The Lore of Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind

[Sir_Godspeed]

Just saw that another possibly Zarkosite-derived goat-worshipping peple were the Sidarsi, residing around Imther at the Dawn. Possibly related to the Votanki, but I'm not sure. Certainly, there is a tradition of goatherding around the Pelorian bowl that opens up for a few possible candidates, though. The Ergeshites in the game might be some kind of hitherto unknown "missing link" between the goatherders of Time, and the Golden Age Zarkosites.

[Tindalos]

1 hour ago, Sir_Godspeed said:

Just saw that another possibly Zarkosite-derived goat-worshipping peple were the Sidarsi, residing around Imther at the Dawn. Possibly related to the Votanki, but I'm not sure. Certainly, there is a tradition of goatherding around the Pelorian bowl that opens up for a few possible candidates, though. The Ergeshites in the game might be some kind of hitherto unknown "missing link" between the goatherders of Time, and the Golden Age Zarkosites.

I'm pretty sure they are. On the gods wall, a figure is recognised by Plentonius as Ergesh, and by Iverlanthus as Zarkos. (GtG, pg. 677) It's also noted that Ergesh and Votank were both children of Durbuddath. (ibid)

In the earlier version of the Gods Wall in GRoY's, the same figure is identified as Votank as well.

[Ali the Helering]

2 hours ago, Tindalos said:

I'm pretty sure they are. On the gods wall, a figure is recognised by Plentonius as Ergesh, and by Iverlanthus as Zarkos. (GtG, pg. 677) It's also noted that Ergesh and Votank were both children of Durbuddath. (ibid)

In the earlier version of the Gods Wall in GRoY's, the same figure is identified as Votank as well.

I am working on a First Age campaign setting, using Saird as the starting point.

In it I posit an ur-Zarkosite culture, which developed into settled groups who largely lost their herds, and nomadic groups who largely kept them.  

This provides a substrate within which the Heortlings flourish.

[Byll]

I also ran into some wolf shape changers who worshipped Wolf Mother (Eroeissa) south of Naztalvan. They were initially worried that our explorers were trying to steal secrets of their spirit-magic, but eventually were reassured and swapped geographic notes. They are finding it more difficult to locate good hunting grounds as the gads war escalates. They call them selves Eroe.

After a more careful check it was Ergeshan not Ergeshtan and it is in the grassland just south of the river land between the Jord Mountains Imther Mountains and Naztalvan. My spell checker may be to blame for some errors but these are probably of my own making

[Byll]

Six Ages talks about the Votakni Dog Folk in the Dog Hills to the east, (Yeleni hunters found spirits congregating near there)

[jajagappa]

20 hours ago, Sir_Godspeed said:

Just saw that another possibly Zarkosite-derived goat-worshipping peple were the Sidarsi, residing around Imther at the Dawn. Possibly related to the Votanki, but I'm not sure.

The Sidarsi form the core of those folk who later become the mountain dwelling Imtherians, largely absorbed into a broader Orlanthi hill barbarian culture (but still herding goats).  They are distinct from the Votanki, but might have more connection with the proto-Vanchites (aka Tunoralings).  Possibly of a common origin with the Zarkosites  and Sankenites from the Kostaddi/Tork region, but that's not something I explored in any of the Sidarsi/Tunoraling/Sairdite myths.

[jajagappa]

16 hours ago, Ali the Helering said:

I am working on a First Age campaign setting, using Saird as the starting point.

In it I posit an ur-Zarkosite culture, which developed into settled groups who largely lost their herds, and nomadic groups who largely kept them. 

The ur-Zarkosite culture would lie in the Tork Gap and beyond (i.e. in the 'Z'Arcos Basin).  Saird itself has a variety of odd cultures including the Tunoralings (raccoon folk) of Vanch, the goat-herding Sidarsi, the sacrificial horticultural complexes of the Balurgans and the Riyestans, and of course the Jajalarings and their dark god Jajagappa.  There's also an Argan Argar temple/market at Urar Baar (future Mirin's Cross) and the Berenethtelli Orlanthi including red-haired Redalyda and her horse-riding husband.

I've got a range of background info and myths on the area.  Some of it saw print in the old Enclosure fanzines and much of the Sidarsi background is the proto-Imtherian myths that appear in my old New Lolon Gospel fanzine.  The Jajalaring related background formed the basis for my Verenmars Saga, though most of that never saw print.  If you're looking for specific pieces, let me know.

