Orgrol the Fat: Duke of the Spear, King of the Char-Un, Lord of Erigia

	Reaching Moon Megacorp's Life of Moonson Orgrol the Fat Duke of the Spear, King of the Char-Un, Lord of Erigia	Age: 73 Career: King Religion: Yelm, Char-Un the Butcher Culture: Char-Un Disposition: Gross and corrupt
Return to Home Page Gloranthan Folk Tales Gloranthan Songbook Moonie Madness Life of Moonson Carmanian Sources Malkioni Scriptures	You are an immensely fat, corrupt ally of the Red Emperor. It takes a four-horse palanquin to carry you around. Once a famous warrior, you are now a gross and degenerate old man. Yelm shone blood-red in the sky from dawn to dusk on the day that you were born, a portent of your great destiny. You killed your first enemy at the age of eight. Your clan, the Yuzupovski, was poor. You were still living in your mother's yurt when you stole your first horses from a neighbouring clan. You still chuckle as you remember burning their yurts, and shooting everyone who emerged. When you became a warrior, you challenged your enemies to single combat. You killed three in one day, then seven in the next. They were weak, and you took their women. That season, they were recruiting for the Lunar Empire, and you volunteered immediately. For the first time you saw the world outside the steppes. A world of weaklings, with horses and gold just for the taking. You ravaged Dragon Pass, fighting at the Battle of Grizzly Peak, when the King of Sartar was slain. When you caught the Feathered Horse Queen, you were granted an audience with the Red Emperor and the title "Lord of the Spear". You returned to Erigia in triumph, with horses to make the Yuzupovski one of the most powerful clans. It was time to consolidate, building alliances and using all the tricks of diplomacy and treachery you had learned from the Lunars. Those were glory days, raiding the Thrice Blessed, burning the villages of Spol, and challenging the Rathori Bear people. When the empire next called for aid against the Sartarite scum, you commanded the Char-Un Cossack Regiment. Your timely arrival at Caroman village, brought to the rear of the Sartarites by a traitor, turned the tide of the battle and secured the conquest of Sartar. Shortly before his death, the Emperor Ignifer raised you to the rank of Count of the Spear, with access to the City of Dreams, an almost unheard-of honour to one not of pure Lunar Blood. After the Building Wall Battle, you returned to Erigia to drive back the Rathori. Your acclamation as Hetman was followed by your first Heroquest, when you confronted the Rathori Hero Harrek the Berserk. You still bear the scars of his claws, as he has the burns from your Spear. The way was clear for the unification of the Char-Un under your rule. The clans fell in behind you. Hetmen who resisted where challenged to single combat and despatched. Eighteen years ago you set up your great Yurt, embroidered with gold and silver, to receive the homage of all the Char-Un nation, to be acclaimed as King. Now it was time to live like Royalty. You visited the Emperor's Court. The new Mask was much friendlier, happy to lavish wealth on you in return for your loyal support. Following his lead, you ordered an annual tribute of bed-mates, horses, food, silver and gold. You resolved to eat heartily and put aside your memories of want. One roast horse a day failed to satisfy. Now the finest joints and steaks from four fat stallions are the least you can expect. You have the raw steaks chewed to tenderness by your wives. Your monstrous frame is bathed daily in mare's milk, licked off by some of your 294 concubines, who dry you with their hair.	Background The Char-Un The Char-Un are Pent Nomads. You ride and herd only horses, considering other animals to be abominations. Families live in domed felt tents, called Yurts. Your land of Erigia is a wide steppe grassland, once a conifer forest which your ancestors destroyed with the massive Skyburn spell. The Char-Un were converted by the Red Goddess herself, but in spite of their loyal service, they were cheated out of their homeland by the Emperor and given Erigia in return. Subsequently, the Char-Un have been known to fight against the Empire, since you respect only the strong. Yelm and Char-Un You are a devotee of the cult of Yelm the Sun, which prescribes the ideals of manhood. It is for men to lead, and for women to bear sons. Men must care for their horses and for their women. You trace your kinship back to Char-Un, the tribal founder, whose worship unites the nation. Char-Un taught the harsh survival code of his people: To be strong is to survive. To be weak is to die and to provide for the strong. Pity, Mercy, Compassion, these are words only for city dwellers. In your language there is but one word to translate them "Weakness". If a foal is weak, it is killed then stripped of all usable material lest it weaken the whole herd. Thus it is in all aspects of life. Such is the way of Char-Un the Butcher! Rule of the Char-Un The Char-Un follow traditional tribal organisation. You were a boy, tended by your mother until age 14, when you become a rider. Riders are initiated as Warriors around 23, when they may engage in close melee and accept challenges to single combat. They can become Hetmen about the age of 43, Khans at 50 and Elders at 55. You are advised by a council of the elders. Wisdom, experience, magical power and above all military prowess are all respected. No dissent is permitted from your policy. The Char-Un must be united!
