Sartar-Tarsh Armistice?

[Rob Helm]

I have a vague adventure idea for a Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (RQG). I'd like opinions on whether the premise is viable.

Premise: A priestess of the Clearwine Earth Temple sets out for Heruvernalda, the Earth Temple in Tarsh. She hopes to enlist the Tarsh temple to negotiate an armistice between Tarsh and Sartar. She performs the mission as an extended peacemaking ritual, and the adventurers participate as guards in ritual roles.

Some questions about this premise:

1. Would an armistice even occur to the Clearwine Earth Temple as a possibility? It seems like the period where RQG is set is vaguely like that toward the end of the Korean War, where both sides are roughly back to the pre-war lines after having both suffered terrible losses. But maybe even a cold-hearted, clear-headed Ernaldan would not see it that way.

2. Would approaching Heruvernalda be considered? It seems like the Tarsh Earth Temple is infected by the Red Goddess. But if the Roman Catholic Pope can visit the Greek Orthodox Patriarch ...

3. Would it even be possible to travel from Sartar to Tarsh on a peaceful mission, by any route, even with the magical backing of the biggest Earth Temple in Sartar?

Thanks for any thoughts,

Rob

 

[soltakss]

1. Yes, Earth priestesses are nothing if not pragmatic

2. Yes, of course,the Tarshite Earth temple worships Ernalda, as well as other deities such as Dendara, so they have common ground

3. Yes, Sartar and Tarsh are still alike in many ways. Although Tarsh has taken on a lot of Lunar ways, some Tarshites still have clan connections with northern Sartarites. There are still Orlanthi ideas amongst the clans of tarsh, although some have moved to Lunar ways.

 

The problem is, in Tarsh the Earth Temple does not rule. Tarsh has a governor and a King, I think, neither of whom are friendly to the Sartarites. Orders come from above, from the Red Emperor, who is definitely not keen on Sartarite rebels.

Also, making advances to the Tarsh Earth Temple will also really annoy the Tarsh Rebels on Wintertop. They have earth powers of their own and would gladly stomp all over the PCs in order to stop such an alliance.

 

[Roko Joko]

Not to be obnoxious but the answer is yes no matter what the premise is.

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, Rob Helm said:

1. Would an armistice even occur to the Clearwine Earth Temple as a possibility? It seems like the period where RQG is set is vaguely like that toward the end of the Korean War

Of course!  The Dragonrise wiped out a huge chunk of the the Lunar army/government, even as far as the Lunar Provincial Administration.  In its aftermath, some of the provinces like Aggar and Imther outright revolt.  Tarsh is torn by civil war between the Phargentites and the Fazzurites.  The temple at Heruvernalda will be trying to make peace between these two, and aid from the Colymar Earth temple might be considered as a way to bolster their position.

2 hours ago, Rob Helm said:

2. Would approaching Heruvernalda be considered? It seems like the Tarsh Earth Temple is infected by the Red Goddess.

As @soltakss noted, it is one of the greatest temples of Ernalda outside Esrolia.  Certainly Hon-eel had proved a place for her in at least some of the temple rites.  But most of the important Lunar religious leaders were at the rites for the New Lunar Temple and got devoured by the dragon.  Who knows what the situation is that the Clearwine priestesses might walk into?  Maybe they are convenient outsiders who can undertake the dangerous rites to purge such influences!  Nothing lost by the Heruvernalda temple if they fail, and if they succeed, well, great!

2 hours ago, Rob Helm said:

3. Would it even be possible to travel from Sartar to Tarsh on a peaceful mission, by any route, even with the magical backing of the biggest Earth Temple in Sartar?

Yes.  The logical route would be to go via the Shaker's Temple and get backing there as well (of course, the Shaker's Temple is supporting the Fazzurites).  Or you could go past Dwarf Run.  But there are plenty of new dangers.  Dragonic energies have been stirred up.  Chaos is erupting from Snakepipe Hollow.  The Far Point is a target for the Tarshite Civil War.  Etc.  But the powerful presence of the Ernalda priestesses can protect a lot.

[M Helsdon]

On ‎7‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 8:55 PM, Rob Helm said:

2. Would approaching Heruvernalda be considered? It seems like the Tarsh Earth Temple is infected by the Red Goddess. But if the Roman Catholic Pope can visit the Greek Orthodox Patriarch ...

You don't mention the date in your campaign, and for Heruvernalda, on Kordros Island this could be significant, as it is the major center of the Fazzurites.

In 1625 King Pharandros attempted to assassinate all of Fazzur Wideread's supporters, so that when the general returned home, civil war started to simmer in Tarsh. By 1627 Fazzur ruled much of Kordros without regard for decrees coming from Furthest, until he was assassinated in 1628 (though one source says 1629), a casualty of the continuing covert civil war. As the catalyst leading to wider warfare, it was a major miscalculation on the part of the Phargentites. Onjur, Fazzur’s eldest son, led the rebellion against the tyrannical king, who was already hard-pressed by the resurgent Sartarites. When the policies of the Phargentites failed, the people turned to Onjur for leadership. He forged an alliance with King Argrath, and when Sartar attacked Tarsh led the uprising that captured the king.

So approaching Heruvernalda fits in with the larger meta-plot, if you want to take it that way, foreshadowing the rapprochement of Tarsh (or at least one side in the looming civil war) and Sartar.

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by M Helsdon

[jajagappa]

5 hours ago, M Helsdon said:

You don't mention the date in your campaign, and for Heruvernalda, on Kordros Island this could be significant, as it is the major center of the Fazzurites.

He did in general terms "the period where RQG is set" - which means post-Dragonrise.