[Leingod]

7 hours ago, jajagappa said:

and the Berenethtelli Orlanthi including red-haired Redalyda and her horse-riding husband.

Which actually makes me curious as to how things are going to be handled in Lights Going Out, actually, since the ending of Ride Like the Wind is the marriage of (your clan's) Beren to Redalda and the beginning of the intermixing between Hyalorings and Vingkotlings that results in the formation of the Berennethtelli, and there's a set line of succession (or at least heredity) up to the Dawn for them, so it makes me wonder if Lights Going Out is all going to be at the tribal level the way Ride Like the Wind never goes higher than a clan (well, except for an event to form a federation, but that always falls apart pretty quickly).

---

Also, going back to the game itself, does this seem familiar to anyone? Because I've got no ideas.

Quote

Now <quester> stands amid unfamiliar lush green vegetation, pervaded by a heat and humidity far different from her valley home. Before her a battle rages between a human hero, radiant with divine energy, and an animal god. The hero's dress shows that he is a foreigner of some unknown sort. The beast god resembles a sakkar, but lacks its saber teeth, and is adorned with a thick ruff of fur around its neck.

1. Join the beast god against the hero.
2. Join the hero against the beast god.
3. Let the battle play out.
4. Mediate between them.
5. Depart.

• Joining the beast god may earn its gratitude and aid in returning to the ritual, although in this case the hero will swear vengeance.
• Joining the hero may lead to the quester returning home with him, abandoning the ritual and forgetting her people and gods.
• Letting the battle play out runs the risk of the same, although the quester will be given a chance to pray to a selection of Rider gods, which has a chance of rooting her to her own culture.
• Departing has a small chance of returning the quester to the ritual, but is far likelier to simply take them elsewhere in the Gods War.

I think this might be Tada's battle with Basmol, but I don't know if that happened while Prax was still green.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Leingod

[Sir_Godspeed]

That sword looks awfully Tolat-y.

[Leingod]

Here's "Alien Gods," another one where I have no idea what it might depict, if it even depicts something that's already known to us.

Quote

<Quester>'s senses blur. When all becomes clear again, two alien gods battle each other on a vast plain. One appears to be a water god, the other a god of plants, perhaps related to elves in some way. The divine combatants are hurting each other, but doing even worse damage to the earth. Before <quester>'s eyes, soil erodes away, and the plant god's roots turn black earth into dust.

1. Aid the plant god.
2. Aid the water god.
3. Flee.
4. Urge them to cease their battle.

Fleeing may return the quester to the ritual, but it is far likelier to simply strand them in another part of the gods' realm. Aiding one of the gods may earn their gratitude, but failure can cost your quester their life.

---

Less mysterious and more just interesting is "Dwarves and Moon:"

Quote

After a period of confusing wandering, <quester> witnesses an early event in which a legendary celestial body called the moon fell apart and crashed to earth. A piece of it lies nearby in a smoking crater. Determined dwarves swarm toward it, intent on smashing it into smaller pieces and carrying it away.

1. Aid the dwarves.
2. Aid the moon.
3. Fight the dwarves.
4. Flee.
5. Grab a moon fragment.

• There is a risk that a quester who aids the dwarves will stay with them and never return to the clan.
• If the quester successfully aids the moon, it may return her to the side of her god.
• Successfully fighting the dwarves grants the clan a bonus while fighting dwarves, as well as the moon's gratitude and aid in returning to the ritual.
• Fleeing has a small chance of returning the quester to the ritual, but usually simply sends the quester to another part of the Gods War. 
• Grabbing a moon fragment can give the Moonstone, a treasure. Failure may lead to the death of the quester instead.

There's also one where you just appear right underneath a dragon that's been either wounded or killed and is now falling to the ground, and you have to beseech your choice of god for salvation and hope they're listening or you're just dead.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Leingod

[Sir_Godspeed]

Interesting. No specific instance of Plant (Flamal, Aldrya, whoever) and Water fighting comes to mind, but I could easily be wrong.

As for the Moon bit - it's interesting that in this instance, it is opposed to the Dwarves, but in Time the Dwarves see the rise of the Red Moon as a sign their repairs of the World Machine are bearing fruit.

