Artaphaestos: Ambassador to the Arrolian Colonies

	Reaching Moon Megacorp's Life of Moonson Artaphaestos Ambassador to the Arrolian Colonies	Age: 35 Career: Government Religion: Yanafal Tarnils Culture: Carmanian Disposition: Ambitious, confident, outgoing
Return to Home Page Gloranthan Folk Tales Gloranthan Songbook Moonie Madness Life of Moonson Carmanian Sources Malkioni Scriptures	You are the scion of the Carmanian lords of Jhor, a descendent of Aronius Jaranthir, who converted the West Reaches to the Lunar Way. As a junior officer, you distinguished yourself in the Red Army, attracting the Red Emperor's personal attention. Changing careers, you rose rapidly through the ranks of his palace Bureaucracy until you won the appointment you had always dreamed of, as Ambassador to the Arrolian Colonies. You always felt that the future of the Empire lies not in the primitive North, the nomadic East or the barbarian South, but in the civilised lands of the West. The present wars in the South are a draining waste of the Empire's manpower and resources: there is nothing there worth the effort of taking and holding it. Petty conflicts have been protracted for whole Wanes, solely to please the vanity of the half-civilised Kings of Tarsh. Who cares about the squabbling of savages and cattle-thieves, when there are whole Empires to be won elsewhere? You expressed these views to Moonson himself in an unguarded moment at a palace orgy. To your delight, he agreed whole-heartedly, and told you that in all his incarnations he dreams of expanding Westwards, bringing the refugee colonies of Arrolia back into the Imperial fold and shining the Red Moon's Unearthly Light over the distant lands whence your Carmanian forefathers came. To show his faith and confidence in you, he assigned you to undertake the journey down the beautiful blue Janube to the distant sundered colonies of Arrolia. Your successful negotiations caused the Arrolians to accept you as their Satrap. To win this rank, however, you promised military assistance that you have been unable to deliver. Though you have employed the crack assault troops of the Full Moon Corps in Arrolia, a recent Moon Boat crash has cost you all of these troops. They are known as the "Immortals", and will return to active service from the Moon, but you will need the help of a Priestess of the Red Moon to summon them back to duty. You are also eager to learn why the Red General has not sent you the Malachite Phalanx, as he promised you. You have returned to the Heartlands to be confirmed in your office by the Court of the Silver Gate and to secure the reinforcements you need. As you travelled through Carmania, you heard that your father, the Count of Jhor, has recently died in suspicious circumstances. You must act fast to secure your inheritance!	Background The Great Houses of Carmania You are descended from one of the ancient noble houses of Carmania, rulers of the Empire that was overthrown at the rise of the Red Moon. The Carmanians have proud and austere traditions, holding themselves aloof from those of lesser birth and following the rituals of noble life from their ancestral strongholds in the West Reaches. Every Carmanian is born into a Great House, a secretive and insular bloodline preserving antiquated traditions of rule. Though they may appear paranoid to outsiders, you know that the rivalries between the houses can be intense and deadly, erupting at times into ruthless campaigns of assassination and terrorism aimed at the utter destruction of opposing families. The Imperial Governor of the West Reaches is Palamtales, who strives to mediate between the Great Houses from his court at Kitor. The Comrades of Yanafal Tarnils You are a devotee of Yanafal Tarnils, Lunar God of War. Yanafal Tarnils was one of the Seven Mothers, and his cult defines how the perfect Lunar soldier should behave. Most of his worshippers are career officers in the Red Army; the Scimitars of Yanafal are heroes of the Empire. The followers of Yanafal Tarnils are honourable men, known to one another as Comrades of Yanafal; you address each other as 'Comrade General,' 'Comrade Satrap,' etc. You pride yourself on your skill with the scimitar, the sacred weapon of the cult, and are happy to resolve disputes over matters of honour by duelling. The High Priest of the Cult of Yanafal Tarnils is Bellex Maximus, the Imperial Warlord. The Imperial Government You have followed a career in the Imperial Government. Young men of good family study to pass the exams which will win them appointment to junior secretarial posts. Success brings promotion, at first to roving assignments, then to the Imperial Senate, and finally to a governorship in one of the Empire's outlying provinces. It is in the corridors of power that the fate of the Empire is determined. The Chamberlain of the Imperial Household is Mikos Thiokonos, a devoted servant of Moonson.
