Library of Londarios: The Kings of Seshnela, Part Two (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.

Kingship Lost, Blessed by God, and Regained (501 -789)

32. Nralar the Old, King of Seshnela

Reigned 501-603
Son of Gerlant and Hupala

Nralar was surnamed the Old because he lived so much longer than did most of the men of his time. He did not obtain this as his father had, through heroism, but simply as a matter of health, vigor, and virtuous living.

Nralar was determined to assert humanity’s position in the west. He waged war against the Stygian Empire of Ralios because Arkat’s trolls caused so much damage. And also the Autarch of Stygia had personally insulted him.

During this time, too, the Nralar defeated the Mostali of Iron Mountain. The stone men betrayed and ancient pact with Seshnela, and tried to seal themselves away. Salvid the Magus, of the Uncorruptible Sons of Damolstan, led an underground war which broke the Mostali, and sent them into flight. Nralar took over the iron mines for the crown.

33. Nepur, King of Seshnela

Reigned 604-632
Son of Nralar

Nepur was one of the many sons of Nralar the Old. His older brothers were passed over in his favor, being deemed unfit to rule the kingdom. Nepur took the throne with resignation and fear of the consequences, though during his reign he maintained the unification of the kingdom, and settled all struggles against outsiders.

At the beginning of his rule a great many descendants of Nralar left the kingdom, sailing upon Waertagi ships over the ocean towards an unnamed destination. They founded Brostawal and Jalanswal in Jrustela. They had taken the “Froalar solution” in the hopes to remove themselves as rivals and so remove some of the causes of the civil war. Instead, their leaving weakened the kingdom.

632 Another Migration from Brithos enters Seshnela, some staying, some passing south, and some continuing on to Jrustela.

34. Bretnos, King of Seshnela

Reigned 632-660
son of Nralar

His entire reign was filled with civil war, as the descendants of Nepur vied for the throne. Bretnos ruled for a remarkably long time, primarily through his moderate ambition, shrewdness and stubborn honor. Taking advantage of the weakness, barbarians from Tanisor and its allies invaded Seshnela (as well as distant Slontos).

In Jrustela, in the year 646, The Abiding Book appeared, written by the hand of God. It proclaimed the One God, and monotheism was rediscovered by the Malkioni. The Witnesses showed everyone the Abiding Book. Everyone was affected by its magic and truth. It provided a great new bond between all the people of Jrustela, and by 650 they had formed the Jrusteli Confederation. After a few years missionaries began going out of Jrustela to other places, bringing with them the new knowledge and magic of the Invisible God. Their motto was “There is no God but the Invisible God, and Malkion is His prophet.”

King Bretnos welcomed the missionaries, gave them land in Frowal for a church, assigned scribes to copy the Abiding Book, and attended worship every day. He encouraged others to join the new church, and in 660 sponsored the Fourth Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism. It was held in Frowal, intending to unite Seshnela as Jrustela had been. King Bretnos was assassinated while addressing the conference, swords and spells struck in the chamber, and chaos ruled in Seshnela again.

35. Relam, King of Seshnela

Reigned 661-666
son of Nepur

After the assassination of Bretnos, Relam seized the treasury, the magical regalia, then the throne. He reigned for a short period, but was slain in battle by his brother.

36. Pamalar, Duke of Frowal

Reigned 666-673
Son of Nepur

Pamalar killed Relam in battle and then ascended the throne. He never recovered significant parts of the sacred regalia, which had disappeared. Hence, he modestly claimed only the ancient dukedom. He was in turn slain. He ruled over a small part of the kingdom, and for a time even lost control of the royal city of Frowal.

37. Hymat, Duke of Frowal

Reigned 674-676
Ancestry Uncertain, but not of the family of Nralar

The Duke of Tanisor brought in mercenaries from Ralios and led an army bigger than any of the dukes or counts in Seshnela. Castle by castle, he took over the kingdom. His mercenaries assaulted Frowal and slew Hymat. A large part of the city was burned to the ground.

38. Thyerm, King of Tanisor and Seshnela

Reigned 677-679
Ancestry Uncertain

Thyerm is cursed and castigated by all later Seshnegi historians, called “the Barbarian,” the “Child Eater,” and “Razer and Strangler.” Among his own people he was afterwards remembered as a great hero. He ruled Tanisor for many years, united Seshnela, and was crowned King of Tanisor and Seshnela. The Seshnelans said: “This Ralian seized the kingdom for a short time, but was forced to fight against his former mercenary allies as well as the Seshnegi.” According to Tanisorians, he granted it as a fief to his best warlord, Grodlam. Thyerm ruled in Tanisor for years afterwards.