It would be fun to see just how many of these myths reflect things we already know, and which are innovations/looks into previously uncovered events/perspectives.

[Leingod]

39 minutes ago, Sir_Godspeed said:

As for the Moon bit - it's interesting that in this instance, it is opposed to the Dwarves, but in Time the Dwarves see the rise of the Red Moon as a sign their repairs of the World Machine are bearing fruit.

Well, the dwarves probably figured that since the moon was doomed they might as well get something useful out of it, much like they do with their own dead. Since the Mostali don't really live on after death in any real way, they just have different attitudes about "respecting the dead." So what they're doing to the moon is probably nothing personal and they might even find the idea that the Red Moon would hold a grudge for that incomprehensible.

---

Speaking of dwarves, you can meet the guys who would go on to steal the secrets of iron from them before it happens:

Quote

<Explorer> and company, exploring in the north, meet unfamiliar outlanders wearing much heavier armor than you've seen on any human. They call themselves the Third Eye Blue—an odd name for a people! This must refer to the blue eyes tattooed in the middle of their foreheads. They ask if you know anything about dwarves and their hideouts. "The minions of the dread god Mostal hide the secrets of metal-working from humankind. We have come from the west to pry this lore from their hidden vaults."

1. Ask them what magic allows them to wear such armor.
2. Attack them.
3. Tell them everything you know about dwarves.
4. Tell them there are no dwarves around here.

• If you ask them about their armor, they will explain that they cannot fully share their secrets with people who still worship the gods, which are doomed. You will then be able to choose again from the rest of the options.
• If you tell them what you know about dwarves, they will give you some goods, although if your knowledge fails to impress them the amount will be very small (as low as one cow's worth).
• Defeating them will get a small amount of goods.

Incidentally, I was never aware that the Third Eye Blue are (or were) non-Theists, so that's interesting.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Leingod

[jajagappa]

54 minutes ago, Leingod said:

I was never aware that the Third Eye Blue are (or were) non-Theists

There's always been some implication of that, but we've never had any writeup to provide details.

[Sir_Godspeed]

Real talk: that artwork of the Third Eye Blues have to be some of the coolest I've seen so far. Not just of Six Ages, but in all of Glorantha.

 

16 minutes ago, jajagappa said:

There's always been some implication of that, but we've never had any writeup to provide details.

Yeah, there are a few different references to sorcerers, "logicians" and "blues" in Pelanda, and while it's always been kind of assumed they were Westerners/Malkioni, it's not been clear which belief system them followed or from which group they come. Seems the Third Eye Blues are full-on Brithini/Vadeli-style atheist though.

Their dark skin color and (general) African features are interesting though. Not a massive shakeup - I mean, Danmalastan bordered with Pamaltela, and there are plenty of lands inbetween mixing people of various types, but still, interesting. Trying to connect these to the Vadeli (or Vuymorni, perhaps) in Chir or some of the other southern tribes, likes the Kadeniti or the Tadeniti. That is, of course, assuming that dark-skinned people need to come from somewhere southerly at all. That might just be assumption on my part.

 

Edited December 19, 2018 by Sir_Godspeed

[davecake]

4 hours ago, Sir_Godspeed said:

Yeah, there are a few different references to sorcerers, "logicians" and "blues" in Pelanda, and while it's always been kind of assumed they were Westerners/Malkioni, it's not been clear which belief system them followed or from which group they come. Seems the Third Eye Blues are full-on Brithini/Vadeli-style atheist though.

The Blues mentioned in Pelanda seem to mostly be Waertagi who travelled up the Janube River. There are also some Kachasti around the place through Western Genertela. I'm guessing the 3EB are the latter, as they don't seem associated with Water. 

They don't seem to be Vadeli, as they aren't monstrous sociopaths. 

[Leingod]

5 hours ago, Sir_Godspeed said:

Seems the Third Eye Blues are full-on Brithini/Vadeli-style atheist though.

It doesn't seem like it. The Brithini and Vadeli stance is that the gods aren't really "gods," while the Third Eye Blue person doesn't deny their godhood, he just asserts that the gods are "doomed" somehow.

1 hour ago, davecake said:

They don't seem to be Vadeli, as they aren't monstrous sociopaths. 

That too.

