Questions by Innerworlder2000, answers by Greg Stafford. Published 1st Apr 2007
Q: | The first question I have concerns economics and technology for Peloria in the Second Age. |
A: | I am having some trouble answering some of the questions because of the time element. The Carmanian Empire exists for centuries, and things do change. Nonetheless, I will try to answer things clearly. Another difficulty is that (from the nature of your questions) I THINK you are often asking about Pelandans, not Dara Happas. Pelanda is approximately the region of the Oronin River valley and its tributaries, while Dara Happa is the Oslir River. So I am going to presume you mean Pelanda here when you had said Dara Happa. I have gone to the extent of replacing Dara Happa in this with Pelanda. It’s important to differentiate between Pelanda and Dara Happa. Pelanda is a region of small city states with a long history and prehistory of innovation, art and change. Dara Happa is huge, monolithic and stable to the point of being ultraconservative and unchanging. |
Q: | It seems we are looking at a feudal society (Carmania) conquering an (agricultural?) society. I’m unclear on this. |
A: | Not exactly so. The first problem is with trying set feudal vs. agricultural. But here are some guidelines.The first Carmanians are refugees from Fronela, fleeing from God Learner oppression. They are rather feudal, but by the time they get to Lake Oronin they’ve marched 300 miles, lost half their original numbers and picked up people from all along the way. Then they settle in as mercenaries and (thanks largely to their superior horses) take over one city after another. They first settle in the land of Pelanda, a region of city states. If you study the information in The Fortunate Succession you might be able to discern that innovations in art, etc. crept into Dara Happa several times from Pelanda after it was conquered, etc. Then there was a purge, during which most of the innovations were thrown out (at least among the ruling classes). |
Q: | What is the previous economic culture of Pelanda? |
A: | Small holding farms held by families in the cities. |
Q: | Is their technology more advanced than the Carmanian technology? |
A: | In some ways yes, probably in engineering but probably not in farming, etc. Almost certainly in art and sculpture, but probably not in military organization, especially the mounted heavy cavalry charge. |
Q: | Do Carmanians use Pelandan engineers or their own engineers to design equipment and buildings? |
A: | The Carmanians were deficient in engineers when they got there, and they found Pelandan technology superior and more than sufficient. |
Q: | Are Carmanians building cities as they conquer, or will they do that later? |
A: | The cities are mostly extant when they get there. Think of pre-classic Greek cities. |
Q: | I notice that Carmania uses Persian terms for government. Do you see Carmania as Persian or more Roman in concept? |
A: | Once empires reaches a certain stage they tend to be similar, with regional satraps reporting to the central authority, etc. If you can differentiate between imperial Persian and Roman governments, I can probably tell which characteristics are Carmanian. Nick Brooke is responsible for much of the ground-breaking work on Carmania and his insight has left its imprint here, so we go with the pseudo-Persian analogy. But the key isn’t so much in the government as in the religion, wherein Carmania became a dualistic religion, like Zorastorism. THAT is the real distinctive feature of the empire. |
Q: | Are Carmanians building roads as they are moving into Pelanda, or are there already roads there, or something else? |
A: | Roads existed beforehand, although the rivers are (as always) the main thoroughfare where they can be navigated. |
Q: | Are Pelandan towns well protected with walls and fortifications? Roman or Babylonian in style? |
A: | Yes, and once again, picture early Greek style cities. City states, with lots of local rivalries, etc. |
