Annotations of Lur Nop Material
Below is originally annotations on the draft of Lur Nop material. For I couldn't participate in the work of editing process of Zin Letter #2 final release, I can't fix and change it properly according to the final form at least for now. (2004 / August / 01)

1st Section: Overview of Kralorela


(1-1)The model of this land is real world Ancient China, but has some similarity to
Tibet in religion and some other east Asian .)

(1-2)Majority human race of East, similar to Mongoloid of Real World

(1-3) As Genertela Box Books told.

(1-4)[Maybe weak against Greek Fire or Fire Magic of Haragalan Tallships]

(1-5) See Anaxial Roster and old Lodarios Library documents for the history of Horse about Chuaran, Palangso, Vuanso,  But isn't there any Cavalry Army in Kralorela? Yes, setting in Old Genertela Box was gregged.

(1-6)I think from real world gpracticalh nationality and point of view to mechanical philosophy of Chinese, official worship of Emperor is somehow similar to Wizardly Church (as in RQ 3rd Edition Gods of Glorantha), though on the contrary of its apparent gmysticalh origin and philosophy of Vithela. 

2nd Section: Overview and Detail of Lur Nop

(2-1) In fact, many of them are mandarins in deep debt, or political difficulty, but most Kralori chooses punishment in Vaska Long rather than living among foreigners.

(2-2 Long) My Image of this city is greatly from RW Chinese City Guang-Zhou, near of modern Hong Kong (east of Estuary) and Macao (West). (The image is Upside-Down of Real World Guang-Zhou and surrounding area of River Mouth.)

For it has very long history as a trade city through national trends with rather negative to trade and commerce ideological Chinese Confucians. This city has long history but as trading center, first appeared in the record of Tang Dynasty (618-907). And in Song Dynasty (960-1279), it thrived as foremost trading city until the capital moved to south by the Invasion of Manchurians.

After the glorious naval success of the native Dynasty, of Ming, this city was the only trade city against foreigners in Manchurian Qing Dynasty (1616-1912), this dynasty banned trade in 1757 with other cities for they are more strictly adhered to Confucianism doctrine and seeing the threat of Western European Barbarous Influence.

(Especially for Ku Long as the underworld place of background. It is called Citadel of Seven Dragons, see Japanese Comic Getbackers if you want my own distorted image. if you like Hong Kong Kung-Hu Movie Background, here is good place for such situation, like underworld city of mafias and martial artists. Dread Occult priests and shamans, etcc)

(2-3) Lop Nor, modern day bomb experimental ground of China Republic was once famous for wandering lake, discovered by Hedin.

(2-4)Compare Chinatowns in United States cities, with reversed roles... Add in city quarters dominated by Kralori from other provinces, like an Italian, Irish or German-descended quarter in Chicago.

(2-5)In Runequest Companion (I read it on Japanese Edition, so the document and the title might not same on English Editions

(2-6) In Glorantha: Introduction to Hero Wars p.198

(2-7)Though there is no description of climate in Genertela Book as Missing Landsc.

(2-8) If Kralorela is China and Vormain is Japan parallel

(2-9) See Missing Land: Teleos

(2-10) See Revealed Mythologies and TIfs general note about Vithela: http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/LandofVithela.htm)

(2-11) TI thinks in the naval Battle of Kethaelans werenft destroyed by reason Joergfs hypotheses in Lokarnos. com. (TI thinks Sea of Fog is mainly of Dark Season and Storm Season in Kralorela....)

(2-12) in fact,  the map of Glorantha: Introduction To Hero Wars indicates that Chestelo Quarter (Northeast of Old & New City) is the real LurNop for the visitors....(See the difference between Genertela Box map and that map...).

(2-13)In fact, the map of Nochet in Tradetalk #4 is far more smaller than this city about area size (though population of Nochet is far more larger than LurNop).

(2-14)Doubtlessly influenced by all the James Bond movies set in the southern Chinese sea. (Joerg Baumgartner)

(2-15) In 17C, RW China dominates 40% of World Commerce only internally, Efendi taught me so....

Maybe abandoned village is permitted to use....as Yokohama, just after Japan permitted commerce with America in 19C.....

(2-16 Long) See about Tang Dynasty taxation System. http://www.chinaknowledge.org/History/Tang/tang.htm#economy

<<Each peasant was given the equal amount of land and had to pay three kinds of taxes: in grain (zu), in textiles or other materials (diao), and in corvee labour or military service (yong). The equal-land-system was intended to ensure a certain tax income to the state by reducing the amount of large land estates. To realize such a system, exact household registers (huji) from a census were necessary.>>

(2-17)Europeans were merchants for land was poor and harvest was not profitable. But these conditions of relation of West and East are all in late of Chinese History, that of Ming and Qing.....I always feel anachronism......

