27 Tribes of Prax, I think.......

[Animal Nomad]

 

My version of Glorantha contains 27 unique herd animals associated with Prax and/or the Wastes. Your Glorantha probably is different, but if not, we must blame Trickster.

I welcome any thoughts on the matter, but please, be gentle.

Many of these animals are extant, some only remembered, and others we no longer consider. Some are better, some lesser, and a few are quite different. Of course, this much interpretation, lazy memory, moderate modification, and wild speculation yields imperfect results, and this list is probably imperfect, and for that we must blame Trickster. They are offered below in no particular order. Subject to change as knowledge increases.

Extant - the "now", of most Gloranthan settings.

Rhino

Horse

Unicorn

Zebra

Antelope

Bolo Lizard

Ostritch

High Llama

Morocanth - they keep Herd-Men, and thus are unique

Impala

Sable

Bison

Donkey - herd beast of the Cannibal Cult it seems

Bird Lizard - probably same as Bolo Lizard, but different in my Glorantha

Lion - lions, and other Basmoli, are no longer herd beasts in my Glorantha

 

Animals remembered only in the “now”, but we have some information, be it true or otherwise. Subject to change as knowledge increases.

Camel - associated with a Trickster prank involving Genert if I recall correctly

Eight-Legs - big spiders and an Uz tribe I assume, and Humans perhaps……

Plains Elk - known to be true, we think.

Nose-Horn  - it seems the “real” name if forgotten. Or is it?

Long -Ears - see above

Long-Nose - see above

Horn-Nose - see above

Antler-Head - see above

Rib-Hide - see above

 

Some herd animals are no longer known, and even their names are gone. In my Glorantha, I declare the remaining Praxian herd animals that once existed, and that might be encountered in the Other Side. Subject to change as knowledge increases.

Cow - they are relatively common in Genertela I gather, and Uralda lives nearby.

Pig - see above, different goddess

Buffalo - of course little, but bigger, brother to Bison, and apparently not as stout

[David Scott]

These are the tribes and their herds where appropriate I use, many unknown perished in the Great Darkness:

Name	Travel	Major Activities	Groupings
Bison Tribe	Ride Bison	Herd Bison & Raid	Great Tribe, Waha’s Covenant
High Llama Tribe	Ride High Llama	Herd High Llamas & Raid	Great Tribe, Waha’s Covenant
Impala Tribe	Ride Impalas	Herd Impalas & Raid	Great Tribe, Waha’s Covenant
Morokanth Tribe	Walk, occasional chariot	Herd Herd-Men & Raid	Great Tribe, Waha’s Covenant
Sable Tribe	Ride Sable	Herd Sables & Raid	Great Tribe, Waha’s Covenant
Men-and-half	Walk	Hunt & Raid	Independent, Earth Mother Tribe
Baboons	Walk	Hunt & Forage	Independent
Basmoli Berserkers	Walk	Hunt & Raid	Independent
Bolo Lizard Tribe	Ride Bolo Lizards	Herd Bolo Lizards	Independent, Waha’s Covenant, Earth Mother Tribe
Cannibal Cult	Walk	Raid	Independent
Newtlings	Walk	Forage	Independent
Ostrich Tribe	Ride Ostriches	Herd Ostriches & Raid	Independent, Waha’s Covenant, Earth Mother Tribe
Pol-Joni Tribe	Ride Horses	Herd Cattle & Raid	Independent, Waha’s Covenant, New Tribe
Rhinoceros (Rhino) Tribe	Ride Rhinos	Ride Rhinos & Raid	Independent, Waha’s Covenant
Unicorn Tribe	Ride Unicorn & others	Herd any & Raid	Independent, Waha’s Covenant, New Tribe.
Zebra Tribe	Ride Zebra	Herd Zebras & Raid	Independent, Waha’s Covenant, New Tribe.
Plains Elk			Extinct Tribe, last animal died in 297
Nose-Horn			Extinct Tribe, last animal died in 440
Long-Noses			Extinct Tribe,last animal died in 230

The Earth Mother Tribes were given to Eiritha’s care by her mother Ernalda, when she could no longer sustain them.

The New Tribes have become part of the Covenant since the Dawn and are now considered Praxians in every way.

5 hours ago, Animal Nomad said:

Donkey - herd beast of the Cannibal Cult it seems

That's very funny

5 hours ago, Animal Nomad said:

Lion - lions, and other Basmoli, are no longer herd beasts in my Glorantha

Lions are extinct in Prax and the Wastes, the Basmoli are predatory hsunchen (trying to herd cats springs to mind)

5 hours ago, Animal Nomad said:

Cow - they are relatively common in Genertela I gather, and Uralda lives nearby.

Uralda is the Sartarite name for Eiritha.

