Library of Londarios: The Kings of Seshnela, Part One (1999)

This list is a compilation which names the Kings of Seshnela.

Contents

Sort of. It actually shows the names of the dominant overlords in the land of Seshnela. Except in the first century, when the Pendali kings were stronger, but they were numerous and disappeared or became peasants.

I’ve actually got great documentation on them, if you believe that small clans of a few hundred people are ruled by hereditary kings.

This list attempts to be objective and to state variations on the facts of “Kings of Seshnela” where appropriate. Please remember that this list of facts is virtually unknown in Glorantha, and is provided to give heroquesting facts.

I have tried to state here the actual kinship relationships, where they are known. Authors and Experts are free to speculate on others.

The numbering used herein is given so that we can have a standard, and was never used by anyone in Glorantha.

The dates given are meant to indicate some critical contemporary events, sometimes even when they do not have an immediate effect on Seshnela. However, the dates are not meant to be exhaustive, and many other important events happened in every reign.

1. Froalar, Talar of Frowal (to 2); Sacred Overlord for Seshna

Reigned Predawn to 24

Froalar led one of several colonies of Brithini who lived on the western coast of Genertela at the Dawn. (Others included Neleswal, Isefwal, Arolanit). He had left Brithos to avoid a fight with his brother. After settling, he led the defense against the Pendali (a tribe of lion people), who were believed to have summoned the Great Darkness and its denizens. Early fatalities caused the people to adopt divine worship, and they sacrificed to Seshna, Worlath, and others. His wife, daughter and two sons were all fatalities.

His wizards (who were still Zzaburites) correctly predicted the Icebreak and later, the Dawning, which was a cataclysmicly good event.

A year after the first Dawn, Hrestol, son of Froalar, received a vision from Malkion the Founder and established a new method of prayer for anyone to reach the Invisible God.

He removed himself from the line of succession. He also established original knighthood, and expanded his father’s lands through military prowess.

Froalar courted Seshna, and succeeded. Their child was Ylream, who became the sacred heir of Froalar.

2. Ylream, Sacred Lord

Reigned 24-27
son of Froalar

Ylream had serpent tails instead of legs. He established most of the Seshnelan Rituals used to worship the gods. He was swallowed by the earth before the astonished eyes of his court.

3. Thamor, Sacred Lord

Regency, 27-39
Reigned 39-73
Son of Ylream

The regents were Princess Nebrola, Thamor’s mother; Duke Yadmov of Neleswal, who had sworn fealty to Kings Froalar and Ylream; and Earl Faraalz, the second person who had become a Knight. (They were appointed for their wisdom in religion, government, and morality).

Seshnela expanded at the expense of the Pendali.

The regents established the widespread pagan rites and exposed the perfidy and hollowness of the zzaburites and Malkioni.

Thamor’s reign was dominated by the demigod Damol, who was tamed and helped the king; and a war against the aldryami, which he won, and after which still kept their friendship.

Thamor is said to have abdicated. He mysteriously disappeared, having returned in secret to the earth as his father had done publicly.

4. Bertalor, Sacred Lord

Reigned 73-89
Son of Thamor

Bertalor expanded his lands at Pendali expense. He also attempted to expand the worship of Malkion, which had been severely oppressed by Thamor. Damol and his sons, staunch pagan conservatives, resisted, aided by many nobles. Civil war erupted. The conservatives got the aid of Aignor the Trader, grandson of Hrestol, who even mated with Seshna herself. (Aignor did not espouse Malkionism, nor Hrestolism).

To help strengthen his support, Bertalor cultivated friendship with the Malkioni. He presided over First Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism held by the Seshnelan Church in Frowal in the year 88. (Mistakenly attributed in some sources to “King Rathomar.”)

When his last son died Bertalor could no longer cope with life. He recognized snake-legged Sonmalos, he son of Seshna (and Aignor) to be his heir and retired to the temple depths forever.

