[Glorantha] King Moirades' Empire

[Peter Metcalfe]

Paul Andrew King:

>Me>King of Sartar mentions an obscure political entity known as the Good 
>Empire.
> >It's described in the Argrath Saga as a name change by the Lunar Empire to
> >either change its nature or to fool people into believing it had (KoS 
> p28). AT
> >one stage, it appears to be lead by the Red Emperor while after Argrath
> >returns from the Lightbringer's Saga, it's apparently lead by King 
> Phargentes,
> >son of Moirades.

>I believe that this paragraph (on p33) refers to Phargentes ruling Tarsh 
>under
>the Empire.

If Phargentes is just ruling Tarsh under the Empire then why the name change?
Why would the Lunar Empire seek to call themselves the Good Empire when
most of them don't believe that Empires are evil?

>Om p28-9 we have the death of Moirades followed by the capture of Tarsh by
>Argrath's forces (Part 3).

So there was a temporary setback in the creation of the Good Empire.
Argrath's conquest of Tarsh is not permanent as he is ousted after
the battle of Yoran while the CHDP is silent on whether he retains
control over Tarsh after Dwenapple.

>While Phargentes possibly leads the army in Part 4, the two texts disagree
>and the Northern text's statement that the King of Jillaro lead the army 
>is in
>my opinion more probable. Neither is apparently the Emperor.

Agrath's adventures in Part 4 may not refer to the Argrath that was enthroned
as Prince of Sartar.  There has been talk that this refers to an Argrath of 
Saird
who unites the Orlanthi of South Peloria under his leadership.  So when the
Good Empire attacks Filich Kwan, it's actually Tarsh's Empire attacking it 
from
the West rather than Dara Happa attacking it from the north.

The Red Emperor is mentioned in Part 4 not leading the army but in the
following paragraphs where a feud between him and Argrath is spoken of
and also where he sends the River Oslir against Argrath.  Thus the Saga
compiler felt that he was leading the Good Empire at the time.

>The CHDP version (p159) has Jar-Eel in command with Prince Pardidas of 
>Jillaro
>commanding the centre, with no mention of Phargentes. Argrath wins this 
>battle

That's the battle of Dwernapple which is not the battle of KoS p29.  Dwernapple
is the Battle of Gargantuans which is described over the page on KoS p30.
Phargentes' absence at this battle is not evidence that he was not present at
the initial incursion against Filich Kwan nor is it evidence that he was not
leading the Good Empire when the battle of Dwernapple took place.

The CHDP mentions nothing of the creation of Argrath's rock but does describe
Argrath being ousted from Dragon Pass after the battle of Yoran and spending
time in Prax.  It becomes clear at this point that the chronology of 
Argrath's Saga
is seriously muddled with respect to history and hence arguments based on
a strict following of its chronology are flawed.

>p31 (Part 5) has another Lunar attack, reconquering Tarsh, and this leads 
>up to
>Argrath's quest and his return.

However in the CHDP, the reconquest of Tarsh is the battle of Yoran which 
comes
_before_ the battle of Dwernapple/Gargantuans that was mentioned in the 
previous
part.

At this point we have another muddle in the chronology.  The Saga implies
at this point that the Lunar army was irresistable and thus Argrath went on
the LBQ.  The CHDP is silent after Dwernapple and can't help us here.  But
we do have the Argrath's Book which has another king's list (KoS p179).
That shows that after Argrath left, _Harrek_ rules for four years before
departing (I've argued elsewhere that the Battle of Heroes belongs at this
point).

After Harrek departs, the King is Phargentes, albeit son of Pharandros.
This is almost certainly the same person as Phargentes, son of Moirades,
as when Argrath returns from the Lightbringers' Quest, his lands are
under the control of the Good Empire (KoS p33) and their leader is one
Phargentes, son of Moirades.  The list says Phargentes is killed in battle
which is precisely what happens to the "enemy king" in KoS p34.

So to sum up, the Good Empire being born out of Moirades' evil genius
is something that comes into being after the battle of Yoran and is
destroyed when Argrath returns from the LBQ.

>All this said there is nothing wrong with the idea that Moirades plan is to
>make another Lunar Empire in Dragon Pass (although the treason part is
>pretty dangerous). But if so, it does not appear to be successful in the
>official timeline.

There is an official timeline for King of Sartar?

--Peter Metcalfe