divide and weaken the southern tribes. The allegiance of some worshippers of Elmal was compromised and they rebelled against their traditional leaders, weakening resistance to Lunar encroachment. In Sartar, the sage Monrogh Lantern revealed that the Golden Spearman was neither Yelm nor Elmal, but the Son of the Sun, Yelmalio. In 1579 Monrogh was given leave to re-consecrate the temple of Yelmalio at Vanntar, to end the strife. During the Resettlement Period of Dragon Pass and the early decades of the kingdom of Sartar, Vaantar had been an important temple of Elmal, belonging to no tribe and defended against the Kitori by determined members of the cult of Elmal. With the fervor of new converts, the Vanntari insist Monrogh founded the cult of Yelmalio and that Vanntar was the first temple. The presence of more ancient temples in Saird and elsewhere contradict their claims. --------------------------------------------------------- With many major temples, Saird is still the center of the cult. In addition to the Sun Dome Temples it boasts important sites associated with the god, such as the Hill of Gold and New Lolon in Vanch. The Hill is where Yelmalio was sorely wounded, lost his weapons, and bled his power upon the earth before he rose again in Cold Light. Lolon was the place of Yelmalio’s Seat of Judgment, and where the Light Protector lived with his wife the Green Woman. The modern farmers and cities of Saird, are a mixture of lowland Pelorians and Orlanthi. There are some vestigial remnants of earlier cultures (especially the Red-Haired Goddess, a title of Redaylda), but mostly submerged beneath many centuries of later settlement. The extant temples of southern Peloria are the military anchor of the “Sairdite” Solar culture. They are all strategically located to defend the lowland farmers. Yelmalio is the main soldier cult of the river cities of Saird, coexisting with the military cults of Humakt, Hwarin Dalthippa, and Yanafal Tarnils. Yelmalio has been the divine defender of Mirin’s Cross, ancient Domanand, since the Second Age.
  10. Quite a delay in returning to this I'm sorry to say - caused by family medical emergencies. Will post an 'updated' version shortly. I've made use of the comments here and material provided by Harald Smith. There will, of course, be errors, omissions and bias. This is an appendix to something I've been playing with for the past six months in my spare time - RuneWars: Warfare in Glorantha - using all the (fairly) canonical material I can find and my own thoughts.
  11. I suspect that the square-house meme includes a very great deal of variation in execution. So whilst TCS doesn't have any explicitly square houses (though a few on the settlement maps come close) it isn't by any means non-canonical. It's a little like the idea that Iron Age houses in Britain were all circular - most were but not all.
  12. The basic Earth Rune 'square house' resembles two long-halls joined by two smaller halls (or a long-hall and a barn), surrounding a square courtyard. The extent of the roof is therefore well within the bounds of A frame construction and does not require especially long timbers.
  13. I'd also note that many of the grammatical issues so far reported aren't errors in grammar. Usages vary. I'd also note there was an exercise to utilise American spelling.
  14. And therein you've combined the problems of the Gods Wall - it's an in-Glorantha 'document' so its meaning and context depend upon what the viewer projects onto it, not what it was intended to mean by whoever or whatever constructed it.
  15. True, but I remain unconvinced of what exactly the Gods Wall shows, or who made it, or why. All we have is later supposition. I'm reminded of one of the oldest mythology books I have, printed in 1843. The Roman and Greek myths are there, slightly distorted (after all the originals were available to any well schooled gentleman, who would naturally be able to read Greek and Latin), but Indian and Chinese, and other non-European mythologies are presented in an increasingly odd way with serious inaccuracies. Reading the book it is apparent that the author thought the Romans and Greeks were virtuous pagans, but pagans nonetheless, who failed to realise their myths and deities were a corruption of the one true faith... The rest are just foreign pagan devil worshippers.
  16. I'm not certain that it represents what 'modern' Dara Happans believe it to represent. it seems to be an ancient pre-Time Solar Empire artifact, but there's a massive disconnect between that era and history in Time. This is why all the text associated with the Wall is in-Time speculation, and often contradictory speculation. If the Gods War miniature is valid, then Kyger Litor looks nothing like the Mistress Race troll depicted on the Gods Wall.
  17. Their sense of authority. Controlling the opportunity of reproduction is another example of their power.
  18. Fear: his boss would at best hurt him very badly, and at worst...
  19. Polite suggestion: it may be worth initiating a new thread on horses, as anyone not looking at this thread will only find it if they use the search function.
  20. Totally irrelevant to Glorantha, but having read Charles Stross' Equoid and his most recent novel The Nightmare Stacks I can no longer think of unicorns (or Elves, the Tolkien version, not Gloranthan) in the same way.
  21. Sadly, Making Gods in King of Sartar does not support your position. Monrogh claimed to have found Yelmalio but the temples in Saird, Prax and elsewhere don't seem to have forgotten Yelmalio. Similarly Jonstown Compendium #7517 relates only to the cult in Sartar, not elsewhere, even though it claims the cult was exported to Tarsh. I've yet to see any evidence of Monrogh awakening any temple except Vanntar or any especial magical insight. Simply going by History of Dragon Pass in the Second Age. I suspect you are reading things into my account which aren't there: it's an account of the history of the Sun Dome Temples, not Orlanthland. I did start writing a text box of the history of Saird, but it became almost as large as the parent article. Doubtless, and that's noted already. However, I doubt that regiments from the same temple would fight each other, and possibly regiments from different temples would 'neutralise' each other rather than fight. This might be detailed in the contract of service. There are limits to what a short article can present. However, the Sun Dome Temples aren't 'monolithical' - note for example the very different governance and society of Sun County in Prax and Vanntar. As for political - I suspect you are reading things in that aren't there. I'd say the temples are pragmatic: they fight for coin to support their temples and communities, but will also defend their temples and communities, swapping allegiance when it becomes expedient to do so.
  22. Be advised, before performing a heroquest, that there have been significant changes in canon since the latter two were published, and lesser changes since Gods of Glorantha was published. Virtually all Mongoose material is highly suspect.
  23. I can see that I have a bit of rework to do. Will hopefully publish an updated version over the weekend (the entire article hasn't appeared here).
  24. I was in a bit of a rush - the 'article' represents six months 'work' - in that I was constructing it in my free time, which is still limited. The version that was sourced has not yet been updated with new information or insights. Reference to: In the Second Age, the cult fought dwarves everywhere, and spearheaded armies invading the mountain regions (reliving the enmity between Yelm and Orlanth). At the end of the Second Age, when all the lowlands united against the Empire of the Wyrms Friends, Yelmalio again led the fight. Yes, I know the reference to the EWF is now wrong, in part, but the spearheading armies were fighting the proto-EWF. The cult is mercenary - if his gold was good...
  25. True, in part, but I believe this highlights the problems of trying to analyse a pre-Time artifact in Time. Perhaps, but the presence of what is obviously Kyger Litor, or as least a Mistress Race troll, undermines this as in the Golden Age the trolls should have been happily at peace in Wonderhome. Just as they were ignorant of the Sun, the Sun should have been ignorant of them. This suggests to me that the Gods Wall is in some way 'anachronistic' in that it doesn't just represent a 'status quo' but 'future' deities as well.
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