5. Sonmalos, Sacred Lord

Regency 89-104
Reigned 104-134
Son of Seshna and Aignor (son of Fornals the Judge, son of Hrestol)

Sonmalos expanded his rule over many Pendali. He drove them out and they cursed the lands about the mouth of the Tanier River, making it uninhabitable. Much of his reign was peaceful. His son Boltror went away on a Waertagi ship for 13 years, and returned with a wife from “the East” and two children. Sonmalos and his son Boltror both retired together into the embrace of Seshna.

6. Mimtak, Sacred Lord

Reigned 134-142
Son of Boltror the Traveler, son of Sonmalos; and of Pamala of the East

Mimtak was born abroad, but had the serpentine legs of his father and grandfather, and was tutored and appointed to be the next Sacred Lord by Sonmalos. He finished the unification of Seshnela, driving out the last Pendali lords.

He also hurried to finish the Kings Roads, to complete the prophecies of Thamor, and be able to join his fathers under the earth.

No serpent-legged people existed to become the next Sacred Lord. The prophecies were fulfilled. Before his departure Mimtak appointed his sister and her husband to be Queen and King of the Seshnelans, and retired to Seshna.

7. Betria, Queen; and Brulor, King of Seshnelans

Reigned 142-150
Betria was the daughter of Boltror the Traveler, son of Sonmalos; and Pamala of the East
Brulor’s ancestry is not known

Peace reigned in Seshnela, and the Aldrya Tree even bloomed. Brulor was lost at sea, and his wife died trying to bring back his soul.

8. Anilla, Queen of Seshnelans

Reigned 150-155
Daughter of Mimtak

Anilla was a powerful priestess of Seshna, and claimed the right to rule as the regent priestesses of old had ruled. She had herself crowned as Queen by a knight and blessed by a wizard Malkioni. She married into the powerful Damolsten family to maintain their support. Her husband died and she swiftly married another, who died too. She was discovered to be sacrificing them to Seshna, and everyone turned against her. She took refuge in her goddess’ temple, but was slain by Malkioni knights and wizards. Afterwards the worship of Seshna was constrained to repress its more savage portions.

9. Neeilin, King of the Seshnelans.

Reigned 155-156
Son of Nrador; and of Meila, daughter of Mimtak

Neeilin protested that women could not rule, and after Anilla’s atrocities he gained great support from others. He commanded the offensive which slew her. Riding upon his popularity, he was in turn crowned as King. Many of his former allies disagreed with this, either because they wished to be king themselves or on various religious grounds. Duke Morcar and Gothimus the Holy Knight (sometimes called “the Priest”) were instrumental in resisting him. They eventually raised an army, and Neeilin was killed in battle.

10. Gothimus, King of Seshnela

Reigned 156-168
Son of Naniner

From a contemporary document: “Here is the ancestry of Gothimus, who was named by the Great Serpent to be the rightful king of Seshnela in the year 155 after the Dawning.

Tareniom the Warrior was from Brithos and followed King Froalar to Seshnela before the Dawning, and fought valiantly beside his friend Sir Faralz, before he fell at the Battle of Woswal. His son was Sir Jandaval the Sword, who became a knight and who married Weinilane, daughter of baron Hyralm of Woswal, inheriting that land and title. Their third son was Sir Hyralfor, a knight serving King Thamor until he died fighting the aldryami. His son was Sir Jandoring, a knight who faithfully served King Thamor and King Bertalor until he fell fighting the Damolsons. His son was Hyraring, a squire who died with his father outside Damolsten. His son was Naniner, who fought for his lord Sir Breccan as a foot soldier and was rewarded for his services with land in Vensket. He had two daughters named Vonania and Tariona, and a son named Gothimus, who became a knight and the King of Seshnela.”

