[Glorantha] Re: Black Net

Orlanth Umathi:

  >Joerg Baumgartner wrote:
>
>> It is a magical artifact used by Goran Tar to eliminate the Pure Horse
>> People prisoners. I seem to recall a mention that Derik quested for it and
>> pulled followers (of whichever kind) from it, but a message from Greg said
>> that its significance for the Pol Joni tribe is low.
>
> Indeed, my point is not that it is central to the PolJoni, for Derik it
> was a means to an end, his way of riding the plains of Prax in a way
> that could not be denied by the rituals of the natives. I agree totally
> with Roderick on the basic interpretation of the quest and its usage.

  All spellings may be suspect as I don't have King of Sartar with me, so apologies in advance ....    

  Re-reading King of Sartar, there's a fair bit about Derik Poljoni. He was of the Dundealos clan and his parents were killed by Praxians, so he went to serve the Tarsh king as a mercenary. He helped Yarandros raid the Grazers for a magical horse, then the king helped Derik do the same. He then went back to his native lands and created a clan to act as a buffer between the Praxians and Orlanthi. He did the Black Net quest and pulled together a number of people. He created a clan with a very open structure, where anyone could become members, no matter where they came from. He has Praxians of many kinds in the clan, but they all ride horses. This happened before Sartar. When Sartar became king, he accepted the Poljoni as part of the tribes of Sartar and gave them a share in Swenstown. When Sartar married the Feathered Horse Queen, she came to live with him, but he never rode her horses and took her customs, for which the Poljoni thanked him. Derik Poljoni's son beat the  Grazer champion in a horse race.    

  What does this mean? Well, the Black Net seems to have been a means to an end, acting as a useful tool to attract horse riders. Derik gained his own horse from the Grazers along with his king. Since the Charger has magic gained from the Grazers, it would seem likely that Derik had similar magic of his own. Presumably he would be able to grant this to his worshippers, assuming he is worshipped as a hero amongst the Poljoni. As Sartar didn't take anything from the Feathered Horse Queen, the Poljoni would seem to be Sartar's source of good horsemen and don;t have Grazer customs and beliefs. They are stated throughout to be Orlanthi. They must be fairly good for Derik Poljoni's son to have beaten the Grazer champion.    

  Of course, there are other Sartarite horse riders and horse deities. The Colymari have a goddess mentioned in Arcane Lore, who provides them with horse magic. Beren the Rider provides magic as does Elmal. But, the Poljoni would be better horsemen, in my opinion.    

  See Ya   

Simon     Received on Mon 02 Oct 2006 - 12:03:27 EEST