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Jar-Eel the Razoress

Superhero and Inspiration of Moonson

Age: Ageless. You appear to be 25, but were born 44 years ago.
Career: Hero-Saint of the Lunar Empire
Religion: The Red Goddess
Culture: Pelandan
Disposition: Friendly and happy, clever and beautiful, holy and deadly

The Red Moon
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Gloranthan Folk Tales

Gloranthan Songbook

Moonie Madness

Carmanian Sources

Malkioni Scriptures

You can remember the day when you were born. The anxious faces, the priestesses chanting, the mirrored mosaics of the Sultan's palace. Your birth was the result of generations of planned breeding by the Eel-Ariash clan, to create the incarnation of the Red Goddess. You were blessed with grace, beauty, intelligence, and awareness of your divine destiny. You delighted in play and study, and loved to sing the praises of the Goddess. You were still a child when you heard the Emperor was organising a holy pilgrimage in arms to save the Lunar colonists of Arrolia. Though you knew the dangers of the Syndics Ban which entrapped them, you volunteered to lead the Legion of Infants on the Moonboat expedition to Eastpoint.

Your success might have made you arrogant and insensitive, but your mother Farangold saved you. She told you never to use your special abilities to make yourself better than other people or to make them feel useless. You knew you had to face up to your responsibilities. You travelled to Glamour to work with ordinary citizens. When you were not practising your combat skills, you wrote poetry for the Temple of Truth. The wry humour and pensive wit revealed in your verses made you popular and brought cheer to the citizens.

The magic powers which brought about your birth meant that you matured much more quickly than most people. Although you had only lived for eleven years, you were already an adult when the Emperor Reclusus died. The True Emperor, Ignifer, was forced to confront rival Proxies to take the throne. It was time for you to fight for your beliefs. The grateful Emperor appointed you to command in one of the Imperial Guard Regiments traditionally held by your family.

You were at the forefront of the war against Sartar. Three years later, you led the Imperial Bodyguard up the cliff face to capture the capital, Boldhome. Later, you arranged the capture and spiritual dismemberment of the Pharaoh of Kethaela, earning the sobriquet "The Razoress".

Then you heard that a slave revolt had broken out at home. Beat-Pot Aelwrin had plundered the Holy Frantic Ground and raped the dowager Priest-Mother. You defeated him and suppressed the revolt, but more importantly resolved to convert this terrible enemy. After long private hours of persuasive argument, he recanted his rebellion. He fell to his knees and acclaimed you as his Goddess. He is now High-Priest of your own Moonsword Cult, and your best friend.

Although you are universally renowned for your military ability, you have always avoided unnecessary violence. You engaged in constructive dialogue with the Keepers of the White Moon. You had almost persuaded them to return to the Lunar Way when you were called to confront the Pentan nomads. You gained recognition as Hero and Saint of the Empire by defeating Dranz Goloi, the King of the Wings, in single combat two years ago.

In your adventures over the past seven years, you have proven yourself a super-hero in all matters in the magical and material worlds. You have now returned to Glamour specifically to resume your debate with the Keepers of the White Moon.

There is not a subject of the Empire who does not revere you as the perfect embodiment of the Lunar Way. You strive to be worthy of the trust they place in you.


Background

The City States of Pelanda

You were born in one of the Pelandan city-states of the Oronin Valley. This green and fertile land was once the birth-place of agriculture and civilisation, and has been cultivated and civilised since before Time began. Pelandan culture and religion are the envy of the world, which has had unfortunate results for your people in the past. Your disunited city-states have been ruled by Dara Happa, Spol, and Carmania, before the liberation of the Lunar Way.

The Pelandans enjoy a cultured, gentle and wise reputation, and are admired for their advances in every branch of learning: in warfare, architecture and poetry alike. Many of the loftiest ideals now embraced by the Lunar Empire represent the rebirth in modern times of the ancient virtues of your homeland.

The Red Goddess

You are a devotee of the Red Goddess, the spiritual head of the Lunar religion.

She exemplifies all which the Lunar Way teaches. She is the goddess of freedom and tolerance. She teaches how to perceive, how to make judgements, and how to maintain balance. She urges individual experimentation to discover meaning in the world, and also supports public formalisation of those new discoveries as hero cults so that others can share the knowledge.

Her son, the immortal Red Emperor, rules her secular domain.

Being a Superhero

You are a superhero. You are one of a tiny handful of men and women in Glorantha with powers to match the gods themselves. But with great power comes great responsibility, Your very actions have a mythic importance, embodying the hopes and aspirations of your society.