	Objectives Personal You must make as much money and treasure as you can, both for yourself and your people. Go to Glamour to eat the best food and debauch yourself. Mikos Thiokonos claims to be able to supply everything imaginable for your delight. Test him on this boast. You must have gin to drink. Keep up your supplies! Tell everyone long stories about your glorious career to date. Career You are Orgrol the Fat, Duke of the Spear and King of the Char-Un! Make sure that everyone knows this and treats you with the respect you deserve. The Char-Un are working on a breeding programme to produce winged horses. Once the Char-Un are airborne, they will be able to cross the Sweet Sea. Your mare needs a stallion to mate with. Find some magical support for this goal. Your land is on the border of Valind's Glacier. If it advances, your lands will be covered in ice. Prevent this or have Moonson grant your nomadic people richer pastures in the south. Religious If you decide the Char-Un Horde should move Southwest, you will need a religious figure to procure a new Sky or Moon-burn to defoliate a stretch of the Rathorela Forest. You see the Lunar Way as a culmination of your own, Yelmite, religion. It offends you when ideas of weakness, protection for the poor and rights for women are grafted onto your religious beliefs. Ensure that this does not happen. Have yourself declared a Hero-Saint of the Lunar Empire. Your glorious deeds demand this!	Who You Know Personal Acquaintances Commodus the Fair, Governor of the Redlands: a charming and fun fellow who is Moonson's current favourite. He helps you to find gin. Didius Copernicus, Dean of the Field School of Magic: another of Moonson's regular party-goers. You find him a bore and his magic tricks rude distractions from your wonderful stories. Moonson, the Red Emperor: Your ally. You and he are two of a kind. You have been friends and allies through many years and several masks. Of all the masks, this one is the most fun. His parties are legendary. The Red Dancer of Power: chief Missionary of the Lunar Way. A fine looking filly. Good for paying bribes. Mikos Thiokonos, the Imperial Chamberlain: Organises the Emperor's parties. Go to him for requests for exotic food-stuffs and practices. Hetman Ignatieff, Warlord of the Char-un: He served with distinction in the Lunar army, and was part of your forces in the Rathori Wars and against Salinarg's rebellion. He really came to your notice for his zeal in destroying your enemies in your campaign to become King. When he retired from the Army, you appointed him your military commander. Like all Char-Un Khans, he is fanatically devoted to you. Through your Career Murad Iznik, "The Red Admiral": Commands the Icebreakers which keep your lands free of Ice. Grand Master Orsorkhon of the Secret Police: He often employs your men to crush dissent. Excellent. Marshal Volkhovos of Military Intelligence: A brutal murderer, worthy to be a Char-Un. Jar-Eel the Razoress, the Superhero: What fine flanks! If you were younger, she would serve as your concubine. Haroun al-Rastari, the Sultan of Karasal: He rules the lands to the South of yours. You have made many a corrupt deal with him over the years, including one by which gin is sold to the Char-Un at a discount (and you get a free supply) in return for the Char-un not attacking Karasal. Great Sister, Daughter of the Red Goddess: A military commander on the borders of your land.
	Other Knowledge 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. The Icebreakers are enchanted vessels which carry the Kalikos Icebreaker missions across the White Sea to face the ice demons of Valind's Glacier and keep the Lunar Heartlands fertile and free of bad weather. 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. 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. In addition, close supporters of Great Sister have also questioned the culinary and nutritious value of many of the dishes served.	Secrets The Char-Un have been raiding their neighbours. King Orgrol has made a corrupt deal to buy illegal gin from Sultan al-Rastari King Orgrol is a gin addict. King Orgrol no longer enjoys the attentions of his concubines. Orgrol and al-Rastari have made a deal that the Char-Un will not attack Karasal in return for trade concessions. The Char-Un are trying to breed winged horses to cross the Sweet Sea. The Char-Un are trying to breed Carnivorous horses Special Item Winged Mare. A specially bred horse, which unfortunately lacks stature and strength. You require a big and hardy stallion to mate with in order to breed a horse strong enough to carry Char-un warriors. Chariot Racing Team. If you can find a good driver for your Chariot then you are sure you will win the Cup of the Goddess this year! Ignatieff was not quite good enough as a driver last year.
	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 King Orgrol 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.