Q: | Are the wars of Carmanian conquest affecting trade between cities? Are Carmanians instituting coinage, changing coinage, or not using coinage at the present time? |
A: | There was plenty of intercity war and rivalry before the Carmanians came. They managed to unite the cities as they went and take everything over. The Carmanian overlords eventually issue their own coinage. I presume coins existed before they came, since they were in use in neighboring Dara Happa earlier. |
Q: | Are the size of the ‘cities’ like small medieval towns or are they large like Jerusalem. |
A: | Small cities, probably a thousand or two thousand people at max. |
Q: | Which cities of Peloria are as large as Jerusalem or larger? |
A: | What size is that? But most were small. The ones on the rivers of course would tend to be larger. |
Q: | What percent of city population does Carmania leave as guards/sentries after it conquers a city? |
A: | Good question. I would think it varies. Some cities need few, since they would have befriended Carmania to get at at their rivals. Others might be very rebellious. |
Q: | Who is paying for the war? |
A: | Which war? The invasion of the land by the Carmanians? It is paid for by plunder from the lands conquered. The defenders have their various city governments taxing citizens for money. |
Q: | Are the common people buckling under the burdens of taxes? Is waste piling up in the streets? Is the disposal of bodies causing a problem? |
A: | Naturally these vary, depending on the time and place. |
Q: | Do bands of people follow the armies to loot and pillage? |
A: | Yes, as always. |
Q: | Are Pelandans becoming the common slaves of Carmanians? |
A: | In general, yes. |
Q: | Do noble Pelandans or priests retain their positions, or are temples burned and nobles and priests killed? |
A: | They largely retain their positions, subservient to the overchurch of the Carmanians. The underclass largely retains their way of life, except for being unfree. |
Q: | Is the building style of Pelandans wattle and straw, or primary cut stone? |
A: | Wood, I think. Stone public buildings and temples, and walls. Wattle and daub would be in the countryside among the poorest people. |
Q: | Is the Carmanian style of building different? Are Carmanians adopting the engineering styles of Pelandans? |
A: | Yes, the Carmanian style hardly touches the countryside. In the cities as I mentioned, there are too few Carmanians and virtually no architects. |
Q: | Has the flying buttress been invented yet? |
A: | No. That is invented elsewhere, not here. |
Q: | Have any alchemists discovered tin or steel? |
A: | There is an iron shortage, and tin is one of the basic metals. |
Q: | Do either Carmanians or Pelandans possess chariots? |
A: | Pelandan chariot traditons exist, though I am not sure if they were used militarily when the Carmanians came. Up to you. |
Greg
Related Pages
- Accessing Eternity (2006)
- Belintar’s Book: The Blue Dragon Sshorga (1999)
- Belintar’s Book: Aldrya’s Own Story (1998)
- Belintar’s Book: Mountain Stories (1999)
- Clarifying the Primal Worlds (2003)
- Dragons Past #1 – Gloranthan Military Experience (1983)
- Greg Sez Guest: Does the Emperor party or not? (Jan 1999)
- Greg Sez Guest: Dragon Slayers and Dragons of Saird (Feb 1999)
- Greg Sez Guest: East Isles: United or not? (Jan 1999)
- Greg Sez Guest: The Mighty Janube (Nov 1998)
- Greg Sez Guests: Five Troll Questions (Sep 1999)
- Greg Sez: Barbarians – Heortlings, Vingkotlings, and Orlanthi (Jan 1998)
- Greg Sez: Between the Devil and the Dawn Age (Aug 1998)
- Greg Sez: Chaos Taints Q&A (2007)
- Greg Sez: Divinity and Gender (2009)
- Greg Sez: Ducks and Eggs (Dec 1997)
- Greg Sez: Enemy Gods (2009)
- Greg Sez: Ernaldan Initiation Rites
- Greg Sez: Esrolian Q&A (2001)
- Greg Sez: Heroes & Immortals (2005)
- Greg Sez: How Big Is My God? (Oct 1998)
- Greg Sez: How Does the Red Emperor Rule? (Feb 1999)
- Greg Sez: How Many Humakti?