39. Grodlam the Wolf, Duke of Malkonwal

Reigned 680-681
Ancestry Uncertain, but related to Telmori

Some say Grodlam murdered Thyerm and seized the throne. Others, that it was a gift. Either way, the natives quickly revolted against him and his werewolf household.

His position proved to be untenable, however, when the Seshnegi finally united to throw out the barbarians.

40.Trymir, Commander of the Army of Rightness

Occupied 680-689
son of Hagoth, son of Alfros, son of Nralar; he was a native of Jrustela.

On midsummer day, 680, Trymir led the Army of Rightness ashore from Waertagi ships. The Army of Rightness was of Jrusteli origins, and intended to right the shameful state of their ancestral land, and to bring the power of the Invisible God to them.

Many local lords joined with them, converting religions and destroying all pagan worship among their own people. The Army of Rightness were from Jrustela, bearing with them the power of the Invisible God. Their sorcerers, especially the Order of the New Iron Staff, bore magic which helped sweep the battle field clear of foes. When the werewolves tried to sweep through the woods to reach the boats the wizards detected it, and Trymir ambushed the creatures and annihilated them, almost without a loss.

Trymir exploited his descent from Nralar to unite the Seshnegi nobles and oust the foreigners. But he never sought to be a king or lord, holding only the rank given him by the Jrusteli Confederation. Nonetheless, he enforced peace over most of Seshnela, and kept peace with Tanisor and Nolos.

41. Hadalin, Manager of Greater Seshnela, the High Duke of Greater Seshnela

Employed 689-702
Reigned 703-708
Ancestry Uncertain, but he was a native of Jrustela

Hadalin was appointed by the Jrusteli Confederation to manage and govern “Seshnela and its adjacent lands.” Hadalin was inspired, as were many who were inspired by the Invisible God. Hadalin supported the School of New Order, one of many new sorcery groups approved, but not overseen, by the early Clergy of the Malkioni Church. The School of New Order gained many adherents, who agreed with their magical implementation of an aggressive and imperial policy.

Hadalin negotiated peace with Tanisor, then alliance. He welcomed the Duchy of Nolos back into the kingdom with generous grants. The Malkioni missionaries of the Invisible God were safe in those lands now. He was so popular among the Seshnegi that the Jrusteli Confederation granted him the title of High Duke.

42. Ullmal, High Duke of Greater Seshnela

Reigned 708-725
son of Hadalin

The Jrusteli Confederation did not recognize Ullmal as High Duke when he was crowned as such by the Seshnelans. The shadow forces of the Dark Empire in Ralios saw an apparent weakness, and seized a chance to plunder. Unexpectedly, Ullmal appointed his own bishops, who consecrated the Monks of Blood. These wizards created a new range of combat spells to help their soldiers. The barbarians were shocked when they saw their arrows bounce off their foes, and terrified when an infantry unit ran down their pony warriors. They didn’t wait after that, and Ullmal’s agents spread rumors that any would wound would kill, that the sorcerers breathed out poison clouds, and that the grass blades could be turned into nails. Marshall Mandalos chased the Stygian army past the Sodal Marsh, accepting city and castle which surrendered, and stopped only when the High Duke called them back for other troubles.

As early as 660 the benefits of the Jrusteli unification had inspired them to experiment with seagoing ships. None had been done by humans before that, though they had plenty of small boats and coastal craft. The Waertagi, natives of the sea, had performed all overseas commerce since the Dawn. Whenever anyone had threatened to become seagoing, the Waertagi stopped it.

The Jrusteli Free Men of the Sea had actually sailed to Umathela and returned before the Waertagi retaliated. Then the ship, and the city of Svalwal, were crushed beneath a tidal wave. In a tremendous miracle the new Malkioni priesthood brought most of the victims back to life. They, the Just Shipbuilders, thereafter provided a fanatically dedicated work force ever afterwards. They made more ships, shuttling several loads of goods and people to Umathela and back, and by 713 even to Seshnela. The Waertagi raided, but with less and less success since the Jrusteli were increasingly well prepared. Finally, a Waertagi diplomat threatened to summon Drospoly to devour the whole island. The Prince in turn threatened then with the “curse of the Real God, by the real Malkioni, and by real people with God’s Destiny.”

The Waertagi asked for Ullmal’s help for their cause. King Ullmal, on the advice of his New Order advisors, threw in with the Confederation, which thereupon became the Alliance. Many of them took the risky voyage back to Jrustela. The Confederation sent their blessings, recognized his entitlement as High Duke, and approved of everything which Ullmal had done.