	The Arrolian Venture The Arrolian Colonies lie in the distant West: although settled by Lunar refugees two centuries ago, until now they have not been a part of the Empire. Seven years ago, you led a diplomatic mission down the Janube River to the long-lost Arrolian colonies. The mission succeeded: the Arrolian colonies (now formed into a Confederacy) were being hard-pressed by an enemy kingdom, and were militarily weak, with defensive forces only. You were able to deploy the elite assault troops of the Full Moon Corps to assist the Arrolians, and with their decisive inter-vention, a key battle was won. The leader of the Arrolian Confederacy, an ancient priestess named Varnaro, awarded you the title of Satrap of Arrolia in recognition of your military prowess. A force of Lunar military advisors was then sent to help the people of the Arrolian Confederacy against their foes, creating a buffer zone between the Confederacy and its enemies. They were based at the city of Eastpoint, a thousand miles beyond the Glowline. You were frustrated, however, at your inability to gain the regiment-strength reinforcements you constantly requested: your appeals must have been blocked by political enemies at home. One of your Captains, Sitzmag Redmoon, reports that the Mask of Bellex Maximus has recently changed wearers: he says he is on the best possible terms with the new Mask, and is sure he can intercede with him to bail out the Arrolians. You sent him back to Glamour with this in mind. One of the Moon Boats assigned to the Arrolian Expedition recently crashed in calm weather, killing a hundred Full Moon Corpsmen. The investigation into the crash found that the Moon Boat, from the shipyards of Haranshold in Darjiin, was built with sub-standard materials...
	Objectives Personal Secure your inheritance as Count of Jhor, and learn more about your father's death. You have played a leading part in the expansion of the Empire, and want everyone to know it, especially the boneheads of the Red Army's high command. Ensure news of the Moon Boat crash does not get out and embarrass you. Increase your personal political power by seeking new offices, but only those that do not require you remain away from your western satrapy. Career Get an audience with Moonson and have him confirm you as Satrap of Arrolia. Failing that get the Imperial Senate, Presidium, and/or the Court of the Silver Gate to confirm you. Build up support for further westward expansion. If you can get Great Sister's blessing for the project it would be a great coup. Secure the reinforcements you need to defend your Arrolian subjects against their enemies: the Full Moon Corps and the Malachite Phalanx, or two other regiments of equivalent strength. Religious Find a priest or magician to summon the Full Moon Corps back from the Red Moon. Get the backing of the religious hierarchy for a new Lunar religious crusade in the West to bring the word of the Goddess to the inhabitants. You will need a high profile religious leader to agree to go there, and at least 10 influence paid to the CPS Director to finance the missionaries. Ensure that Moonson declares the next year to be a Red (Full) Moon Year. Expansion westward will be easier if all is well within the Empire.	Who You Know Personal Acquaintances Mikos Thiokonos, Chamberlain of the Imperial Household: a self-serving creep if ever you met one. Worse, this man has the ear of the Emperor and never lets you forget it! Jubba the Hood, Imperial Official: as much a help to you in Glamour as Mikos is a hindrance. You wonder why he has not advanced as far as he might have, given his unquestionable superior powers. It is Jubba who assisted you in you first getting an audience with Moonson. Sitzmag Redmoon, Captain of the Antelope Lancers: a very competent military advisor who was recently seconded to your military mission. It was he who led an investigation into the Moonboat crash - does he realise how confidential this information is? Through your Career Murad Iznik, General of the Red Army: he has been very supportive of your wish to expand in the West. Recently he did solemnly promise more reinforcements, but as yet has failed to honour this promise. You must confront him. Varnaro of Riverjoin, Matriarch of the Arrolian Confederation [NPC]: this old witch still has great influence over the Arrolian Confederation, and could be the biggest thorn in your side. You will have to deal with her, one way or another, to realise your ambitions for the region. Through your Religion Beat-Pot Aelwrin, Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard: utterly typical of the Red Army, this barbarian ex-slave is now a General, and devotes himself to furthering the pointless wars in the South. Sor-Eel the Short, former Count of Prax: this man failed in his assignment as Count of Prax, showing the futility of expanding into the desert lands of the East.
