[Glorantha] Borders of the Bright Empire.

From: Greg Stafford <greg>
Date: Sun Aug 20 20:00:03 2006

YGWV
> From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph@quicksilver.net.nz>
nicely filled in some details.
A couple more.

> It encompassed Dorastor, Dara Happa, southern Peloria and Karia
> (the land in Ralios nearest to Dorastor). At its height, it had
> occupied most of Heortland, Kethaela and was moving westward
> into Slontos. Pelanda was also part of it but has a hostile memory
> of it.

There is always a dichotomy between Pelanda and Dara Happa. Pelanda had been conquered by DH, which was part of the original empire.

> In Fronela was the Kingdom of Beasts that Talor the Laughing Warrior
> fought and defeated. The Dari ruled most of Ralios save for Tanisor.

The Darings (note, "the people of Dar") never conquered everyone in Ralios, but they were good allies of the Empire. Both Safelster and Tanisor worshipped Nysalor and the Golden Way.

> Arkat's primal foe was not the Empire of Light or even Nysalor but
> Gbaji. His original battles were fought in Brithos and then he
> fought with the Brithini in Arolanit. When the Brithini attempted
> to punish Tanisor, Arkat became separated

That is, he was a member of the Brithin Army when they got whipped by Tanisor in battle.

> and fought the
> Nieby worshippers in Seshnela.

There was ighitng in Brithos at the time, an invasion by "mudmen" who looked just like Brithin, spoke their language, and replaced all the natives of a province when they invaded. Get it?

Therf was widespread discontent, and the Brithi allowed a lot of people to up and leave. They went, mostly, to Seshnela.

Seshnela was in battle against Tanisor, and they also had a a monstrous plague to deal with. They learned the plague was started and conrolled by a cult of Nysaloran Healers who were in the land. They wiped the cult out.

They turned on Tanisor, in a holy cursade.

> This cumulated in a crusade
> against the Kings of Tanisor who were now evil vampires.

The leaders used Nysaloran magic to become vampires to defend the land. They were beaten anyway.

> After the defeat of Tanisor, Arkat went on to conquer Dari
> for their perceived support for Gbaji (I think they actually
> had been at war with Tanisor).

The Dari had much earlier conquered Tanisor, and the politics were naturally confused some, but the Safelsterans were worshipped Gbaji/Nysalor too.

> The Dari appealed to
> Dorastor for aid and the Bright Empire sent its troops in
> aid.

They had been allies for a reasonably long time. Troops had helped in defending Tanisor. Now the Empire became more acively engaged.

The time is notable because teh westerners keep writing about fighting off the "Krjalki armies," which were Bright Empire armies. The krjalki = nonhumans (mainly dwarves, elves, dragonewts)

> Despite the aid of the Bright Empire, Arkat overran all
> of Ralios. He couldn't get beyond Castle Kartolin however
> and became stuck. After

Arkat was killed, and then...

> an intervention by Harmast,
> Arkat was persuaded to attack Slontos, Kethaela and
> Dragon Pass. From Dragon Pass, he marched to
> Dorastor while the Orlanthi fought their way into Dara
> Happa.

Correct.

> From: LC <lc_at_lightcastle.net>
> Subject: [Glorantha] Re: The Borders of the Bright Empire

>> ?(Central Ralios was dominated
>> by the Dari Alliance, which was independent but strongly influenced by
>> the cult of Nysalor).

"Independant" the way that Italy was independant from Germany in WWII.

>> Arkat's first attacks, during the early 5th century, were against the
>> Council's allies in Ralios and then against Kartolin Pass, which he
>> failed to capture. ?
>
> And right there that makes Kartolin pass and the regions beyond it the most
> likely place to put this. Except that a quick scan makes the lands beyond it
> Dorastor proper. And Kartolin has quite a history already... Hmm...

"Much fabled Kartolin, where the dead stand guard against the living, and the living stand guard against the dead..."

Just to note: when Talor the Laughing Warrior and his army came into Dorastor in the Final Battle, he came across Kartolin.

> OK. I think i am going to need to sit down with a big map and figure out what
> works. I want somewhere Arkat would have attacked or wanted to attack but not
> necessarily have gotten through (hence why the pass was so tempting) but that
> is now relatively peaceful, and the people on the two sides of the area are
> no longer thinking of themselves as major enemies.

This could also be in the fringes of Safelster someplace.

Or heck, in Hendriki, which was never conquered...

---

Sincerely,
Greg Stafford

Issaries, Inc.
c/o Greg Stafford
1942 Channing Ave, #204
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA Received on Sun 20 Aug 2006 - 17:19:45 EEST