Here are some of my notes on Kallyr Starbrow for the Homeland Book:
Dark Season 1625, Kallyr is acclaimed Prince. In some areas she has a lot of support, in others, not much at all. She didn’t liberate the Colymar, Lismelder, Locaem, or Balmyr tribes. She’s got no backing among the Pol-joni or other Praxians. but she has deep support among the Kheldon, Culbrea, Aranwyth, Sambari, and I think the Cinsina. That’s where she draws her companions from.
When she is acclaimed, she needs a Ring who she trusts and who can work with her to do what she thinks needs to be done. And so she draws on companions and kin, as well as some friendly clans and tribes.
Randella and Insterid Fire Eyes are kin from her own clan, the Black Rock. A few thoughts on them – the Black Rock are a leading clan of the Kheldon, for as we know Ernaldinni Wolfkiller was on the Kheldon Ring when Sartar came to the land. They are largely matrilineal, and have lands around Sacred Top and Lambnet Fort. They of course also have homes inside Boldhome – the Kheldon are probably the most urbanised of all the tribes. They are a small tribe of four clans, surrounded by sacred hills and wealthy off Boldhome. Think of them like the Phocians of Ancient Greece.
Insterid is a Yelmalio cultist who is a maternal cousin of Kallyr. She’s been the loyal bodyguard of Kallyr since the Batlle of Boldhome. Rendella is also a kinswoman – a trained scribe who joined the spirit society of Oakfed, and is drawn into Kallyr’s Sky focus early on – probably as early as 1605, when Kallyr first quested for her star, back when she was 21 (a starting RQG character!). So you basically have three kinswomen – Kallyr, Insterid, and Rendella. This makes them a nice inverse of the wandering male kinsmen so common in stories.
Which btw brings us to an interesting point – Kallyr’s Sky fascination. She’s figured out the maxim As Above, So Below. In many ways, she would have made a good 2nd Age Dara Happan. Her quests are all based on a sky map that has been put together by herself, Randella, and Insterid over the decades. Of course Kallyr has Celestial Lore at 85%+ – but her Orlanth Cult Lore is much lower. That by the way is why she doesn’t use the LBQ Ring. Umath was a Sky entity and that is what she is more comfortable with.
Orngerin is from the Greenhaft clan of the Cinsina (but were Culbrea until after Starbrow’s Rebellion). He showed up with warriors to support Kallyr in the Rebellion and has been her chief lieutenant since then. He’s a Wind Lord, and got his nickname from his ability to “hold fast” onto an enemy in battle, giving Kallyr time to hit them with everything she has in reserve. If I were Ivartha Wolfskinner, I’d be watching this guy. Especially once Kallyr puts him in charge of Jonstown.
Ernaldesta is an Earth Priestess of the Culbrea. She’s not part of the Chan Dynasty that rules the Clearwine Earth Temple – Beneva Chan was down-right hostile towards Kallyr Starbrow. The Chans view Starbrow as an ambitious interloper. Ernaldesta has supported Starbrow since the beginning, and now gets to reap the reward of that support.
Elmalandti is a Storm Voice of the Culbrea Tribe. He’s the lover of a river nymph, and is now installed as the high priest of the Boldhome Air temple.
As for friendly tribal kings, Kallyr enjoys the strong support of the Cinsina, Culbrea, Telmori, Aranwyth, and Sambari leaders. So that is Ivartha Skinner, Ranulf of the Culbrea, and whoever are the leaders of the Telmori, Aranwyth, and Sambari. Jonat Trollbane is probably the Aranyth leader. And the Ducks support her.
Opponents include the Colymar – in particular the Chans and Leika. Leika knows Kallyr, having been in exile with her. Both were lieutenants of King Broyan, but Leika stayed and fought at Pennel Ford, while Kallyr was involved in her Sky World Boat Quest. Leika was there when Broyan was killed by Lunar sorcery, while Kallyr was involved in the Dragonrise plot (which horrified both Leika and Kallyr). Leika shares her family’s hostility towards Kallyr, and views her as an overly-ambitious rival. As the leader of the largest and most powerful tribe in Sartar, Leika views Kallyr as a peer with fewer resources than herself.
The Chans (Erenava and Erannina, as well as the Ernaldori clan) dislike Kallyr for a variety of reasons, all going back to 1613. They blame Kallyr for the rebellion that resulted in their exile.The Pol-Joni are largely hostile to Kallyr’s claims, as they already have thrown their support behind Argrath White Bull. The Malani are deeply suspicious as well, fearing the Lunar reprisal (remember Larnste’s Table is in their lands after all).
Kallyr is a divisive figure among the Volsaxi. Some want her to claim King Broyan’s mantle and take the Sword and Helm, while others blame her for not being present when Broyan was assassinated.
But in the end, Kallyr’s biggest enemy is herself. She is proud, haughty, and volatile, and early goes into fits of shouting and accusations. Her loyalty to the nation of Sartar is unquestionable, but she will not allow it to ruined by fools and cowards. Although many of her outbursts are for dramatic effect, her haughty and unapproachable personality makes it difficult for her to work with strangers – people must earn her trust. As a result, she draws on those she knows and trusts – an increasingly narrow circle.
And so much of this comes right out of Sartar High Council.
As I said these are MY notes. I know who the Phocians are very well. Even wrote about them back in university. And also those rock features in “local” American national parks are no doubt far better known to a wider audience than many of the historical comparisons you and I enjoy!
Another thought is that Kallyr represents a more parochial and tribal aspect of Orlanth – and actually comes out of the Orlanth Thunderous cult. Her approach is Sky-oriented, and surprisingly conservative in its approach (with the exception of her Pole Star connection, which is both unsettling and cosmologically harmonious).
Argrath comes out of the Orlanth Adventurous tradition and is anything but conservative or parochial. His life in many ways mirrors Orlanth’s myths. This may help to explain why he succeeded in the LBQ and Kallyr did not. Or it may not.
After Starbrow’s death: what happens to the “Star”? It returns to the heavens. The Starbrow is a minor star manifest as a bright light on Kallyr’s forehead. Her allied spirit is also her Hero Soul, which powers her Heroquest Gifts. The star can lead her (or her soul) to the Pole Star at any time.
When she dies, it returns to the Celestial Realm.
Chief Priest is subordinate to a High Priest. Elmandti is high priest of the Boldhome Orlanth temple. But Kallyr, as Prince of Sartar, is the head of the Orlanth Rex cult.
How do Greenstone Temple think of Kallyr? Probably has more to do with their relationship with the Clearwine Earth Temple (which dislikes Kallyr intensely). I suspect that even though Greenstone has something of a rival with Clearwine, it follows their lead here.