5 hours ago, Animal Nomad said:

Camel - associated with a Trickster prank involving Genert if I recall correctly

Anaxial's Roster (and Gods of Glorantha boxed set) says they were a Boggle prank:

Quote

At times they [Boggles] were nuisances, such as when they frightened Mother Mammal so that she gave birth to that utterly unbelievable animal called camel.

Greg's unpublished notes suggest they live on the Shadow Plateau. I don't have them in my Prax.

[g33k]

5 hours ago, David Scott said:

Lions are extinct in Prax and the Wastes, the Basmoli are predatory hsunchen (trying to herd cats springs to mind)

🙈  Real men don't herd cats!

 

Real men herd lions!  

 

[Animal Nomad]

Once long ago, on the Plains of Prax and the Wastes,  large herds of lion-riding barbarians hunted and raided their unfortunate neighbors perhaps.

 

[Animal Nomad]

Thank you David, for the Camel Clarification. My files are updated.

[David Scott]

5 hours ago, Animal Nomad said:

Once long ago, on the Plains of Prax and the Wastes,  large herds of lion-riding barbarians hunted and raided their unfortunate neighbors perhaps.

While a good idea, the Basmoli Berserkers are pretty well documented from the earliest times of Glorantha gaming. Their lion god was killed by Tada, they were left cut off, from the southern continent. Now unable to produce lions.

Edited May 8, 2018 by David Scott

[jajagappa]

13 hours ago, David Scott said:

Greg's unpublished notes suggest they live on the Shadow Plateau.

I thought they were on the Plateau of Statues.  At least, IIRC, that's where Sandy put one.

[Animal Nomad]

Well, it is true the Basmoli are in poor shape in the Age of Time. Back in the day though, in my own wacky Glorantha, I imagine a lion-riding tribe, that one may find to this very day while visiting the Other Side. And perhaps the grumpy One-Humps were indeed a Trickster prank involving Genert, while the lusty Two-Humps were a combined Uleria/Boggle plot as hinted at in Anaxial's Roster. 

[Noita]

4 hours ago, jajagappa said:

I thought they were on the Plateau of Statues.  At least, IIRC, that's where Sandy put one.

It is where i would put them. Lots of Boggles there.

[Joerg]

The Basmoli are Hsunchen shapechangers, or would be if their ancestor hadn't been killed. I had never chalked them down as beast riders, but as cooperative hunters on the ground.

But this reminds me of an old inquisition of Sandy on the Daily to give a clear distinction between totem-beast riding Hsunchen (like the Pralori which were known back then, or the bull people of Fronela or the Lofak yak people of eastern Pent) and the Praxian beast riders.

Result: Waha's covenant doesn't convey shapechanging, Hsunchen have no ties to Eiritha and Waha's covenant. And that's about it.

The Serpent Beast Brotherhood of the western Hykimi which persisted well into the Dawn Age was as much tied to the Land Goddesses as the Praxians are to Eiritha. A few Gray Age/Dawn Age cultures in the west (Enjoreli in Fronela, Pendali in Seshnela, Enerali in Ralios) were more "civilized" than that and held urban cultures beyond mere temple cities. These (or the southern bear folk of Fronela) sooner or later ceased to be Hsunchen, except for those who left that earth-folk embrace. The West still has many of these formerly Hsunchen traditions in the form of warrior or secret societies, but they aren't the real deal at the time being. (There might come a time when they might return to true Hsunchen ways, but that requires a collapse of civilization around them.)

Carnivorous hunter/raider groups aren't that affected by the devastation of the Wastes as long as they have enough covenant/Eiritha descended herds of beasts to prey on. Any plant gathering activities will be limited, though.

[davecake]

Personally I think the Basmoli still in Pamaltela still have lions (and believe Basmol is absent, but not dead). I think they are warriors and hunters who hunt with their lions, more like Telmori than like Praxian beast riders. 

[Joerg]

47 minutes ago, davecake said:

Personally I think the Basmoli still in Pamaltela still have lions (and believe Basmol is absent, but not dead). I think they are warriors and hunters who hunt with their lions, more like Telmori than like Praxian beast riders. 

 

We have two children of Fralar taken out of circulation. Basmol was reported slain by several gods, demigods and/or heroes, most notably Tada who wore his skin. Rathor was skinned and bound by Harrek.

Rathor's demise stopped the Fronelan White Bear magics, but didn't stop the magics of his children who fathered/mothered the various breeds of grizzly, black bear and blue bear (or the sun bear of Teshnos). This makes me wonder whether Basmol left offspring to maintain the magic of the groups he left (Tarien, Seshnela - whose a fair bit too civilized offspring moved to Basim and the Solanthi Valley). The Praxian Basmoli either had no offspring to take care of their magic (yet), or both ancestor and founder father were slain. (In that case one might speculate whose hide exactly was worn by Tada...)