He was a staunch Hrestoli Knight. He battled against Neeilin, whom he dubbed “the Usurper,” and summoned all the lords of Seshnela to come and decide on who would rule. At Malkonwal the Great Serpent, husband of Seshna, rose from under the temple and named Gothimus to be the rightful king.

Everyone quickly backed his cause. Through force of arms he added several eastern counties into kingdom, which lay beyond the actual boundaries of Seshnela.

11. Torphing, King of Seshnela

Reigned 168-186
Ancestry uncertain

He warred against the Brithini and Enerali (a tribe of horse riders) in Arolanit, and conquered Nolosior (the region west of the Tanier and east of the Prialor Rivers, modern Vogai and Pasos). He also struggled against the Waertagi, building a fleet and even attacking their ships.

He probably got Vadeli help. This led to his and his son’s death at the Waertagi hands.

12. Hodramal, King of Seshnela

Reigned 186-191
Ancestry uncertain

Hodramal continued to struggle against the Waertagi, but his fleet was wiped out and his coasts ravaged by Waertagi hired mercenaries. Other noblemen turned against him to aid the Waertagi and Hodramal was killed in battle.

13. Vritos, King of Seshnela

Reigned 191-193
Ancestry uncertain

Vritos led the resistance against Hodramal. He was afterwards called “The Usurper.”

14. Valothir, King of Seshnela

Reigned 193-194
Son of Hodramal and Blyintha

Valothir fled to Brithos from Vritos. He made deals to satisfy the Waertagi and gain Brithini support. He returned with an army and killed the usurper. He was wounded by Vritos’ poisoned sword, rallied his health to be coronated, and died miserably shortly afterwards.

15. Lofting, King of Seshnela, Lord of the Silver Empire

Reigned 194-247
Ancestry uncertain

After Valothir’s death his mother attempted to make her infant son (by a Brithini Talar) to be King, but the Seshnegi noblemen resisted and put forward one of their own.

Lofting and his followers then drove out the dissenters and their Brithini. He later defeated the combined Kingdom of Tanisor (which at that time was east of the Tanier River, in south western Tarinwood) and the Enerali tribe seizing and fortifying Fornoar (modern Rindland). When monsters came forth from the Deadlands Sir Manallin led the army which defeated them, and then reclaimed the lands. King Lofting also sent an army to help Isefwal against the Enjoreli (a tribe of bull riders).

Circa 200 the True Hrestoli Way seized control of the Malkioni Church and outlawed tapping and all the other corrupting pagan ways of the Serpent Kings. Though sporadically enforced among the nobility, many peasants continued their simpler pagan ways.

In 228 the Second Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism met in Laufol under his guidance and advice, and the various wayward ways of the Malkioni priesthood were corrected. (He is misnamed in some sources as “Emperor Tragen.”)

Most of his subsequent reign was spent peacefully encouraging trade and building within his lands, and trade with outsiders as well. Under his rule Seshnela and its possessions were first called “the Silver Empire.”

16. Kilgalor, King of Seshnela, King of the Silver Empire

Reigned 247-252
Son of Lofting

Old when coronated, he left fighting to his son Nirgalor who defeated Tanisor, and his son Gelajo who fought in Arolanit.

17. Nirgalor, King of Seshnela and the Silver Empire; later Emperor of the Silver Empire

Reigned 252-285
Son of Kilgalor

Nirgalor was a fierce warlord, supporting conquest of all his neighbors. In 253 his brother Gelajo ravaged Arolanit so savagely he is still remembered as the “Destroyer of Arolanit.” By 257 they had conquered many Enerali tribes, and in 263 the Kingdom of Tanisor was conquered and occupied by Prince Leimtor, son of the king. When Tanisor revolted in 271, aided by Pralori the prince was killed. Nirgalor’s other sons, Jorgalor and Torgalor, had already been killed, as well as his brother. Weary of war, he negotiated subsequent troubles, and spent his time raising his infant son to kingship. During this passive time the vile lord Dari united the Enerali. Nirgalor died of old age in bed.

