Eagle Talon Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 I'm trying to figure out the role of the Great Sister in the Hero Wars. Not much is documented in the sources I read (mainly GtG and the Glorantha Sourcebook) except for the fact that she sacrifices the current mask of the Red Emperor Argentus in a ritual ceremony. Since her dedication is to the people before empire what role or actions will she takes when the empire starts to differ from the Lunar Way itself. Her relations with her brother the emperor is quite different since his goal is first to the empire and then the people. Pelorians will suffer greatly in the later hero wars (Sheng Seleris, great flood, Monster Empire) and the Great Sister must take actions during these trials to help her people. Any insights and theories would be greatly appreciated. (canon or personal opinions) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soltakss Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 She organised the people of the Empire against Sheng Seleris and had to create a new language to teach them what she wanted them to learn. I see her as standing for the common people, as opposed to the Red Emperor who stands for the nobles. Quote Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. www.soltakss.com/index.html Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scott Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 You've seen these? Major - https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/gloranthan-documents/greg-sez/deneskerva-the-great-sister/ Minor - https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/lunar-army-list/ Minor - https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/gloranthan-documents/prosopaedia/deities/g/great-sister/ and I'm sure @Nick Brooke will have a few things to say on the subject... 1 1 Quote ----- Search the Glorantha Resource Site: https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com. Search the Glorantha mailing list archives: https://glorantha.steff.in/digests/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eff Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Eagle Talon said: I'm trying to figure out the role of the Great Sister in the Hero Wars. Not much is documented in the sources I read (mainly GtG and the Glorantha Sourcebook) except for the fact that she sacrifices the current mask of the Red Emperor Argentus in a ritual ceremony. Since her dedication is to the people before empire what role or actions will she takes when the empire starts to differ from the Lunar Way itself. Her relations with her brother the emperor is quite different since his goal is first to the empire and then the people. Pelorians will suffer greatly in the later hero wars (Sheng Seleris, great flood, Monster Empire) and the Great Sister must take actions during these trials to help her people. Any insights and theories would be greatly appreciated. (canon or personal opinions) An immediately relevant thing is that she created the New Pelorian script (and possibly the spoken language?). Her Masks last longer than her brother's (her current one has been operating for over a hundred years. Two whole Wanes!) and she has a private army. Sources differ on just what this army does. She resides in Graclodont, a city near the northern borders of the Empire and close to the division between the Heartlands and Western Reaches. She's also Moonson's "Lunar Other", as opposed to Sheng, his "Solar Other". What does all this add up to? One possible interpretation is that she's effectively the head of the security forces for the Lunar Empire. Depending on your sympathies, this could make her J. Edgar Hoover, M (with Jar-eel as Bond?), Felix Dzerzhinsky, Cardinal Richelieu or Milady de Winter, or John le Carré's Karla. Of course, she might also just be a nice old woman with a soft heart for the poor and lowly, always willing to speak up on their behalf. 2 Quote "And I am pretty tired of all this fuss about rfevealign that many worshippers of a minor goddess might be lesbians." -Greg Stafford, April 11, 2007 "I just read an article in The Economist by a guy who was riding around with the Sartar rebels, I mean Taliban," -Greg Stafford, January 7th, 2010 Eight Arms and the Mask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Brooke Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 13 minutes ago, Eff said: What does all this add up to? One possible interpretation is that she's effectively the head of the security forces for the Lunar Empire. Depending on your sympathies, this could make her J. Edgar Hoover, M (with Jar-eel as Bond?), Felix Dzerzhinsky, Cardinal Richelieu or Milady de Winter, or John le Carré's Karla. In the Gloranthan Bond Movie I'm scripting, when an agent of Great Sister's goes up against the Seven Tharkalists (Moonson's daughter-concubines), he is literally "The Man from Auntie." 