(2-18) What is their method of transportation before the Dragon Awakening Shudder and Godunya's bridges? Dragonewt Roads? But I don't know the shape of Suam Chow in Second Age....

(2-19) Perhaps Joerg wants to guard the LurNop with more geographical barriers like rocky cliffs impossible to navigate without guide, like Seapolis (dominated by ludochs, Tales #17) or Imrryr of Melnibone.

(2-20)If I remember correctly, Sandy Petersen once suggested that Yanoor = ShangHsa, I don't know why ShangHsa managed to take over Kralorela. Peter rejected my idea about reincarnation of MaoTzen = Jerem = GilamDeEstau = ShangHsa as kralori propaganda (?).

(2-21)I think (as Lokarnos.com (http://lokarnos.com/search.pl?query=Vadeli) suggests some information for their Ghetto.

(2-22)See Gods of Glorantha of RQ 3rd

(2-23)See Anaxial Roster p.159-160

(2-24) About him and Red Tongs, see my website note about Cosmic Explorers of Pent http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/CosmicExplorersofPent.htm

(2-25) See Unspoken Word-2: Thieves Arm scenario: p.50 The House of Fragmental Oblivion (Peter Metcalph) for a flavor of Eastern World viciousness

(2-26) In original Kushinada campaign, they tricked the House, pretended they know the safe route to pass through to the Province Shiyang and Redhair Caravan. But in fact, they want to hand them down to their master as slaves and their precious Artifact, Crooked Jewel.

(2-27) See Tales #15: about Battle of Lost Hopes

(2-28)[In RW Chinese cosmology, nature and civilization donft stand in opposition themselves. And I think Kralori want to balance the two through draconic magic, but that hsunchens deny this idea.]

(2-29) As some of RW Taoist, read Henri Masperofs gTaoismh

(2-30) See about Hsin Tu: Gloranthan Confucian bureaucrats under Enlightened Mandarins.

3rd Section: Plot in Hero Wars, Greater Scheme and Secret of the City

(3-1) That is Joseph Needham who pointed out the difference to the attitude to History between Indians and Chinese, and see also TIfs web article

http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/VashantiEngMandarin.htm#7

(3-2) See TIfs web story: Shia-Oh and Emperor Vashanti: http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/VashantiEngMandarin.htm

(3-3)Some Connection to HonEel Quests?

 (3-4)My image of his rebellion is "Outlaws of the Marsh" by Shi Nai'An: http://clausius.engr.utk.edu/planetc/books/creation/text/referenc.html, though westerners might see it similar to a sort of Spartacus Rebellionc..

(3-5) See also TIfs research for Stellar name Variation list: http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/NamesofHB-e.htm

(3-6) See TIfs homepage for Eastern Calendar, http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/w&ecalendar-e.htm

(3-7) See 4th Section 3-xx about TIfs reply to Claude, I have hypothesis that Kralori really have their own Zodiac, and divided (roughly?) six signs Sky Dome according to the rising point of Yelm in Sky Dome   

(3-8) TI: I know vithelans think sun didnft sink in Storm Age and Darkness Age (Gods Cycle and Demigod Cycle) but I rather tend to Kralori linked to other Genertela nations. See my unoffical writing about Thalurzni

(3-9 Long) Note: Please donft forget Vithelans donft know Great Darknessc.But we donft know enough about Kralorela, the land division of Genertela and Vithela, (maybe there might be great gap between East Isles (Vithela) and Kralorela like that of India and China in Real World, or that of Orlanthi and Dara Happans in Genertela) About this topic, see also TIfs Note on Lightfore for the Genertelans realizations about Day and Night in First Age, (http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/lightfore.htm) and gWhy there is no Great Darkness in Vithela?h(http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~BLUEMAGI/VithelanGreatDarkness.htm) See below, about Kralori and Lur Nop Timeline for gSun Rains Bloodh.)

(3-10) Perfectly derived from RW Chinese Mythology.

(3-11) Perfectly it is also from RW Chinese Astrologyc.

(3-12)See Anaxial Roster p.39-40

(3-13 Long)TIfs Reply to Claude Manzato in Glorantha Digest Volume #9, 504

Please think about Real World and about farfetched logic like Feng-Shui, you "know" Ancient (and some of Modern) Chinese believes they should make south and east of their residence should be water, while north and west mountain is good for their lack. But we baptised by western science also "know" (I hope you aren't Feng-Shui Priest....) it is a superstition attached by far developed symbolism and metaphorism attached to their belief to Yin and Yang, and Five Elements.

I know I cannot apply them straightly to Glorantha, but such farfetched view can be applied to Kralorela, whether it will work well or not. (I don't know Robin Laws agree with my opinion even if he is the writer of the RPG "Feng-Shui".)