	Other Knowledge The Full Moon Corps is a military unit of crack assault troops, every member of which possesses the fighting prowess of a demigod. They are absolutely fearless in battle, knowing that any man who dies will unfailingly be reborn with the next Full Moon. For this reason, they are sometimes known as the Immortals. The Moonboats are magical aerial craft, propelled by the moonlight. Within the Empire, they are used for rapid transport of troops and supplies. Their use beyond the Glowline is more limited, as the cyclical phases of the Moon and the untamed forces of Storm can leave them grounded or even damaged. The Malachite Phalanx is a Heartland Corps regiment of a thousand Lunar hoplites. These troops were assigned for deployment into Arrolia in support of your mission, but their commander has refused to reinforce you, probably reflecting the old grudges of the Red Army's high command. The Brass Mines of Kitor have been the mainstay of Jhor's income for generations. The income they generate is divided into three equal parts: one part goes to the Count, one to the Governor of the West Reaches, and the third to the Red Emperor. You suspect your father was paying over less than the full amount, profiting from the undeclared income. The Court of the Silver Gate is a council of Satraps of the Empire. It meets infrequently, and can have great influence in determining the course of the Empire's destiny. The members of the Court of the Silver Gate are: Gul-Taran, Satrap of First Blessed Haroun al-Rastari, Satrap of Karasal Moonson, Satrap of Silver Shadow Makkrit-Oor, Satrap of Darjiin Rhaffa Khan, Satrap of Kostaddi Var-Eel, Satrap of Oronin Prince Pardidas, Satrap of Sylila Queen Penelori, Satrap of Oraya You are, of course, entitled to a place in the Court of the Silver Gate as the first Satrap of Arrolia. The Satrap of Doblian will also have a place, when one is appointed. Facing the Music: Your family prides itself on having remained in Carmania to face the horse nomad invasions of two centuries ago, when others, turning their backs on their Lunar heritage, fled to the West with the Arrolian Migrations. The Crimson Bat is a monstrous Chaotic demon, the Empire's ultimate deterrent. Once unleashed, it devours all who oppose it, a terrifying weapon of atrocity which has greatly aided the peace-making efforts of the Red Army. The Chief Feeder of the Crimson Bat controls this demon, taking orders from the Director of the Field School of the Lunar College of Magic.	Secrets Artaphaestos' father, the Count of Jhor, died recently in mysterious circumstances. Artaphaestos leads a Lunar Army mission in Arrolia. The Full Moon Corps were involved in a Moonboat crash deep in Arrolia. Artaphaestos is the rightful Satrap of Arrolia. Varnaro was seeking the White Moon Child, who has been born or will be born soon.
	Reaching Moon Megacorp's Life of Moonson was written by Nick Brooke, Chris Gidlow,David Hall and Kevin Jacklin, with Rick Meints and MOB. The lead author for Artaphaestos was Nick Brooke. Glorantha, HeroQuest, Hero Wars, and Issaries are trademarks of Issaries, Inc. The contents of this page are copyright by Nick Brooke , 2001; any material derived from Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha is also copyright by Greg Stafford. Glorantha is the creation of Greg Stafford, and is used with his permission.