18. Ureilo, Emperor of the Silver Empire

Reigned 285-286
Son of Nirgalor

Ureilo was fighting against the Dari Alliance when he learned of his father death. When he rushed home to be coronated the Dari surged over the land. King Ureilo rushed back to fight, was ambushed and slain with most of his army.

Dari then attacked Tanisor too.

19. Palangtar, King of Seshnela

Reigned 286-291
Ancestry uncertain, but NOT related to Ureilo

Palangtar inherited disaster. He gave up half of Tanisor to Dari in return for the dead king’s body. As the occupying troops withdrew Arolanit revolted, killing or ejecting all their occupiers. Arolanit was then unexpectedly invaded from Fronela by the Enjoreli, who had negotiated passage from the aldryami of Erontree. After pillaging much of Arolanit, they went on, only to be defeated by the Dari and Enerali.

Palangtar was practical and unassuming, and used only the title of King. This was the dissolution of Silver Empire.

20. Ahmosing, King of Seshnela

Reigned 291-309
Son of Palangtar

Ahmosing carefully tended his land’s resources, letting Tanisor and Arolanit fight their own wars against the Dari alliance. Arolanit held out, but Tanisor fell. Ahmosing financed Pralori warlords to attack Tanisor, and later his son Keridonos led Seshnegi forces against the Dari until he was killed and was slain by Dari. Ahmosing himself died under mysterious circumstances.

21. Rapitor, King of Seshnela

Reigned 310-314
Ancestry uncertain

A band of Brithini supported the grandson of Ahmosing as king, but Rapitor obtained rulership with the support of many noblemen who protested the Brithini presence. He was not popular.

22. Ingalor, King of Nolosior and Seshnela

Reigned 314-326
Son of Ahmosing

Ingalor was a hardened veteran of many wars, and a stern ruler over his lands. He loathed the Brithini and King Rapitor, who he called “the Usurper.” His supporters crowned him King of Nolosior and, with allies, he marched on Froawal and drove Rapitor into exile. He was subsequently crowned, and obtained great popularity by defeating an invasion from Tanisor. He was later attacked by the supporters of Iwerlos and killed.

23. Iwerlos, King of Seshnela

Regency, 309-326
Reigned 326-369
Son of Keridonos, son of Ahmosing

By rule of primogeniture, Iwerlos was heir to the kingdom when King Ahmosing died. Though he was only an infant of two years, his mother claimed the right for him. His uncles seized control of the kingdom, but the infant was protected in Damolsten by his mother and her immigrant Brithini allies. At age, Iwerlos marched to Kingsgrave to be crowned.

Ingalor mustered his army, and in battle the false king was killed. When Iwerlos’ mother died her Brithini allies departed overseas, and his uncles tried to seize the kingship from him but failed. They were exiled to enemy foreign lands where they all eventually died. Iwerlos was a moderate and compromising king who managed the land well and fairly.

24. Gwaloring, King of Seshnela

Reigned 369-390
Son of Samikal, son of Iwerlos

Gwaloring was unimaginative and boring, hence a good king. But in 375 the sun stopped, went retrograde, and turned dark, then went on. This was Sunstop. A plague swept the land as well, and Gwaloring paid all the pagan priests to stop it, but they failed. Then he gave up their worship for the Invisible God alone, and asked the wizards to cure them. They too failed. Finally, he sent people to Ralios, and they returned with Gaalth, a foreign priest of the god called Nieby, who built a little shrine and cured the king’s wife of plague. Gwaloring sent for more of the priests, and soon they were setting up shrines in all his cities, and Gaalth stood at Gwaloring’s elbow for all advice. The king died quietly in bed.

25. Vilos, King of Seshnela

Reigned 390-395
Son of Gwaloring

Vilos mistrusted Gaalth, and sent him from Frowal even before he was crowned. He contracted the plague the day after his coronation and suffered horribly. He killed himself rather than suffer.

