Squire Flint, Thunder Delta Ambassador

	Reaching Moon Megacorp's Life of Moonson Squire Flint Thunder Delta Ambassador	Eolian Name: Ittuktuk, the Green Flint Age: 25 Career: Ambassador Religion: Eolian Culture: Thrice Blessed Disposition: Mischievous, resourceful, primitive
Return to Home Page Gloranthan Folk Tales Gloranthan Songbook Moonie Madness Life of Moonson Carmanian Sources Malkioni Scriptures	You were born in the wigwam of the Eldest Elder Isin-Ittik, whom outsiders call Mrs. Flint. By their strange standards, she would be your grandmother, but as far as you are concerned she gave you life, protection and wise council and is therefore your mother, just as she is mother to all your clan. From childhood you lived by hunting and fishing, exploring the wonders of your land, learning the way of the moose and the caribou. You studied the ancient megaliths of Eol, relics of an age before time and keys to the mystic powers which bind Glorantha. Soon you could use your stone pendulum to find these lines of power, as well as underground springs, magic stones and deposits of iron. Your clan is responsible for magical extraction of the iron-ore of the Gan Hills. This is sent to the Empire as part of your treaty of friendship. The Lunars call this a monopoly, and say that no-one else is allowed to take this ore. Not that any other Thrice Blessed would want the stuff! Eol had everything you could wish for, the majestic Mountains, the endless snow covered plains, the clear grey waters of the delta. You would never have dreamed of leaving. But Outsiders have been intruding on your sacred Twin Mountains, building stone encampments, smelting metals and polluting the streams with slag and waste. They kill the animals for sport, leaving the carcasses to rot after taking their trophies. The Council of Queens approached them with friendship and hospitality, only to be abused. Thrice Blessed women have been raped by the outsiders and some of your clan who came to remonstrate have not been seen since. The Council has resolved to approach the Great Red Father (as the Red Emperor is known), to remind him of the terms of the Treaty of Eol by which the friendship of the Lunars and the Thrice Blessed was agreed 300 years ago. Your mother was too old for the arduous journey, and you volunteered to go to the Great Red Father on her behalf. You paddled your own canoe up the Oslir to Good Shore, the Port of Glamour, where it is now beached. In Glamour you have met up with your fellow Thrice Blessed, the Thunder Delta Slingers, who have come to offer their services to the Great Red Father. They have brought the Tribute of iron ore and magic stones which are the traditional friendship gifts from your people to the Lunars. The Lunar Empire is very hot, and you find the great crowds of dirty people and the lack of forests or wild animals very peculiar. Still, the Lunars are friendly enough and while one or two have tried to trick you, their attempts have been so clumsy and transparent that you have been able to shrug them off good-naturedly. You soon realised that Glamour is just another wilderness, its blocks and lofty temples much like the mountains of your home. You survived there by your resourcefulness and quick wits and are confident that you can use the same skills here to good effect.	Background The Thrice Blessed You are one of the Thrice Blessed, simple nomads who roam the land of Eol. Your folk are hunters, trappers, fishermen and occasionally herd goats. You shun cities and refuse to build in stone. Eol is a Taiga rich in fur-yielding game. Although it is snow-bound from Storm Season to Sacred Time, it is nowhere near as inhospitable as it was before the Lunar Kalikos expeditions altered the climate. In those days, folk would cross the frozen Poralistor to escape the freezing storms. The Thunder Delta was named from the crashing icebergs which once choked it. The northern tundra has similarly been transformed into reedy wetlands. The Thrice Blessed do not muster armies, but send the famous Thunder Delta Slingers south as part of your tribute. Eolian Religion You are a devotee of our own particular nature religion, and are willing to say almost anything about the Red Goddess, which keeps you safe and happy. You do not acknowledge personified deities, but gather with other Thrice Blessed at prehistoric monuments, especially the stone circle of Yng-Isin and the Twin Mountains to worship Air, Fire, Water, Darkness and Earth once in each season. You know how to harness the lines of power which run through Glorantha by means of alignments of megaliths, in a manner very similar to that practised by Dragonewts. Government of Eol The Thrice Blessed travel in small clan groups, but acknowledge the wisdom of a Council of Queens which meets each Season festival. The Queens are the oldest female members of the clans. The Eldest Elder is charged with negotiating with outsiders. She is the contact for hiring the Thunder Delta Slingers. To address her, visitors must always face and speak to a wondrous rock which holds up the roof of her wigwam. This is sited on a particularly potent power line between the Twin Mountains and the Henge of Yng-Isin, and is the principal focus of devotion of her clan. From it outsiders give her the name "Mrs Flint". She has no special authority over the other Queens, all decisions being taken after debate to form a cheerful consensus.