[metcalph]

16 minutes ago, Leingod said:

It doesn't seem like it. The Brithini and Vadeli stance is that the gods aren't really "gods," while the Third Eye Blue person doesn't deny their godhood, he just asserts that the gods are "doomed" somehow.

The Brithini and Vadeli do not deny that the Gods are Gods - they do not see them as worthy of worship.  The Third Eye Blue's philosophy that they shouldn't be worshipped because they are doomed is similar.

As for the origin of the 3EB, I've heard it said by the writers of the Broken Council Freeform (so well should of canonical authority) that they are descended from the Blue People/Waertagi, i.e. their blue eye is all that remains of their ancestral blue skin.  Greg when I spoke to him about it sometime later seemed not to know what I was talking about.

 

[Tindalos]

We know the Third Eye Blue people came from the highlands of Tastolar in Fronela (specifically highlands still cut off by the Ban) from which their empire spread. (GtG p.232)

It's likely they were active during the time of Daxdarius, given his army "wore armor made by the men with eyes in their foreheads." (Entekosiad p.35), this could indicate a connection to the Kachasti, as we know the Wendarians and Kachasti had been in contact, with the Wendarians learning of clothing and civilization from them. (GtG p.683) But given this is during the late Golden Age, and Daxdarius arises after the flood, it's also possible that the Third Eye Blue are a separate group.

[Joerg]

On 12/19/2018 at 12:11 AM, Sir_Godspeed said:

Interesting. No specific instance of Plant (Flamal, Aldrya, whoever) and Water fighting comes to mind, but I could easily be wrong.

The Flood saw much of Aldrya's Forest drowned, and it took intervention by Orlanth to return those lands to the forest.

 

On 12/19/2018 at 12:11 AM, Sir_Godspeed said:

As for the Moon bit - it's interesting that in this instance, it is opposed to the Dwarves, but in Time the Dwarves see the rise of the Red Moon as a sign their repairs of the World Machine are bearing fruit.

That's what they were harvesting the material for, I suppose.

On 12/19/2018 at 12:11 AM, Sir_Godspeed said:

It would be fun to see just how many of these myths reflect things we already know, and which are innovations/looks into previously uncovered events/perspectives.

All of them, to both. These are myths, and as such may be interpreted in many a way, sometimes with identifications that make little or no sense to our pre-conceptions. From the context, these are "lost in the Gods War" episodes, and nice ones, too.

 

Third Eye Blue:

I like the influence of the Mycenean style heavy bronze plate armor in this picture.

On 12/19/2018 at 2:01 AM, Sir_Godspeed said:

Their dark skin color and (general) African features are interesting though.

Dark skin, I agree. African features I fail to see. The rather straight hair style for instance is found everywhere but in Africa.

Their skin tone is that of the original Dromali of the West, the workers and makers. They do appear to be quite tall for westerners, though (through a trick of perspective).

On 12/19/2018 at 2:01 AM, Sir_Godspeed said:

Not a massive shakeup - I mean, Danmalastan bordered with Pamaltela, and there are plenty of lands inbetween mixing people of various types, but still, interesting. Trying to connect these to the Vadeli (or Vuymorni, perhaps) in Chir or some of the other southern tribes, likes the Kadeniti or the Tadeniti.

Vadeli are known to have overthrown the Kachisti when the Nidan Mountains "erupted" (in collusion with the dwarves there, not as in volcanic eruption, but more like quickly shooting up through great tremors, cutting the Kachistil lands in two).

Kadeniti were the architects and makers among the ancient tribes of Danmalastan, who weren't known for any migrations than fleeing the expanding Vadeli empire of Endernef (or succumbing to it). Yet their skill sets spread to all the Malkioni peoples, and may have resulted in these self-proclaimed part time sorcerer crafters. (Them being warriors too is of course another aberration to the Malkioni ways, that profession was held by the red-skinned Horali.)

On 12/19/2018 at 2:01 AM, Sir_Godspeed said:

That is, of course, assuming that dark-skinned people need to come from somewhere southerly at all. That might just be assumption on my part.

Dara Happans and Theyalans are what US "racial" norms would call "brown skinned" or "olive skinned" by a majority. There are pale groups among them, but those would be remarkable for their tone of skin. I would place these majority central Genertelans on the darker end of the Eurasian spectrum. Definitely no southerners.

