From: ANDERSJC@howdy.Princeton.EDU
Date: Thu 07 Apr 1994 - 00:53:05 EEST
This is being posted for Paul Anderson, on Janet Anderson's account: On Hybrids
Now I realize that this may be regarded as exceptional, for several reasons, but I still think it is valid. Gwalynkus reigned in Dorastor, where anything is rather more likely than not to happen, but he is explicitly dated between the God's Age and the Second Council, to say nothing of Gbaji, so his reign is precisely when Dorastor was most normal and everyday. I also admit that this is in _Dorastor_, not the most carefully proofread book ever produced; but Gwalynkus is the major new figure in the history, and was presumably more often checked than the monsters.
The description of Gwalynkus does include a lot of "it was said"s, and is probably intended to read like a later myth of a happy reign. But it should be valid data about Gloranthan possibilities, even if only retroactively true.
On Wexten
It seems clear that many of the Ralian realms are smaller than shown on the political map (e.g. Sentanos). I think Wexten is slightly inland, south of Lake Felster; probably part of the land claimed by Tiskos.
A "barrel of Broo"? ("several broo", like "several elephant".)
If not, a "plague of broo" is probably best.
Putdowns:
"He's in bed with the/his Seven Mothers." I leave improvements on this to your imagination.
"He's not in our clan anymore; he's a Dead Head [Humakti]"
Bystander: "He's intelligent, for a Storm Bull." Irrippi Ontor priest: "A sentient Storm Bull is an oxymoron." Lhankor Mhy pr.: "Worse than that: an ur-oxymoron." [with help (?) from Dennis Hoover]
On Chess:
Hi, Eric!
Eric Jablow suggests that chess be run analogously to combat, with attack and parry being Chess skill, and 'damage' of D3. This is a nice idea, and more widely applicable. He further suggests that 'blows' be simultaneous, to allow for draws. Either White should strike first each 'round', or (preferably) get an initial strike without reply to preserve his advantage.
In chess as we know it, a king is an indispensible token of the army, and he is defended by a female Hero, mobile fortifications, cavalry, and organized priests. He also has a numerous but weak infantry. This sounds more like the Lunar armies than any other. (The Esrolians would not surrender upon death of the KIng. The Grazelanders (although possible) don't have enough infantry to be pawns. The Sartarites fight on foot.) Trolls are perhaps the second most likely culture; they are female-dominated, and have riding specialists. It this is true, chess would have had to be invented and spread to Orlanthi long ago for Sartarites to now find it acceptable.
This leads to the following conjecture: In or just after the time of the Conquering Daughter, the Empire adapted chess to its tactical problems, which at that time were largely trollish. The Lunars are, in practice, associated with the Light Rune, and trolls with Darkness; so this antagonism was stressed. The intended subject may be skirmishes, or may be a small war between Holay and Dagori Inkarth over the land then being organized as Tarsh. White moves first, so the war scenario seems more likely.
I am reminded that there was an old comment that Solar soldiers use the Sky Rune as a small unit formation, but Orlanthi use the Storm Rune.
I add that while the Yelmish commander is in the center, the Orlanthi leader is the outside point - the one who knows the most Healing is in the center.
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