You are an inspiration to millions of Lunar Citizens, many of whom worship you as a goddess, and must act accordingly. You must seek always for the Good, to right wrongs and defend the innocent, without fear or hesitation.

Wherever Evil rears its head you must strike for Truth, Justice and the Lunar Way!

Reincarnations and Inspirations

The Red Goddess was born in 1220 at Blessed Torang. 27 years later she ascended into the air as the Red Moon. However, her apotheosis sent ripples through the Web of Time by which she has manifested at different times and places. Thus she was Lesilla in ancient Darsen, Gerra in Old Carmania, Natha in Naveria and Rashorana before Time began.

Similarly, she has manifested herself in subsequent times. These incarnations, the Inspirations of Moonson, include the Spirit of the City of Glamour, Yara Aranis the demon who drove back the nomads, and your ancestor Hon-Eel the Artess, who manipulated reality through her Dances.

You are the Fourth Inspiration of Moonson, an incarnation of the Goddess when she was still a human. It may be your destiny to achieve godhead or to show in your life the Way of the Goddess on the surface world.

 

Objectives

Personal

  1. Never make non-superheroes feel small or useless. Show that you value their skills and opinions.

  2. Love, physical love, is one of the finest expressions of the Way of the Goddess. Discretely reveal this to men who take your fancy.

  3. Write and perform some poetry to show the beauty of the Lunar Way.

  4. Several visiting ambassadors will be in Glamour for sacred Time. Greet them all personally and make them feel at home. The guest list at present includes Squire Flint of Thrice Blessed, Orgrol of the Char-Un, Varnaro of Riverjoin, and Amora of Zoria.

Career

  1. Live up to your role as a Superhero. Serve the Empire loyally and to the best of your ability.

  2. Find the demonic Moon Child and kill it before it becomes too powerful. The Chronomancers have revealed that the Moon Child, prophesied by Kana Poor the Scribe of Time to become the Monster Emperor, has either just been born or is about to be born. Moonson has told you that as the future is never fixed, it should be possible to discover the Moon Child before it gains its unholy strength and kill it.

  3. Find the assassins of the mask Ignifer and discover if their motives were pure or self-serving. In the latter case seek vengeance for your patron.

Religious

  1. Ensure the Empire maintains its vigour in the conflict against Sartar and the forces of Storm.

  2. Defeat the revolutionary movement of the White Moon peacefully by showing them the errors of their views. Try to meet the Keepers of the White Moon in person.

  3. It is not generally known that you are the incarnation of the Red Goddess, nor do you wish it to be. If, however, others claim to be speaking on her behalf, you must put them right.

Who You Know

Personal Acquaintances

Beat-Pot Aelwrin, Commander of the Imperial Guard. Your best friend and lover. He once led a rebellion against the Empire, but you confronted him and showed him the errors of his ways. He is now High Priest of your Moonsword sub-cult.

Moonson Argenteus, the Red Emperor: Your colleague in spreading the Lunar Way.

Senator Paulis Longvale, author & famous wit: This charming young man beguiled you at a recent state banquet. It was only the annoying presence of Beatpot Aelwrin which stopped you from inviting him back to your villa.

The Red Dancer of Power: Chief Missionary of the Lunar Way. You have much in common with the Dancer. She also controls the Empire's trade.

Varnaro of Riverjoin: You met this woman forty years or so ago when you led the Legion of Infants and she was High Priestess of the Red Moon in Riverjoin in Arrolia. As you recall, she used to believe that the Empire had been a dead force for the last century and would not accept its rule. Perhaps she has changed?

Through your Career

Murad Iznik, the Red General: Often known as "The Red Admiral" from when he held that post. He now commands both the Red Army and Navy.

Bellex Maximus, the Imperial Warlord: The chief General of the Empire.

Grandmaster Orsorkhon of the Secret Police: He is the leader of the Danfive Xaron cult. You hear that he has been actively pursuing the Keepers of the White Moon though a Truth Commission. He has put many of them to death. This is sheer folly! They will become martyrs to their cause and make the problem worse!

Marshal Volkhovos of Military Intelligence: You would be happier if his Assassins were deployed less frequently.

Geilbonus the Sycophant, Speaker of the Imperial Senate: A revered old statesman.

Sitzmag Redmoon, Captain of the Antelope Lancers: in Pent he commanded a spirited rearguard action against Dranz Goloi, the King of the Wings, that gave you time to gather your forces and defeat Dranz in one-to-one combat.

