Visitor's Guide to Four Empires
Quote:
Welcome to our Empire! Foreign Visitors! Try to study Our Most Sophisticated
Culture!
Thanks for advices of Peter Metcalph, Keith Nellist and Nils Weinander:
See Map of Second Age Glorantha
Analysis of Second Age Glorantha:
Glorantha has experienced several great cataclysm and these have changed
geography, but while many of Cataclysm in RW occured for the upheavals
of physical clash in the structure of natural sources, Glorantha sometimes
hinted these disasters caused by for the commitment of mass magic of Large
Community that is possible only for modern society in Real World, or personified
Will (even most "sceptical" idealist to realism of personified
Other World Entities like Malkioni and Mostali admitted these nature of
phenomena is possible to observe.) called as Spirits, Gods by some communities.
(After Debate with Greg Stafford, he admitted "natural" cataclysm
without intention of Personified Will is rarer than RW, when I mentioned
Change of Course of Yellow River in Real World.)
Second Age is special for Declining of Elder Races for their hostility
to other elder races and High Oriented Society of Human organized a system
which could use a method of Magic which is impossible for the denizens
of other eras.
If the theory appeared in Kralorela Article in "Genertela Book",
"Magic is gradually have declined since God Age." is true, we
should consider it as a excuse why 2nd Age Imperialists have used many
showy performances for constructing their society, As far as I know, even
some of Godlearners took prophecy of Hero Wars as a sign of Catastrophy
which would succeed after them. And maybe they wanted to check the progress
of this process. I don't know the Role of Mysticism in this situation,
please Read in the article of Eurmal in Storm Tribe, "Illusion in
Glorantha". (But this analysis is false after all.) If Mystics actively
supported the process of Weaken the Magic, they could fulfill roles of
Terrorist to other Nations.
Seafaring:
Before Closing, some of great Naval Power controlled the Ocean of Glorantha,
greatest force was of course Waertagi, but Mokatans also have long History
of Sailing As far as I know in Missing Lands and Eastern Mythology Documents
which Greg Stafford recently invented. And Errinoru is most famous Seafaring
Inhuman Hero...unless "Legendary Hero of Elf Sea" admiral is
merely a obscure idea of Peter Metcalph.
Coastlines:
Most of Cataclysm and Change is derived from the shortsighted experiments
of God Learners. AFAIK, some of change of Geography have showed by the
Uz Lore Handbook Obscure Maps of Genertela. And later, some fragments of
Greg Stafford's Handscripts and others showed more detailed maps of Seshnela,
Slontos and Jrustela. But IIRC, other spots of Disasters such like Brithos
and Kralorela still hid in the Brain of Great Shaman Trickster Arkati.
Seshnela: Political Center of Godlearner Empire. Detailed Map of 2nd Age
is put on the "Sog City Visitors Guide 7nd Ecclesiastical Council"
. (I can't recall the accurate name of this Live Action Role Playing booklet.
I read it in the office of Issaries.) Luatha destroyed this Peninsula by
Magical Ritual, see History of Seshnelan Kings in Issaries Site.
Fronela: There was no mentions about the geographycal Change in the History
after the Dawn, but Uz Lore Maps hinted Loskalm added or reclaimed the
each of Peninsula surrounding Ozur Bay without mentioning, I think that
is occured during Syndics Ban.
Slontos: Greg Stafford have posted Handwriting Precise Map recently in
Issaries Website and AFAIK still available. The reason of Destruction and
Sunk of Protectrates is equivocal, but most strong theory is caused by
the blasphemy of Trickster synthetic Temple set upon somewhere of Slontos,
Eurmal was called Hofhalados the Nonwise. (I should mention one center
of Godlearnized Caladra & Aurelion existed in Slontos.)
Jrustela: Religious Origin of Godlearner Movement, the conglomerate of
City States firstly discovered the miracle of Abiding Book, and led the
shaping (and Dooming) Malkioni History after that. Steve Lieb drew very
beautiful map (I think by the guidance of Greg Stafford.) for Jrustela
as Mystical Age Maps (Hero Plane Maps). AFAIK, Waertagi revenged Jrustela
with this attack. And after this victory, "Betrayal of Zzabur"
Closing struck them too, and they lost most of their power after that.
Brithos: The Greatest Change started from this Island, the Remnant of Kingdom
of Logic Danmalastan, if Survivors of Aloranit speak truth, Zzabur himself
cast the Closing Curse over Oceans and shifted his Island to Somewhere
of Hidden Place in otherside. If I remember correctly, Old Trade Island
is located on the bay of Mainland of Brithos and still existed on the mouth
of Foggy Magical Sea Area of Brithos. There is no detailed Map of this
Age, as far as I know.
Kralorela: Least Developed Land which conquered by a sect or ally of God
Learners. NDR (FDR) eventually it showed the collapse from the consequence
of shortsighted experiments of Godlearners as other areas, uniqueness of
Kralorela appeared. Enlargement of Suam Chaw and Earth Dragon Shudder is
hinted in some fragments as a cataclysm of Great geographycal Change. But
Maps of Uz Lore only caught the change between 1st Age and 2nd Age. In
that map, Suam Chow (Inland Sea of Kralorela appeared after the Dawn Age.
Maybe that is merely a mistake without enough speculations.
Aside from Godlearners, some of Experiments and Backlash of other Empires
(such as Poison of Errinoru which absorbed some Parts of Wall of Balumbasta,
Awakening of True Dragons during Dragonkill) also changed the geography
of Glorantha.
North
EWF as known as Empire of Wyrm's Friends or Empire without Friends
West
Middle Sea Empire (MSE) as known as God Learner Empire
East
East Sea Empire (ESE), Golden Empire of Mokato
South
Errinoru Elven Empire
Gloranthan Explorers in 2nd Age
Independent Powers and Old Day traditionalists
If you want to know more about Second Age, maybe you can participate in
the Convulsion Program 2002, "Paps 831"Try to contact Keith Nellist.
And see also David Dunham's Site, Geographical Index of Glorantha.