In 718 the brave and foolish Free Men of the Sea put their little wooden fleet to sea against ocean itself. Their only cargo was of sorcerer wizards and their new, and sometimes untested, exotic apparatus. They faced nearly all the fifty Waertagi dragon ship cities, who came to concentrate their curse and scorn. And they had awakened all of their waves so they say on a long ridge of water overlooking the little ships, ready to drown the whole huge island of Jrustela. They had their whirlpools and waterspouts, and schools of whales, sharks, and the kraken. About the ships swam seven races of mermen ready to kill their food. All the forces of the sea were ready.

The wizards then summoned a another sea god, who was not present yet. They called it as if it was just a spirit, and they made that god call his father, forcing it to act as in an act of demonology. The father was Tanian, who is the water of the sky world. The sky world, including its water, is made of fire. Upon the command of the sorcerers, at the will of the clergy, the sky opened and burning seas cascaded upon the Waertagi. The flames could not be quenched. Ships, mermen, waves and waterspouts all impossibly caught fire and were destroyed. The burning even flowed down under the water, so there was no escape for anything in its path. The Jrusteli called this the Battle of Tanien’s Victory. Many ships were destroyed too, or their crews were killed thought the wood remained, but it was a tremendous victory against Nature itself.

The next year had many strange events.

The Sea of Flame remained. Several huge tracts of burning waters stretched across the Banthe, seeming to stay in place, stretched in long streams pointing, though hardly moving, towards Magasta’s Pool. They were huge, a hundred miles long. They blocked the routes for many years, eventually calved off many firebergs which slipped into the Homeward Ocean, but weren’t entirely cleared for another century.

Without any warning, a huge fleet of strange ships landed at Pithdaros. They bore an army black men and women with strange weapons, all of them with spirits about them like another small army. They said they had come to fight the against the evil teachings of the Bad God, the Deceiver, Gabaja. They said the god Bolongo had come to Genertela and done this evil, so they had followed to help destroy their god’s bad deeds. Vile seas had tried to delay their approach, they said, but they had prevailed despite losses, and arrived.

“Let us Serve,” they said.

‘

Ullmal told them about the Stygian Empire, which had been ruled by the Gabji, whom they called Arkat. Ullmal escorted them through Tanisor, gave them supplies, and directed them against Ralios. At first they went willingly, but after a few fights they spoke with their foes. The Pithdarans decided they had been deceived and went back to where their boats had been, but their boats were gone. They then rounded up all the people in that area and sent them away upon pain of death to return. They sent word to Ullmal, that they planned to stay and wait for Gbaji to come back, and wished to be not bothered until then. Ullmal wisely agreed, and resettled his own displaced peoples. Their descendants of these Agimori still live in Pithdaros.

Ullmal died in bed.

43. Saval, Count of Orphalsket; Champion of Malkion; later also Sacred Overlord

Reigned 729-734
Ancestry Uncertain, but not directly related to Ullmal

Saval’s rule is a testament to the power of the Invisible God, whose intervention saved him to uphold the justice of the world.

When Ullmal died a coterie of wizards declared that Pilif the Magus would be crowned next. He was the prelate of the New Order, and a very powerful wizard. Many people in the kingdom supported him, but most of the noblemen protested, and many clergy were undecided. For two years clever arguments ensued, but at last the Malkioni Church declared itself to be against Pilif and asked the noblemen of Seshnela to deliver one of themselves to be rightful king.

Saval was selected, and accepted. He was a much admired warrior, a concerned administrator of his lands, and a friend to the commoners. He had already earned the enmity of the New Order when he argued eloquently against their participation in the rites of knighthood.

The wizards acted quickly and decisively, gathering all their best forces together to hunt and attack Saval. To everyone’s surprise Saval evaded them. He obtained promises from whomever he could, and then sprang his trap. He surprised the Blood Monks off duty, slaughtering them all, then plundered and burned down their monastery. With the treasure he fled to Sanderal, where some people kept their promises to meet him. Pilif too came quickly, in force, to kill him.

Pilif and his unsacred band got lost, again to everyone’s surprise. Saval gathered a few more of his own forces. Still, Saval’s Loyal Twelve seemed no match for Pilif and his sorcerers. In the brief combat most of them were killed. Then Pilif, enraged and gigantic with the power of his magic, cast the spell to summon the Power of Seshnegi Kingship. Even those wizards that were flying were knocked to the ground when a gigantic serpent reared up from the earth. It wore Saval and his companions upon his head like a crown. The creature inhaled all the magic, then devoured Pilif and the New Order, and lowered back to the ground and left behind only a specter. The Loyal Twelve all lived, brought back to life, and they slaughtered every foe, one and all. The great specter gave further instructions on how to stop the wizards, and then disappeared.

