Greg Sez Guest: The Mighty Janube (Nov 1998)

Occasionally Greg had guests answer the Q&As in Greg Sez. Published Nov 1998

We plan to feature guest authors in this column. Many individuals have established themselves as dedicated scholars and authors of Gloranthan Lore. We hope to bring them to the attention of new comers, and to highlight their talents here. Peter Metcalfe has compiled the following story from various sources.

Q: Why do two rivers flow from the Sweet Sea?

A: Mabakarrisaro is the large lake which lies between Fronela and Peloria. It is commonly called the Sweet Sea because it is fresh water. Mabakarrisaro is a geological oddity, unusual for being drained by two rivers. The origin of this lies in the prehistory of Fronela.

After Yelm died, the Waters of the World tried to invade the land. This is remembered in various human mythologies as the Flood. In particular, Fronela was submerged under what was known as the Janubian Sea. Only the highlands were above land then. The Sea tried to flood them too, but were driven off by the Storm Gods, among whom Vadrus was most prominent locally.

The Men of the West, called Malkioni, saved their own land of Brithos from the Flood by raising the continent above the rising waters. Many Malkion then sailed with their Waertagi kinsmen upon the stormy seas. The Waertagi were numerous and powerful then, for they were counted among the many Blue People who had used the Flood to expand their rule on the world. Brithos was fortunate to have them as allies and as friends.

The Waertagi were instrumental in the battle against Ladaral in which that mighty Volcano god was overcome by the Neliomi Sea. The Neliomi became the Waertagi’s own sea. One time a grandson of Waertag needed drydocks to repair his fleet of city ships. He contracted this to a guild of Brithini sorcerers and gave them the spirit of Ladaral as raw materials and payment.

Using various parts of the spirit, the wizards raised an isle and built there a massive drydock. To watch over the drydocks, they built a citadel with brazen walls and imprisoned the rest of Ladaral within them. The walls became red-hot from the presence of the god and they still glow today.

The Waertagi consecrated the island to their patron diety, Sogalotha, and the City was baptized Sogolotha Mambrola. Today, because of the marshiness of the island amidst the flood, most people simply called it Sog City.

As centuries passed the Storm Gods gradually drove back the flood from the lands. The Janube began to dry up and retreated into itself, reduced to a part of a puddle that lay far inland. This puddle was Mabakarrisaro, wherein lay several water entities. As told in Entekosiad (page 49-51) Listor, the Porals, and Oronin established themselves in Pelanda. The Sweet Sea was drained naturally by the Poralistor river into the Kenyrian Sea. Janube was seemingly destined to be a minor deity of this water system.

The Wizards of Sog City had a different idea.

The Wizards of Sog City were most distressed at the drying up of the Janube Sea for they were contracted by their ancient agreements to ensure that the Island remained intact. They had sworn to make an island. The complete disappearance of the Sea meant that Sog City would no longer be on an isle and thus they would have breached their contract and consequently forcibly putrefied into matter and energy.

Not wishing to suffer this dire penalty, the Wizards of Sog City began a massive spell. From the Sweet Sea, they used their sorcery and called down a water which they had known. The Janube woke and they guided its path as it flowed down the length of Fronela. Here they warded of attacks by Vadrus and his sons who sought to destroy this new enemy, and there, they drowned a few camps of the enemies of the sorcerers. The River finally reached the coast of Fronela and the sorcerers made it flow around Sog City, so that it would continue to be an Island.

The Goddess Janube received sacrifice from Waertagi at Sog, then by many others. She quickly grew strong, and sent her tributaries through the valleys of Fronela.

That is why the Sweet Sea is drained by the Poralistor and the Janube Rivers.

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