 

[M Helsdon]

1 hour ago, davecake said:

Personally I think the Basmoli still in Pamaltela still have lions (and believe Basmol is absent, but not dead). I think they are warriors and hunters who hunt with their lions, more like Telmori than like Praxian beast riders. 

The Guide states: The Basmoli [of Pamaltela]... are nomadic hunters who travel with lion prides and can themselves transform into lions.

[soltakss]

The Issaries cult uses mules in Prax, as they are not horses. I didn't see that donkeys were a beast of Prax, but that makes mules make more sense.

There are some Tusk Riders in Prax, not as permanent inhabitants but as long-term visitors. Their Tuskers could well have escaped and bred with local pigs.

[Joerg]

The donkey breeders of Glorantha remain anonymous. Anaxial's roster has a mythlet about offspring of Lodril gifted with donkey and onager, with the onager humans failing to survive the Gods War, but no indication where the donkey folk may have persisted. Somewhere on Genertela within the Bright Empire of Nysalor and/or Genert's Garden, but that excepts only Akem and Old Seshnela in the west and Kralorela and Teshnos in the east.

I haven't read anything about crossing non-domestic donkeys or onagers with horses, and whether such hybrid offspring could be domesticated as beast of burden. There is a distinct possibility that there are herds of wild donkeys somewhere on the Pentan grasslands, probably hunted by the horse nomads rather than domesticated, a welcome source of additional meat. Another good place for wild donkeys would be northwest of Griffin Mountain, explaining how the griffins there survive when not receiving the mounts of adventurers.

Mule breeders might have bred special donkey races like the poitou-donkeys (a nowadays almost extinct race of donkeys bred for the purpose of breeding big and sturdy mules which happens to be one of the iconic beasts of the Arche Warder zoo for ancient domestic beast races near my hometown, a genetic preservation initiative). Some pictures (and a bit of information in German language) here:

https://www.arche-warder.de/tiere/poitou-esel/

Given the availability (and apparent popularity) of Praxian beasts in Dragon Pass, it looks like the donkey breeders would be found further from Dragon Pass, both in Maniria and in Peloria (and further west) since the Issaries cult continued to breed mules both north and south of the pass during the Inhuman Occupation.

Donkey and mule breeding would be a sedentary task of either the Spare Grain or the Garzeen subcults, since the Goldentongue merchants who are best known to using the mules usually don't have either horses or donkeys in their caravans. Mule breeders might be viewed with some distaste by horse breeders...

[scott-martin]

The Anaxial's Roster compiler also claims the donkey originated in Pent before donkey people "populated Peloria," so there are mysteries waiting to be explored there -- possibly an archaic migration that left few traces in the record because it was generally peaceful. (No donkey god appears on the Wall except possibly as the figure now called "Rakenveg," another long-eared trickster.)

The Pent origin suggests to me that breeding mules is original to the garzeens who were geographically situated to bring donkey back from the northern steppe and may be the closest thing we get now to a specialized "donkey tribe." This in itself points to the theology around mules in esoteric Issaries circles: the hybrid is the ultimate reward for novel transaction and also the Issaries priest him/herself living among non-initiates. It is also the soul. Unbelievers, of course, smear the cult donkey as a perverse animal, but let them say what they like. Mockery is free until they get the bill.

[Noita]

My Lodril worshipping Pelorian peasants ride donkeys and there are now a fair few in the Zola Fel valley, which have of course led to some escaping and being ridden by Duck Bandits. The donkeys have straw hats of course.

There is a Donkey hero from the Far place called Aasi who is said to have fathered all Donkeys found in that area. YGMV. He had a giant killing kick.

[Byll]

As if giants weren't in enough trouble already!

[David Scott]

Personally I believe that Donkeys have a different origin and that it's much more recent that most people believe. If you look at the Wild Ass, the progenitor of the domestic donkey, perhaps you might see what I mean:

now the Quagga

These animals were clearly early attempts by Joraz Arrowsmith to produce what we now call war zebras. Once Joraz had been told by Eiritha under what terms horses could live, he set about working with the priestesses to magically mate horses with zebras. These two crossings were born likely around Sacred Time in 853 and 854 respectively. After these two semi-successes, a new tack was needed.

Quote

Strange magics were abroad, Joraz went to the Green Age with the Zebra High Priestess and wedded the Zebra Protectress herself. Their twin daughters, were born the following year, and Joraz was declared Zebra Founder by the Paps. Their two-legged daughter Joria was raised there, becoming High Priestess of the Zebras in 880 and the Most Respected Elder in 914. Her four-legged sister became the mother of the small zebra herd still found at the Paps today.

Donkey while not an original beast of Genert's Garden is a special granddaughter of Eiritha. I suspect that a wily Issaries merchant, picked up on this new creature and saw potential. While all this strange magic was abroad, its not unlikely that the Donkey was bred with a horse and the mule came into being. There is likely a small herd of donkeys at the paps that breed true and occasionally a war zebra mating results in a donkey.