As instructed, Saval was crowned with all prescribed rites, so was called Sacred Overlord, as in ancient times. These rites were recognized, even before they were performed, as being the most ancient rites that were used to consecrate and crown Froalar, the First King. Some protested that these were pagan rites, but they were done. Despite rumors, the king never participated in pagan rites.

Saval also received the special blessing by the church to destroy the rest of the New Order, which he did for the rest of his reign. The Jrusteli contingent of the New Order sought an army and navy from the Alliance, citing their pagan practices and rebellion. Instead, the order was investigated. Even in Jrustela it was disbanded, and its ideas clarified to an acceptable limit within the Invisible God.

This generated a real reassessment among the philosophers, clergy, and other leaders in Jrustela. As a result of their discussions they emerged with a new set of operational spiritual parameters. Certain magics were forbidden, others stated how to be allowed, and other such definitions. (Many of the magic and ideas of the New Order were carried forth by the God Learners. Their practices and attitudes eventually characterized the entire empire, but that was yet centuries away.)

44. Annmak the Peacemaker, King of Seshnela

Reigned 734-751
Son of Saval

Annmak was a popular young man, pious enough to earn the respect of the clergy but vigorous enough to be an admired hunter. He had always made his intentions clear about being crowned after his father. Some wizards worked with the ancient Seshnegi rites, and they created from that a spell that was acceptable to the Invisible God. It was the Investiture, and with it Annmak was blessed King of Seshnela, Duke of Frowal, etc. No serpents protested.

Annmak is significant because he was the first Seshnegi king to be enthroned with Malkioni rites, blessed officially as king by the Invisible God. Thus after seventy years the task of the Return to Rightness Crusade was almost ended.

Annmak sent the crusade to finish one last sacred task. The church blessed the hardened soldiers and knights and ent them away to fight in an ugly war against the Stygian Empire, in Ralios.

In 740 the army of Seshnela and the Return to Rightness Crusade crushed Emperor Paslac, destroying even his uz allies. The Stygian Alliance shattered, and military resistance collapsed. With lightning swiftness the whole Cult of Arkat was hunted down, their records destroyed, and heir holy places razed. Thus, after 240 years, did the prophecy of King Gerlant come true, and Marshall Nisaro bore the Firesword to destroy the grave of evil Arat.

Annmak’s reign was afterward peaceful, as he and his army harvested the rewards of their virtuous efforts. Annmak was always far thinking, and he sponsored a ship building program, and gave money to the sailor’s orders in his ports.

45. Meipal, King of Seshnela

Squandered 751-754
son of Annmak

Meipal is proof that birth order is a poor reason for being king, and that disease has its good too. Meipal was a indulgent and dull fellow, with little sense of discernment. He died of exposure, after passing out with his friends in a snowstorm.

46. Orvansfal, King of Seshnela

Ruled 755-768
son of Annmak

Orvansfal did not expect to be a king. To his family he’d been a rather strange and extravagant clerk, who held an annual ball for merchants. Orvansfal owned merchant companies engaged in trade directly with Umathela and, more importantly, Kralorela.

No wars or threats were to be seen, and everyone associated with Jrustela’s loose alliance was thriving.

This was a time of general adventurism among the Middle Sea Alliance, and Orvansfal sponsored many such journeys. Many failed to pay off, but the Immanent Mastery School did. Orvansfal had been a sponsor since meeting its leader, Gillam De’ Estau, who was, in the king’s opinion, “a slightly crazed man.” On his deathbed he learned he had acquired a share in the conquest of Kralorela.

47. Svalak, King of Seshnela

Reigned 768-789
son of Orvansfal

Svalak was a prominent leader among the Middle Sea Allies. Without conquest, Svalak accepted several Safelster lands under his protection. No foreigner dared to fight against him. He built war fleets.

Thanks to his father’s foresight, Svalak controlled most trade out of Kralorela. He was so rich that he built an entire Kralorelan palace in Valtorwal.

Svalak also sponsored the formation of migration companies, and sometimes gave protection and support as well. During his reign the port city of Svalakswal was established on Melib, with a fleet and a war fleet to trade with Teshnos. Soon other cities dotted the coasts there, and it was called the colony of Eest.

Greg