Cosmic Explorers

Hero Band of Cosmic Explorers

http://members.aol.com/Glorantha/theouter.htm
(Originally inspired by Jim Chapin's Fragment in Delecti's Upland Marsh Site)

History
It first recorded its name in the document of City Irenstos of Jrustela, This "Hero" band was originally a subordinate organization of various units under "Godlearners" that was consisted of many sect units of communites like Zabandan Inflamers (Sacrificing to Invisible God) and Circle of Reincarnation later renamed as Immanent Masters of New Dragon Ring, after Iron Minks finally robbed Shadow Warriors of Stygan Arkati the Secret in Early Second Age. Later the name was listed in the city Newfroswal document (famous for many heroquesters) in Pamaltela among many bands as one of many executive organizations. For scholars always relied on them about field works and answer to demands of capitalist patrons.

But after the report of Valastos Seven Pens (813), their leader (Unknown today), Grand Master of Outer Atomic Explorers realised the risk of experiment their master commited, and try to make distance from them. But in One of these attempt of desperation forced by masters, they found the Agony Burning at the End of World though they fled in fear at that time, that was later revealed an aspect of Zho Lath Ehy by Sheng Seleris, nearest place in Spirit Plane, they found it near the Secret Forest where Trianuf made his bow.

And eventually they betrayed and went forward the spearhead of Old Day traditionalists when Lord Halwal first attacked Seshnelan garrison Troops of Ralios (991-1027), they already made contact with Sorcerers of Eyzaal? in Dorastor circa 850, (they tried to awake Ancient Power of Dorastor Empire, like Ralzakaak the Broolord) and it helped them to escape beyond Rockwood Mountain to east driven by the purge of Godlearners, not only the practitioners, but their tools and weapons. (Both Ethilrist and Bazkalia Oskor had a contact with them in that age?)


Some said that under their swords, their former masters cast a terrible curse to them that they would always betray their allies and that their forehead are always marked with a sign of Krjalk. (But many of scholars doubt the "Krjalk" meaning in the record. (For it hints only Nonhuman in West.) ) So it is likely that their successive betrayals by this band are not from the cause of the "Curse", simply they chose the condition. Anyway, record was lost during the catalysm of fall of MSE, fire and sword stormed coastal area.

Eventually they fled to Great Waste and Underworld of Pent, there the Sorcerers Guild of Orathorn Immortals took in them, for a while, they worked for them and joined their secret strives near the underworld stream of Seolinthor, from that time, the custom began that all Grand Masters of this band kill their predecessors, and they well knew the godlearners all inflicted by terrible curse for their knowledge that was core of their doctrine, still their heroquest method to go safely Otherworld and beyond was useful and Orathorn adepts welcomed their strong martial prowess. Their aim was lost during their exile but their art survived. Scholar assistants turned into fanatics. And Pain Star appeared from Eastern Plain.

Sheng Seleris sought the power to oppose Dragon Emperor Godunya of Kralorela, trying to find such power among westrons, and found the help among Orathorn Sorcerers. Cosmic Explorers were enchanted by his power and teaching of Saka Morn Sect and Zho Lath Ehy, and Sheng taught them it seemed to be once lost knowledge of Circle of Reincarnation, in the destruction of Immanent Masters in War in Heaven. And they were Enlightened (similar to Illumination) and understood the nature of Burning Agony, later it became their band Guardian.

Bursts became their sponsors, and they got advantage greatly from this collaboration. Many members of the Band were replaced by pentian stock at that time. After Sheng was defeated in the battle of Kitor (1460), one by one his Bursts were killed by Lunar Empire. One of Bursts, Trianuf tried to rescue Sheng from Lunar Underworld with the help of Shargash's magic, but he was betrayed by another Burst, Turrog and eventually killed. Trianuf helped the escape of Cosmic Explorers. And he asked them to avenge the betrayal by Blood. The Grand Master at that time agreed and received Trianuf's bow.

Though many pentians chose to return their ancestral land and to bide their time, Explorers from minority group chose exile and not to pulled off their civilised garbs, trying to use it as a tool of concealment after the Night of Horror. (At that time, already almost all of Grand Masters are pentians) Their propaganda is End justifies Any Method, and they began to try the flaw of civilizations against its source. And they began to recollect their lost knowledge under tutelage of Burning Agony.

After Night of Horror (1506), First of 16th Century (1500 - ST?), they hid themselves among Ganesatarus Worshippers of Spolite Land, and sought to overthrow the Lunars from their root, but eventually they were betrayed by Taloned Countess and Sister's Army drove them to Dorastor.

