[Glorantha] Aeolians

Joerg wrote:

>The name "God Forgot" relates to the Ingareens, IMO - the people who
>forgot (or otherwise lost) their god (Malkion, during the 5th Action).
>They arrived by Waertagi cityship, and probably were another group of
>Enrovalini dissidents with Zzabur's handling of affairs in Brithos.
>Malkioni who lacked Solace, or something.

Malkion himself left Zerendel (not Brithos) by walking rather than being transported by Waertagi to found the city of New Malkonwal south of what is now Seshnela (Revealed Mythologies p12). I assume the Ingareens were the one of the daughter settlements of New Malkonwal that were established on the shores of the Faralinthor Sea.

>We have no idea where [the Aeolians] survived, though. The Dawn
>Population list has only Seapolis Karse, Nochet and Talar Hold as
>centres of survival in the region.

The actual place is Jon Barat (God Forgot) and we have no idea what modern city it lies beneath), my suspicion is Refuge.

>The Ingareens appear to be more like Zzabur's and Froalar's
>tribe of Malkioni than Kachasti, and are the source for God
>Forgot proper.

Although Aeolian was a Kachast, his followers weren't. Given that Froalar's tribe were worshipping False Gods at the Dawn, I don't see much difference between them and the Aeolians. I don't see all the God Forgotten as Aeolians but rather the Aeolian way was a faction among them that later migrated to Heortland.

Rob Helm:

>So was his first congregation mostly converted Orlanthi, or
>transplanted Malkioni?

I really don't think anybody can provide a meaningful answer. All that one can say is that through visiting the place through heroquesting:

1. There was a settlement of Malkioni there from New Malkonwal
2. Aeol was there.
3. In a contest with pagan tribes, Aeol converted their gods to Saints. As to the ethnic composition of Aeol's first congregation, all that can probably be said is that some were Malkioni settlers and others were pagan converts.

>Did they first incorporate Orlanthi gods by borrowing them from
>Orlanthi neighbors, or by converting Orlanthi?

Either way adds up to the same thing. Since this is an action in mythical times, you are most likely going to get Aeol converting different clans through a variety of methods (conversionin battlefield, conversion through missionary activity and so forth).

>Did they subsequently grow organically, or by converting Orlanthi
>neighbors?

Only the post-dawn question is meaningful here and I think they grew in the same way as their myths said. AFAIK barbarian settlement south of the Print was weak because of the Print and so the Aeolians were able to accomodate the newcomers from the north.

> From talking a bit to Jeff Richard, I get the impression that Aeolings
>outside Esvular might be a privileged minority backed by the Belintar,
>God-King of the Holy Country. They might be a bit like the Tutsi in
>Rwanda under Belgian colonial rule: A small group that is granted
>outsized political and economic power because of their loyalty to
>a foreign ruler.

One could argue that the Tutsis are also applicable because the division was artificially enhanced by colonial rulers. In any case, the Aeolians do not fit the Pharonic scheme of the Six (Heortland is supposed to be the land of primal storm worship and the Aeolian allegiance is to another spiritual power).

Hence I would say that the Aeolians are are minority whose divisions with the God Forgotten have been widened by various powers (God Learners, the Pharoah) over the ages. They thrive in Heortland because they are useful in converting the savage barbarians into more civilized way of life and amendable to pharaonic control.

>But I'd still like to get some idea of how isolated the Aeolings are
>from Heortlings. Do they intermarry? Do the two groups live in
>separate quarters of the cities of Heortland? Etc

Given the importance of dialogue to the Aeolians, I would be very surprised if they adopted a segregated way of life viz-a-viz the Orlanthi. I do feel while the communities are distinct, some Aeolians make it their holy duty to go among the barbarians, live among them and even marry them.

--Peter Metcalfe Received on Thu 03 Aug 2006 - 00:45:25 EEST