- Greg Sez: Humakt Illuminated? (Apr 1998)
- Greg Sez: Illusion (2002)
- Greg Sez: Information about Elves (Jan 2000)
- Greg Sez: Malkioni Literacy (May 1999)
- Greg Sez: Metals In Prax (Feb 1998)
- Greg Sez: Mistress Race Trolls
- Greg Sez: Moon Names (2008)
- Greg Sez: Orlanthi Groups Q&A (2008)
- Greg Sez: Orlanthi Initiation Rites
- Greg Sez: Rathori Creation Myth
- Greg Sez: Sheng Seleris in Hell (May 1998)
- Greg Sez: Tada’s High Tumulus (Feb 2000)
- Greg Sez: The Kingdom of War (Jul 1998)
- Greg Sez: The Mother of Monsters (Aug 2009)
- Greg Sez: The Nature of Harmony and Fertility (Jun 1999)
- Greg Sez: The Red Emperor (Sep 1998)
- Greg Sez: The Sky World (Aug 2009)
- Greg Sez: The Southpath Gods (Jul 1999)
- Greg Sez: Troll Ancestors and Rebirth (2011)
- Greg Sez: Understanding Windstop and Esrolia (2005)
- Greg Sez: What is it with the Underworld? (Apr 2007)
- Greg Sez: Who Are the Blue Peoples? (Mar 1998)
- Greg Sez: Who are the Dog Fathers? (May 1999)
- Greg Sez: Who was Baroshi? (Jun 1998)
- Greg Sez: Why do the Giants use the River of Cradles (May 1999)
- Greg Sez: Yelmalio (Mar 2000)
- Hero Wars: Beyond Humanity (2000)
- Hero Wars: Wyters Q&A (2002)
- HeroQuest 1: Embodied & Disembodied Spirits Q&A (2004)
- HeroQuest 1: Heroquesting (2003)
- HeroQuest 1: Landscape Bands Q&A (2004)
- HeroQuest 1: Types of Heroquests (2006)
- Hsunchen Peoples of Genertela (2003)
- Introduction to Umathela (1997)
- Javern Spithorn and the Sunset Leap (2001)
- Library of Londarios: Ancestors of the Lenshi Kings (1998)
- Library of Londarios: Clarifying the Primal Worlds (Feb 2003)
- Library of Londarios: Danmalastan (1999)
- Library of Londarios: Deneskerva the Great Sister
- Library of Londarios: Postcards From Glorantha (Mar 2004)
- Library of Londarios: Stellar FAQ (Dec 1999)
- Library of Londarios: The Abiding Book (1999)
- Library of Londarios: The Birth of Elmal (1993)
- Library of Londarios: The Kings of Seshnela, Part One (1999)
- Library of Londarios: The Kings of Seshnela, Part Three (1999)
- Library of Londarios: The Kings of Seshnela, Part Two (1999)
- Library of Londarios: What the Mystic Taught Me (1998)
- Lives of Sedenya (2006)
- Myth of the Month: Aedin’s Wall (2000)
- Myth of the Month: Chariots and Chariot Gods (2003)
- Myth of the Month: Clouds (2000)
- Myth of the Month: Enemy Gods of the Orlanthi (2001)
- Myth of the Month: History of the Race of Trolls (1998)
- Myth of the Month: How Argan Argar Courted Esrola (2002)
- Myth of the Month: How Orlanth Met Ernalda (1998)
- Myth of the Month: How the Islands Came Apart (1998)
- Myth of the Month: Hrelar Amali (2011)
- Myth of the Month: Lightnight (2010)
- Myth of the Month: Malkioni Otherworld (2001)
- Myth of the Month: Morden Defends the Camp (1999)
- Myth of the Month: Orlanth makes a Ring (1998)
- Myth of the Month: ShangHsa (1998)
- Myth of the Month: Shargash the Destroyer (1998)
- Myth of the Month: The Birth of the Minotaur (1981)
- Myth of the Month: The Drinking Giant’s Cauldron
- Myth of the Month: The Missionaries (2005)
- Myth of the Month: The Orogeria Moon (1998)
- Myth of the Month: The Vithelan Creation of the World (1998)
- Myth of the Month: Three Documents, One Event (2005)
- Pelandan Cosmology
- Praxian Spirit Tradition (2000)
- Safelster in the First Age (2013)
- Sites at the Dawn (2006)
- Summoning Korgatsu (2001)
- The Enerali circa 130 ST
- The Gloranthan Cosmos (2008)
- The Origins of Writing
- The Perfect Sky, revised (1999)
- Types of Heroquests (2008)
- What is the Third Age History of the Sun Dome Temple in Sartar (2008)
Page Last updated: 2020-07-07 11:11:04