26. Blastring, King of Seshnela

Reigned 395-408
Son of Gwaloring

About 400 S.T. a Brithini army liberated Arolanit, they attacked the Kingdom of Tanisor but were resoundingly defeated. Shortly afterwards one of their soldiers named Arkat was among the Seshnegi, inciting everyone against the healing cult. King Blastring sent for him and was convinced, yet contracted the Plague in 398. He died fighting from a stretcher while invading the Temple of Nieby in Froawal.

Though the king was killed, so were all the priests and most of their worshippers. The scourge of Seshnela had begun.

Nieby was recognized as Gbaji, the Deceiver.

27. Healwelf, King of Seshnela

Reigned 408-415
Son of Gwaloring

Gbaji’s diseases and deceits had taken Healwelf’s uncle, father and brother as well as thousands of others. The young king knew this and ruthlessly began exterminating the cult, even though many of his people still supported the god. His rash actions polarized everyone quickly before any proofs could be made, and civil war erupted everywhere. Resistance crystallized around Iannilir, Healwelf’s bastard brother, and climaxed in 415 in a great battle. Even with the help of Sir Arkat, the king was having the worse when Sir Gerlant, a foreigner, arrived on the field with a fresh army. Part of Iannilir’s army erupted into monsters to continue the fight, the king and his brother were killed and even Arkat nearly overwhelmed, but Gerlant carried the day with his knights.

28. Hermalor, King of Seshnela

Reigned 415-432
Ancestry uncertain

Hermalor was a well respected warrior of Seshnela who was selected by other nobles to be king. He concentrated upon clearing the last followers of Gbaji out of Seshnela. Arkat and Gerlant insisted on pursuing the destruction of Gbaji outside the kingdom, and Hermalor allowed warriors to go with them. He consented to the Malkioni church’s blessing of Arkat (in 417) to be Grand Marshall of the Crusade Against Chaos to destroy the Vampire Kings of Tanisor. When the church tried to withdraw its blessing (and financing) of the Crusade Arkat did not resign his post as Grand Marshall.

Hermalor backed the church and called back all his people.

Arkat quit the worship of the Invisible God, and he joined the pagan Orlanth cult. For his perfidy, and without the support of Seshnela and the Invisible God, Arkat was killed in battle by a hero of Dorastor, and his soul consigned to a pagan hell.

29. Grimnos, King of Seshnela

Reigned 432-449
Son of Hermalor

Grimnos had been fighting alongside Arkat for most of his adult life. He withdrew only when his king ordered it. After being crowned he allowed knights and soldiers to follow Arkat’s suicide mission after he returned from the dead in Slontos, though the church tried to forbid it. (Note. Actually, we know that Arkat was brought back to life by Harmast.)

30. Talmakos, King of Seshnela

Reigned 451-453
Son of Hermalor

Talmakos had been in the east with Arkat and Gerlant fighting Gbaji and the krjalki when he heard of his brother’s death. He didn’t return right away, though he promised to, and he swore afterwards that only that unfilled promise allowed him to survive the carnage he witnessed when Arkat and Gbaji fought. When he did get back (absent two years) he was sorely wounded and swore that only the beauty of his childhood land gave him reason to live, of which he did but little. He had become deeply religious and summoned an Ecclesiastical Council to meet, but died before it did.

31. Gerlant, King of Seshnela

Reigned 453-c 500
Though called Son of Arkat, his actual parentage is unknown

Gerlant was a tremendous hero who had performed so many great deeds that he had achieved an agelessness which doubled his life span. Having no home of his own, Gerlant had returned home with his friend Talmakos. When the Seshnegi royal house died out he was asked by them to lead, and he accepted. He married Hupala to legitimize his claim.

King Gerlant attended the Third Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism. Gerlant’s reign was long and relatively peaceful, and he often sent presents to Fronela where his friend Talor ruled.

Greg