In Middle 16th Century they went to Dorastor and studied Hidden Secret of Hellwood among Krjalki, about the Art of Betrayal, how they can catch the best time to betray their ally. But after all, Hellwood Krjalki betrayed them and tried to hand them to Red Emperor when 1580 ST, Lunar Caravan began to go around.

They went to Ralios and sought power from many Sects of Stygian Arkati. (1455 Ulianus conquered Felster Lake Area, but Vikard was overthrown in World Greatest Tournament 1511 ST) But finally they betrayed them for these sects are too fragmental, and easy target for their Krjalki arts to let them fight each other, after that, they realised Arkati secret was already lost during the Return to Righteous Crusade (734), and they sought their way to return their Oldest Home and getback Knowledge of Jrustela, now guarded by Sheng's Enlightenment.

They used their Arkat charm they learned from Ralians to befriend Vadeli Orange Guild (that was founded when Dormal opened the Closed Sea), and they sought their Worst Power of Oldest Demon Worshippers, their demonology. (1594 Oenriko Rock Battle) They found the lost Fragment in the abandoned library of Circle of Reincarnation (in nearly found the Godlearner Curse?), and stole Vadeli Shipyard and burned their hideout.

Allying secretly Waertagi and their advanced group first went to Kralorela while their Grand Master stuck to Jrustela. (Maybe at that time, they met Wolf Pirates and made contract with (one of?) Argrath.) And the group led by East Wing now leads the activity to rescue Sheng, their true Master, Painstar and Destroyer of Civilization in Lunar Hell in the Southern Provinces of Kralorela. Recently, local gangs under their web of system all wear blue cloth (though most of wearers don't know the nature of their master), and compared with Red scarf Sekeveran Tongs.

Hero Band Nature
Though they once followed Rune of Truth under Godlearners, they are now relying on power of Illusion and Death for its survival. (Lives of members are not important compared to their secret and aim.) But they still seek knowledge to use against its owner, they are people of ambivalence, for they understand well of Civilization and its cities, their aim is to destroy them and turned them into grassy plain. (This ambivalence must be absorbed by mental training including many paradox derived from Kralorela, but sometimes, outbursts of strain as exposed among members, like some cases of Lunar illumination.) Their homeland is Flaming Ridge of Pent, but scarcely has returned to the place.

For their great magical and war prowess, sometimes they are compared with Blue Moon Plateau Assassins and many enemies fell before them even if they found their true aim and nature. Their Guardian, Burning Agony is an aspect of Zho Lath Ehy (they think so) and taught them the doctrine of Selelan Empire, (Life is Slavery and Saka Morn Teaching of Meditation.) though their masters in Selelan Empire, Bursts are all killed and lost their true discipline, they seek the power to recover it.

Entry Requirement
Humanity only. Volunteers from Pentians are welcomed after strict tests (though some other castouts can be found among them like some Kralori and Carmanians), but this Hero Band has frequently moved internationally (recently, Grand Master and West Wing are in Jrustela and East Wing is in Kralorela.) So new entries are almost all selected from promising targets. Recently members are almost all immortals or hardbone veterans, so younger members are recruited.

Recruits must be hungry to knowledge and antisocial if they are once citizen of Kralorela or Lunar Empire or have fervent love to Selelan Age if he is Pentian, and only with great ability in Physics and Magic. Though they sometimes make contract with Chaos Monsters like Hellwood Krjalki, Chaos Feature is banned even if he is Enlightened for it is contrary to the teaching of Sheng Seleris, in same reason, Huan Too are prohibited.

Members all made oaths to follow their Grand Master to death, but exception is the period of Sacred Time, and almost all of Grand Masters were killed and followed by his successors at the Ritual of Hunter Hunted.

Disadvantage
Though they are notorious for strict insularity and secrecy, hightest ranks of Lunar Empire and Kralorela know their name as Worst type of terrorists, hunting them in any possible means and try to haul them into Pit where their master is tormented. Praxians and trolls don't know them but they are also likely to destroy them if they penetrate their disguise.

Allies all know they will betray their allies sooner or later, and try to take advantage as much as possible in the temporal alliance and to betray them before betrayed.

Triarchs
Traditionally, this sect has three categories to magic practitioners following Three Leaders, and all of members follows the leader who practices their one of Three, (Animism, Theism and Sorcery). Usually, One of Three leaders came to the position of Grand Master and others are his assistants, as West Wing and East Wing, reflecting the tradition of Seleran Empire. Burning Agony (Guardian) combines the power of Three Worlds into best weapon against the foes of the Band.