Through your Religion

Deneskerva, the Great Sister: The Goddess is strong in her. Her role is to counterbalance her brother the Red Emperor. At the moment she does this by upholding the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Prince Pardidas, Satrap of Sylila: It was via his sister, Gerra (an NPC), that you corresponded with the Keepers of the White Moon. You must ask her to help you again.

Your Family

Var-Eel, Satrap of Oronin: Your uncle. You love him, but he constantly demanded that you be loyal to the Eel-ariash clan first of all. You cannot do this, the Empire comes first. The last time you met him you and he argued, and you have not spoken to each other since - that was two years ago.

Sor-Eel the Short, son of Var-eel: He was removed from his post as governor of Prax in 1621 for unspecified reasons. Now he is seeking to regain his rank and position. Perhaps you could appease your uncle's demands by helping his son gain a position of influence? You are much friendlier with Sor-eel, and he does get on well with Beatpot.

 

Other Knowledge

Beatpot's Moonrock Café is a chain of fashionable eating houses based upon the culinary genius of Beatpot Aelwrin, the notorious rebel slave turned loyal soldier of the Empire. These establishments are noted for their garish decor (usually celebrating Jar-eel the Razoress) and ostentatious exteriors (complete with a glowing and revolving Red Moon). They have spread from the original restaurant in Dragon Pass (now closed) into the Empire. The flagship restaurant is in Glamour, and often boasts the presence of Beatpot Aelwrin himself in it's kitchens.

Unfortunately, the restaurants have recently come under attack from some elements of the religious establishment who regard the restaurant's concept and execution as blasphemous and disrespectful to Rufelza.

The White Moon is a teaching which has grown up from nowhere in recent years. It holds that it was never the intention of the Red Goddess to create an enduring Empire. The Empire was a means to an end, to confront those states which violently opposed the Lunar Way to allow the liberation of their peoples. Since the days of the First Wane, the Empire has become a self-serving structure, its expansion never matching the speed at which the Lunar Way first spread. The White Moon Cult holds that the Red Moon is not yet perfect. The Empire must wither away. Then, and only then, will the Lunar Way be able to spread throughout Glorantha and the Moon shine White in the Air. From a fringe, harmless teaching, the cult has spread. Its devotees refuse to pay taxes or serve in the militia. They have now taken to attacks on Imperial Monopolies, tax collectors and so forth.

The Seven Year Plan is the mechanism by which the major food and raw material requirements of the Empire are centrally planned and provided for. At the beginning of each seven year period every sultanate and province agrees to quotas of important foodstuffs and other raw materials and goods which they must achieve over a seven year period.

A seven year plan has just ended and each of the sultanates and provinces will be audited this a sacred time on their results. Success is usually the route to promotion and Imperial favour, while failure is a sure road to political humiliation.

 


Secrets

  • Jar-Eel is the Incarnation of the Red Goddess.

  • Jar-Eel has several lovers, unknown to her friend Aelwrin.

  • Jar-Eel has secretly contacted the Keepers of the White Moon via the sister of Prince Pardidas.

  • Jar-Eel has not spoken to her uncle for two years.

  • Jar-Eel is seeking the Evil Moon Child so it can be killed and the Dark Emperor stopped.

Special Items

  • My Song, a magical harp

  • Moon Dancer, a paralysing sword

  • A glowing red necklace
 

The Prophesy of the Dark Emperor

Behold, a child shall be born, who shall be called the Moon Child. On its forehead will be the Runes of Life and Chaos and the Moon. There shall be a time of Great Tribulation. The Red Emperor shall truly die, and there will be great wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the Moon Child shall come from the North, and take the three-pronged crown. It shall sit upon the pearl throne and be called the White Emperor. Yet Its true name shall be Wakboth the Devil. Every 600 years It comes, until It is destroyed. Its Empire shall be called the Monster Empire. Anyone with compassion will be seen as a willing victim. The Ice will come, and It will laugh. It will smear the people of Peloria like jelly. It will decorate Its crown with the living bodies of a thousand high priests and priestesses, each of which served a god of some unthinkable vice, corruption, perversion or mutation. It shall give Rule to Ragnaglar the Mad, to Thed Mother of Foulness and Malia Mistress of Disease, Its Unholy parents. Its eyes will be evil. It will excrete filth from Its visage. It will poison existence with Its very being!

 

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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 Jar-Eel the Razoress was Chris Gidlow.

Glorantha, HeroQuest, Hero Wars, and Issaries are trademarks of Issaries, Inc. The contents of this page are copyright by Chris Gidlow, 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.

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