I think that a Kachisti origin is quite likely. If some Kachisti group managed to evade enslavement by the Vadeli uprising, they would have inherited an enmity to the dwarves who facilitated that uprising by destroying their empire, and would seek to get back at those interfering short nuisances where it hurts them most - in their magical secrets.

 

[JonL]

1 hour ago, Joerg said:

Dara Happans and Theyalans are what US "racial" norms would call "brown skinned" or "olive skinned" by a majority. There are pale groups among them, but those would be remarkable for their tone of skin. I would place these majority central Genertelans on the darker end of the Eurasian spectrum. Definitely no southerners.

Per the Guide, Pelorians "tend to be light-skinned (ranging from pale to olive), with brown to blond hair. Brown and blue eyes are prevalent." Pale Dara Happans wouldn't be particularly remarkable. (@Jenx does a great job following the above direction when the Lunars show up in Prince of Sartar.)

1 hour ago, Joerg said:

Dark skin, I agree. African features I fail to see. The rather straight hair style for instance is found everywhere but in Africa.

Look at higher magnification. He's got multiple parts in his hair between big braid/lock/cornrow type sections that are being held back/down by that wide leaf-designed thing. Overall, they look like Etheopians to me.

[Joerg]

Apart from their Mycenean equipment, my first impression was dark-skinned Polynesians or Indians. The guy in the back on the left has almost Mongolian features.

Their skin color is similar to that of Beat Pot or his allies in Prince of Sartar, or the Dara Happan generals visited by Jar-eel.

I agree about paler skinned Pelorians, but from the hair style etc. in Prince of Sartar, those appear to stem from western Peloria rather than Dara Happa - the region which is home to the Eel-Ariash.

[Sir_Godspeed]

I interpreted their braids/plaits as being from curly/wavy hair, also there seemed to be some emphasis on the lips (notice the guy in the back, where the lips are still outlined, an artistic choice I'm not sure would've been made for, say, a Scandinavian-looking fellow). All of this is anecdotal, of course, but these appear like deliberate artistic choices to me, meant to convey something more than simple tanness (like with the Mediterranean-basin-style Orlanthi)

 

[Leingod]

So, I didn't really pay it much attention until the Spirit class called "Where the Rock Speaks" was brought up elsewhere, but something interesting about the Hyalorings is that they seem to invoke spirits a lot more than the Orlanthi do. Unlike in King of Dragon Pass, shamans can be nobles and can serve on the clan circle, and in fact the game rewards you for having at least one shaman or Raven's chosen on your circle, as it gives you more options and makes you more successful in your dealings with spirits. So shamans seem to have a lot more prestige among the Riders than the Rams... though of course that could just be due to living in the Lesser Darkness, where gods are often busy fighting each other and sometimes outright die. We don't really get a close-up view of the exact similarities and differences between Hyalorings and Vingkotlings (as opposed to Heortlanders moving into Dragon Pass) in the game, though we see some interesting tidbits here and there.

Something I hadn't really encountered before (though it never occurred to me until now), is that spirits are apparently attracted to stones. Your clan has "spirit stones" that apparently help attract and impress spirits; you sometimes get an event where someone has pilfered or defiled them somehow and you need to do something about it like look for more or your spirit magic is going to suffer. And there are at least two events that involve spirits inhabiting stones. One is the "Traveling Stone," a stone with the Motion Rune inscribed on it, which moves around on the map every time you visit it and is inhabited by a friendly spirit (which may or may not be related to the powers of Motion it possesses) that can improve your explorer's stats or make them younger. The other is the "Whispering Stones," which foretell the future and whose existence is apparently a common rumor/story among the Hyalorings, as it's one of the few things you discover where your explorer has heard of it before.

[Sir_Godspeed]

Are these stones very big?

I remember that Peloria is filled with various megalithic structures, like dolmens or something similar - so it might be a nod towards that? No idea, to be honest.

[M Helsdon]

2 hours ago, Leingod said:

One is the "Traveling Stone," a stone with the Motion Rune inscribed on it, which moves around on the map every time you visit it and is inhabited by a friendly spirit (which may or may not be related to the powers of Motion it possesses) that can improve your explorer's stats or make them younger.

In the Third Age, there's a Travelling Stone in Dragon Pass, which is a magical altar to Larnste, the God of Movement, and usually found southwest of the Greatway peaks, on the fringes of the Stinking Forest.