4 Quote Community Ambassador - Jonstown Compendium, Chaosium, Inc. Email: nick.brooke@chaosium.com for community content queries Jonstown Compendium ⧖ Facebook Ф Twitter † old website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Brooke Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Just now, Nick Brooke said: In the Gloranthan Bond Movie I'm scripting... NB: Great Sister is played by Dame Judi Dench, in this version, for obvious reasons. We usually have Count Julan (formerly of the Coders) as our Lunar James Bond analogue, starring in stories such as "Runebreaker," "Moonfall" and "The Spy Who Foxed Me." (I have also worked in quite a good Moneypenny joke, but that's taking us miles off-topic: you'll have to wait for my nonsense to see the light of day) 1 Quote Community Ambassador - Jonstown Compendium, Chaosium, Inc. Email: nick.brooke@chaosium.com for community content queries Jonstown Compendium ⧖ Facebook Ф Twitter † old website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Brooke Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 26 minutes ago, David Scott said: I'm sure @Nick Brooke will have a few things to say on the subject... I did! The best bits are in A Rough Guide to Glamour. There's even more on her Life of Moonson freeform character sheet. Her "Just Say No!" campaigns are the stuff of legend. And every public housing project in the Lunar Heartlands has a mosaic of Great Sister just inside the entrance, with the reassuring slogan "Great Sister Watches Over You." 1 Quote Community Ambassador - Jonstown Compendium, Chaosium, Inc. Email: nick.brooke@chaosium.com for community content queries Jonstown Compendium ⧖ Facebook Ф Twitter † old website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Biles Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 My immediate thought is that if Argenteus is Old Elvis, Red Sister should be Patti Smith. Her 'army' becomes an army of female singers who do magic with song and dance and a lot of shouting. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 7 hours ago, Nick Brooke said: starring in stories such as "Runebreaker," "Moonfall" and "The Spy Who Foxed Me." Now we just need "From Peloria, With Love", "The Moonson with the Golden Bow", and "Moonrocks are Forever". 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 "The Man with the Golden Colt" is clearly a Pentan reference... 1 Quote Telling how it is excessive verbis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akhôrahil Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Joerg said: "The Man with the Golden Colt" is clearly a Pentan reference... 'GoldenEye' is too obvious to mention. Edited August 5, 2020 by Akhôrahil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Godspeed Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 On 8/4/2020 at 3:27 AM, jajagappa said: "From Peloria, With Love", I'm wondering whether it should be "From Kerofinela With Love" given that the JB expy is lunar. Also: 007. Seventh Soul. Sevening. Heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 31 minutes ago, Sir_Godspeed said: it should be "From Kerofinela With Love" given that the JB expy is lunar. Perhaps though "Kerofinela" has got too many syllables - doesn't have a nice ring to it. Maybe "From Kethaela, With Love"? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metcalph Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 13 minutes ago, jajagappa said: Perhaps though "Kerofinela" has got too many syllables - doesn't have a nice ring to it. Maybe "From Kethaela, With Love"? From Dorastor with Love? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 1 hour ago, metcalph said: From Dorastor with Love? Yes, that has a nice sound to it! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qizilbashwoman Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 8:54 PM, John Biles said: Her 'army' becomes an army of female singers who do magic with song and dance and a lot of shouting. Her army canonically does this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Biles Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, Qizilbashwoman said: Her army canonically does this That makes it work all the better, then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33k Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 6:27 PM, jajagappa said: ... and "Moonrocks are Forever". I don't remember them all... is that the one with the Crater Makers? Quote C'es ne pas un .sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Not sure what to make out of Moonraker, though... Quote Telling how it is excessive verbis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Godspeed Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 57 minutes ago, Joerg said: Not sure what to make out of