If you want to color your game or background with such viewpoint, though I don't know whether you have gGlorious Reascent of Yelmh or not, there is note that Lightfore is very important in Dara Happan cosmology for they call it Young God, and they keep annual record of the planet on the Sky Dome, Glorantha Sky Dome rotates every day/night through 360+360/294ths of a Degree, it makes the precise place of lightfore rising shift...and it makes around the sky dome from one part of sky river to other part, and went to the same place, annually.

And Lightfore rises same place where sun rises in the morning and sets the Same place where the sun sets (from the point of view of location of surface world (attached to Theyafs Gate and Rausafs Gate). And precisely the time sun sets, Lightfore rises, and Lightfore sets, sun rises. it might mean the sun orbital draw Clearly opposite side place of the sky dome orbitally and symmetrically.

(But I am not sure about the difference between the length of night and day in each season....and how the rotation precisely attached to the Dome tilt and movement.)

Please see your own Kralori Calendar setting:

http://perso.club-internet.fr/manzato/pagepersocm/runequest/rq42.html

I think Kralori Calendar has an advantage for it hasn't Sacred Time and divided six months precisely.  And we can divide (precisely or moderately) divide the night sky into six with the place of Sky Dome where the sun firstly rises in Spring Equinox (First Day of the Year) and the starting point will move and circle annually the sky dome. Maybe you can put your zodiac with your favorite beasts to the night sky, for we don't know anything enough about Kralori constellations.

If you doubt it, please visit Nick Brooke's Ephemeris (Java Script) and see the annual movement of lightfore by clicking the [show]->Lightfore path.)

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/1394/ephem.html

4th Section: Reference and Web Links from TIfs personal note

[I have some fragmental notes for my old Vormaino campaign setting of Kushinada House, One of the Stage is the city. The Capital of Province Wanzow. Though I suppose Alex Ferguson (Expert of Kralorela) and / or Martin Hawley  (Expert of many weirdc.sorry, interesting and exotic cultures) might be likely to have other plans for this city. If you want to induce or change some of these pieces, freely do it.

I think if you want to use an exotic background like Kralorela, but also want to induce more comfortable and favorite stock of characters like Orlanthi or Malkioni at same place, here is good place for such compromise into the Draconic Empire. And I think this city can be a test case for Greg Stafford (and Mark Galeottifs?) current concept about failed-mysticism (very broad category applied), and martial artists. As older setting of Kralori in RQ 3rd Days, Kralori might return to a sort of Sorcerous, um, Wizardry Culture, at least in State Religion pyramid of Draconic Power in a sense.]

[Reference:For Kralorela in Glorantha itself, I have Old Genertela Box of Rq 3rd and Glorantha: Introduction to HW, Revealed Mythologies, Missing Land. About Haragala, Missing Land and Tales #17. About Melib, Four Scrolls of Revelation: Melib by Martin Hawley, are also useful. Various posts of Nils Weinander and Alex Ferguson in Glorantha Digest, about Kralori Victory against Praxians: so called Battle of Lost Hope can be found in Tales #15, p.5: Waha Cult, early Third Age are also good for putting on cover of outline.

Aside from many unoffcial sources which I was influenced greatly but not be able to recall names of contributors right now, but some of them are too impressive to not to mention here like Peter Metcalph's various posts to Glorantha Digest and his great timeline, and I was directly helped by Claude Manzato, Joerg Baumgartner, Olli Kantola, Alex Ferguson, and Efendi.. And I have been influenced many contributors of this community, for relationship to other Glorantha areas, like Nils Weinander and Martin Laurie for his inspiration of Pentians. Thank you.

As non Gloranthan references, I used many sources of China (for I think it is still the main component even if Greg induced more mystical / metaphysical side in Kralorela by his more recent trend (Revealed Mythologies) after Genertela Box, so I don't use much of Esoteric Buddhism and Tibetan Cosmology though I want to use them for other territories (future plan?) of Kralorela for it is another interesting adaptable resource. See below.

For Ancient Chinese Technology, you might find good speculation from Joseph Needham's work. I am not sure I show my reference list of Japanese Authors.....for they are not available for English people, but many European chinoiselists think that without reference of Japanese scholars, study of China is less reliable. Maybe it is from political reason, I also hesitate to speak much about Native Scholars of Chinese History. I mainly researched Tang Capital Chang Ang, and Practrice of Feng-Shui in Sung Dynasty, and the South City Guang-Zhou in Modern Traveller's Guide Book. 

About image of Mythologies, of course I used gJourney to the Westh and gCreation of Godsh, but I tried to induce Great Scholar Shizuka Shirakawa's works and Professor Yuan Ke (Enn Ka by Japanese Pronunciation)'s speculation before the days that Confucianism killed Mythology....

As images, costumes of Beijing Classic Opera are good for its transcendental aged style. (Efendi's supposition), and Robert Van Gulik's Detective Story, Judge Dee's series is also good (though the author Robert Van Gulik used Ming costume for Tang Dynasty Age....), see also Efendifs links to Chinese Costume in the past.]