	Objectives Personal Enjoy yourself in the city of Glamour. This is your chance to meet people from all over the Empire. Tell them who you are and find out about their far-off lands. Remember to give them the traditional greeting of a pinch of salt first time you meet. Mrs Flint taught you self-reliance and independence. You must avoid domination and aggression, respecting other's freedom of action. You are shocked by the crimes you find committed here. Great crimes must be brought to the attention of the Great Red Father. Smaller crimes you should try to right yourself by a swift slingstone. Get invited to one of Great Red Father's "parties". Career Get the Great Red Father to reconfirm formally the Treaty of Eol. Make sure the miners from Karasal are removed from your sacred Twin Mountains. Words will not be enough. They must leave. Find the Salt Diamond. Once it is recovered and presented to the Emperor, your people should regain the lands of Southern Eol. Get back the missing half of your Magic Stones Quota. The slingers say this was stolen by mounted raiders, almost certainly from your Western neighbours, the Char-Un of Erigia. Hire out the regiment of Thunder Delta Slingers you have brought with you. Religious You believe that the Lunar Way is tolerant and that any attempt at hard-line fundamentalism of any sort is against the wishes of the Great Red Father. Mrs Flint has recently had many dreams of a White Baby who has been born, the daughter of a Red Queen. She wishes you to speak to Great Sister and ask her about this and find out what its significance is. Find the white baby if you can. The Great Red Father is a semi-religious figure in your culture. To get his blessing or better some sort of token from him would bring you great prestige when you return.	Who You Know Personal Acquaintances Didius Copernicus, a Lunar Magician: you met this fascinating man when you were out sight-seeing. He took you to a place called Beatpot's Moonrock Café, which has food the like of which you have never tasted before! There he showed you some incredible tricks of magic. He says Great Red Father hosts great "parties", which he thinks you will enjoy even more. Through your Career The Red Dancer of Power: She is a very powerful elder in the Great Red Father's Empire. She changes her shape every year to bear new children to different men. She occasionally comes to Eol to discuss the iron ore and magic stones. She is very pleasant and friendly, and will never arrive without fine and well chosen gifts for the Thrice Blessed. You keep the iron knife she gave you ten years ago, as it is very useful for striking fire from flints. Orgrol the Fat, King of the Char-un: his people have stolen your magic stones. This is wrong and he must be convinced to give them back. Through your Culture Thanuk of the Thunder Delta: One of your compatriots, he has been in the Empire for many years as leader of the Thunder Delta Slingers and is now a very important Chief in the Great Red Father's Army. You can turn to him for information on the strange customs and personalities you will encounter.
	Other Knowledge The Empty Conquest of the Thrice Blessed. The Twice Blessed, as they used to be known, were once ruled by the Kingdom of Karasal. They pledged friendship to the Red Goddess when she liberated them. Many studied in the Empire's Magical Schools, sharing their knowledge of the standing stones which dot Peloria. In the Second Wane, the shameful "Salt-Diamond Incident" led to the expulsion of the Twice Blessed from south of the Poralistor river. 26 years later, further trouble led to the Empire sending in General Parg Ilisi who raped the land and its inhabitants for ten years. When the Emperor found out, he conceded the Treaty of Eol, by which reparations were made and the folk granted full Imperial protection. In return the Twice Blessed embraced the Lunar Way and changed their name to Thrice Blessed. The Salt-diamond incident occurred when the Sultan of Karasal suggested presenting a number of diamonds produced by the Salt-diamond (a sacred stone of the Twice Blessed) to Moonson for him to wear in the ceremony proclaiming the annexation of Rist. The Emperor appeared resplendent in the shimmering robe of diamonds. The fabulous event was only marred by a sudden and unexpected rainstorm, during which the diamonds dissolved and ran away. The Twice Blessed laughed innocently as the Great Red Father stood dripping in the salty remains of their gift. The stony silence which followed showed that Moonson was not amused. The Eldest Elder quickly promised to replace the lost stones and offered him the fabled Salt-Diamond itself to be set in the three-pronged crown. His voice edged with steel, Moonson ordered her to return to her people and bring back the diamonds or face his wrath. When the delegation returned to the council of Queens, it discovered that the Salt-Diamond had vanished. A message was sent back to Glamour but the Emperor was not mollified. The Twice Blessed were ordered expelled from the Empire. 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 nourishment value of many of the dishes served. The Seven Year Plan. Your people held the Gan Mountains Iron monopoly for the past seven year plan. You will be offered first refusal to buy it for the next plan, for six influence. You know that it will produce two cards of Iron, which can be traded to the Red Dancer of Power for twelve influence.	Secrets The Salt Diamond can recrystalise common salt into diamonds when left with it overnight. Diamonds made by the Salt Diamond remain water-soluble. Mrs Flint has dreamed recently of a White Baby being born to a Red Queen. You know the way the magical ley lines work. There are foreign miners from Karasal in the Gan Hills, near the sacred Twin Mountains. This is a breach of the treaty of Eol.
	The Treaty of Eol Beneath the Red Goddess and among these Stones of Power, we, Takenegi, Rufus, Moonson, the Red Emperor, King of Kings, Imperator, Padishah, Lord of Glorantha, Bridge of Heaven, Son of Light, Defender of the Lands, Free Keeper of the Souls, and the Council of Queens of the Thrice Blessed, sign this solemn and binding treaty: The Emperor offers his full and unreserved apologies for the crimes committed in his name on the Thrice Blessed. As far as is within his power, the Red Emperor returns the bodies, souls, beliefs and properties stolen from the Thrice Blessed. The whole land of Eol from the Poralistor River northwards shall belong to the Thrice Blessed exclusively and with full rights and freedoms. The stones, minerals, plants, fish, fowl and flesh shall be theirs and their descendants. Lamenting the ten years of destruction caused in his name, every eleventh year, the Red Emperor shall make a propitiatory sacrifice to the survivors or their descendants until the recipients shall decide to release him from this task. The Red Emperor grants imperial protection of the lives, properties and beliefs of the Thrice Blessed for as long as he shall live. The Thrice Blessed shall be free and exempt from all Imperial Taxes. In return, the Thrice Blessed in humble gratitude shall send annually to the Emperor a tribute of Iron and of trained slingers to aid his armies. The people once known as the Twice Blessed sincerely embrace the Lunar Way, revering the Red Goddess and her beloved son. Acknowledging the love and protection of the Red Emperor for them, they shall henceforth be known as the Thrice Blessed. Signed this Full Moon Day, Harmony Week, Dark Season, 2/41
	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 Squire Flint 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.