Moonraker, though... Moonboats... maybe Mostali with the Lead Zeppelin... hmmm... Wait! Someone attempting to recreate Sheng Seleris' attack on the Red Moon as a heroquest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Joerg said: Not sure what to make out of Moonraker, though... I assumed that Nick's references to either Runebreaker or Moonfall came out of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qizilbashwoman Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Sir_Godspeed said: Someone attempting to recreate Sheng Seleris' attack on the Red Moon as a heroquest! Is Sheng Seleris really the Sun Other? I know he started out that way but he went all Illuminate Jolaty "Life is Slavery" Kingdom of Darkness, I thought he was an early attempt at Arkatisation. 13 hours ago, John Biles said: That makes it work all the better, then! It's in an earlier edition: Quote The Sister’s Army The Great Sister commands a small mobile regiment called the Sister’s Army that is completely outside of the command of the Red Emperor and the Lunar Army. It consists of approximate 500 beautiful young men and women in fantastically glamorous uniforms. When viewed from afar, her army is often mistaken for flocks of gigantic birds or moving miniature forests. The Carmanian warlord Mazar mocked the Sister’s Army as “mere perfumed dancers”, but it was the Sister’s Army that neutralized the Carmanian sorcerers at Castle Blue. In truth, the Sister’s Army is a magical unit, not a military regiment. They do not fight on the battlefield in the mud and the blood, but perform elaborate and elegant ritual dances and choreography with great magical results. According to Feri of Joranit, the dancers are forbidden from spilling blood and their decorated weapons must never strike their foes. The truly wise tremble when the Great Sister’s “carnival dancers” appear in the theatre of war. They are subject only to her will. For example, the Sister’s Army did not appear in the wars of Dragon Pass until the Battle of Yoran. Nonetheless, the Great Sister wields vast power, and many events which seem strange are thought to be her doing. She was, they say, the flower where the Emperor hid from Sheng Seleris. Some say it was she who struck down the Outlaw Emperor Vinyargatha after he had won his battle, his magical challenge, and his personal duel. It seems certain that she was the demon horse that distracted the Carmanian general Mardan in his march, allowing the Lunar garrison to reinforce Doblian. Although she has never done it, everyone knows that she wields enough invisible power to overtake and destroy the Emperor if necessary. They say that he fears this the same way that Dara Happan lords fear the Ervuthan Rites. No one is certain how much personal desire she actually has in such matters, being so powerfully rooted into the soil of Darsenic tradition, and whose fruit and flower bear the 490 forms of the Red Goddess. Edited August 6, 2020 by Qizilbashwoman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Talon Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 1:49 PM, Nick Brooke said: I did! The best bits are in A Rough Guide to Glamour. There's even more on her Life of Moonson freeform character sheet. Her "Just Say No!" campaigns are the stuff of legend. And every public housing project in the Lunar Heartlands has a mosaic of Great Sister just inside the entrance, with the reassuring slogan "Great Sister Watches Over You." Thanks I'll be sure to grab the guide to Glamour it looks lovingly decadent. Life of Moonson is also a good source of info. I bet the Great Sister gets involved in aiding Arrolia during the hero wars. Or manipulates her brother to do so as mentioned in the Takenegi Steele of Boldhome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Brooke Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Just now, Eagle Talon said: Thanks I'll be sure to grab the guide to Glamour it looks lovingly decadent. Life of Moonson is also a good source of info. I bet the Great Sister gets involved in aiding Arrolia during the hero wars. Or manipulates her brother to do so as mentioned in the Takenegi Steele of Boldhome. There's loads of reasons for the Lunar Empire to go West. Check out the Life of Moonson character sheet for Artaphaestos, formerly Moonson's plenipotentiary ambassador to the Arrolian Colonies (in How the West was One), but by the time our third freeform kicked off the self-appointed Satrap of Arrolia. I'm politely assuming you're already familiar with my Arrolian writings, but if not, just say so... Quote Community Ambassador - Jonstown Compendium, Chaosium, Inc. Email: nick.brooke@chaosium.com for community content queries Jonstown Compendium ⧖ Facebook Ф Twitter † old website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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