Important Members


Grand Master, Regent of Trianuf, Slave Master of Sheng Seleris
Iota Meninai (Pentian, Shaman)
He was very energetic man in his youth and many recent contracts and betrayals of this band are all performed by his lead, but recently lost his vagor tiring for many struggles from his old age though he has immortality, today he made contract with Argrath in Jrustela, but he realises that next Ritual of Hunter Hunted will be battle between he and West Wing in Kralorela, so he has delayed his embarkation untill he can make enough preparation.

Quite old and veteran of both many openfield battles and assassinations. He was originally from of Isalebao Clan in East Wind Tribes in Pent, but outlawed for he killed one of Redhair chieftains. From the Ritual of Hunter Hunted in 1542, he has been in leading post. He practices conjuration of many types of spirits aside from his contract with the Fire Spirit of Sheng, Hewga the Hot.

West Wing
Hednik Blacktongue (Spolite Carmanian, Sorcerer)
His uncle is one of Vampire Lords in Grey Mountain, though once he was a devout student of Carmanian Church, he was expelled from Church as a heretic for he insisted the perfect contradiction of Black and White Book of Carmanos and Lunar Creed. Now he is also an immortal and very strong sorcerer.

He has tried to prove his theory about the Supreme Power of Idovanus, by the proving the opposite existence, Leader of all Dark Lords, Absolute Evil. He has studied about Ganesatarus but felt frustration of incomplete list of demonology for Lunars destroyed it in Blood Kings War. Though he also studied about Chaos Army in Gods War and Wakboth in each traditions, still he thinks it is not enough for most of Chaos Pantheon list was destroyed in the Purge of Godlearners. Currently, he sought knowledge of Demon Lord of Vadeli, Dadamus in Orange Guild Library and he thinks he found the final key of his long study.

East Wing
Kan Wei One-Eyed (Kralori)
This Ambitious Man recently spent much of his time in Kralorela and its historical study. And he thinks he finally found the way to rescue Sheng from Underworld from one of Kralori hells. He loves to talk about the Saka Morn sect teaching with Larn Hasamadori local priests, Abbot of Innatists of Cold Fists is his opponent about argument, for Abomination of humanity is Civilization, sharing teatime.

Kan Wei thinks he is the successor of Current Grand Master after his many failures, but Kralori Grand Master of this band haven't appeared long since the days of Selelan Empire, he waits long for chance to kill him in the Ritual of Hunter Hunted in Sacred Time. He sacrificed one of his eyes to Atyar to see Middle World from Other Side. He is a priest of Sortumite Adparans like Bandan, Arlu, Herespur and Gebkeran.

Hero Band Secret
Bow of Trianuf: Each Grand Masters must travel to otherside in Secret Forest of Pentians. (No Large Wood Forest in Pent....David Dunham (Glorantha Con Compendium #4))

Starlight Horses: Already most band members forget the use of cavalry in the long wandering despite of many pentian members, but still the magic of conjuring Starlight horses is remembered among the high-position members....

Below is older fragment:

Cosmic Explorers
What is Object of Life? That is making and becoming Godhead and Herodom. We can creat them with Obedience and Devotion to their existence...Westerners said Heroes were merely a Tool for Welfare of Society, and Easterners called Heroes of Fame were unhappy because they are seriously enslaved with Chain of Reputation and Vice nothing before "Draconic Wisdom". They are wrong. Heros are created from Risk and Life. There is no shadow, there is no light, either.

True Object of Cosmic Explorers is returning back their beloved Khan of Khan, Sheng Seleris. He was terrible to his enemies and stern and justly punish disobedience to chosen leader, and generous to sincere and diligent supporters. There is no way to survive War of Judgement Jyhad without him. Because he was enslaved in the Mystical Hell of Heaven (Pit) unreachable with normal HeroQuesting, they always seek Special Method and Magic from Outsiders and run into Otherside. Sheng Seleris taught them how to understand Otherside as Annda (Anti God), they still used same method of Bursts, generals of Sheng.

(Later, they meet Argrarh Lightbringer and exchange Arts of HQ each other.)


Sun Worshipper Tribe 600,000
Storm Worshipper Tribe 200,000
North Pent 60,000
Orathorn 5,000

Uzhim 10,000
Uzko & Enlo? 35,000

Sheng Seleris Mystic of Zolathi, Zho Lath Ehy, Saka Morn School?
Dranz Goloi Greatkhan
Joloi Maskoss Shaman

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