Skip to content
The Well of Daliath
Menu
Menu

Notes on Ethilrist III

Posted on June 23, 2022

I view Sir Ethilrist as a guy who climbed up the greasy pole and lost himself on the way. Although in his case, it is that he fell so far he has no idea where he started from any more. He was lost in the Realm of the Dead, made pacts with Darkness Demons, sacrificed his beliefs, causes, friends and family in order to survive and gain power. Each betrayal could be justified with a half-truth but after so many stacked up, the only thing that could justify this is the Destiny of a Hero. It was not his decision to enslave his followers to the Hell Horses as part of a Dark pact – that was Destiny. It was not his decision to bind the Hound into submission or make the bargain with the Goblins. All this was was what “needed” to be done to fulfill his destiny or whatever. It is only Keener Than that reminds him that this is a lie – Ethilrist decided to do these things.

And so Ethilrist spends a lot of time quietly observing his private collection of treasures, hoping that might assuage his uneasy heart.

His 2600 Black Horse Troopers and 2000 Auxiliaries were given this vale circa 1567. This by the way greatly alienated the Feathered Horse Queen who later married Prince Tarkalor. Ethilrist dutifully served the Red Emperor and fought at the Battle of Grizzly Peak. But in 1597, his 30 years of service expired without a renewal, and the next day he offered his services to the Feathered Horse Queen. Together they sacked Dunstop and halted Lunar expansion until 1602.

Ethilrist claimed a valley that already had peasant farmers in it, followers of Ernalda and Barntar. Ethilrist had NO INTEREST AT ALL in having them stop being good Earth worshipers. All he asks is that they are all lay members of his cult. And given that Ethilrist would be a tough fight for the entire Grazelander forces, the Feathered Horse Queen acquiesced to his land grab.

There is a caravanserai at the entrance to his valley, called the Red Gryphon Inn. This is where most trading takes place, and his agents buy goods from caravans. It serves as a shrine to Issaries, and also is famed for its selection of beverages and exotic tastes. Beyond the Red Gryphon Inn, you need formal permission to enter the Count’s lands, although for those visiting Muse Roost, such permission is normally granted.

I imagine Muse Roost to look like a cross between one of those huge Alpine monasteries like:

Burgusio-Burgeis,_Abbazia_di_Monte_Maria_001.JPG

03-Säben_02.jpg

and something like Mehrangarh Fort:

Mehrangarh_Fort.jpg

It is an absurd place, with 2500 Black Horse Troopers, 2600 black horse demons, goblins, and the Hound. It should be something that makes no sense – the castle of a fairy tale villain. Built by dwarfs who owed Ethilrist a favor (or were paid handsomely with knowledge only he might have.). I doubt it even has servants outside of the Black Horse Troop. In fact, I think only initiates of the Black Horse Troop and guests of Ethilrist are permitted within the walls. Maybe the goblins do most of the labor?

Source Wikimedia commons.

Goblins are relatively tall and lanky, with long torsos and wide, bowed legs, and splayed feet and hands. Their joints are swollen and their eyes are prone to catching any light and glowing. Hairless, their ears are small and located atop their heads, much like those of a cat or bat. They wear little clothing, favoring fur mantles or cloaks (description by Greg Stafford).

Jeff Richard

Next
Previous
Black Horse Troop, Ethilrist, Muse Roost (small city)

Sections

  • Search Tips
  • Current RuneQuest Glorantha Publications
  • RuneQuest Glorantha Corrections and Q&A
  • Catalogue
  • References for Glorantha
    • Gloranthan Canon
  • Gloranthan Documents
  • RPG Systems & Versions
  • Gallery
  • Role-playing in Glorantha
  • About This Site
  • Get involved!

Latest Posts

  • Hendrikiland or “South Sartar”

    There are about 175000 humans in the lands between the …
  • The Greatway

    Yesterday we were up around the Greatway, looking at the …
  • History of Orlanthi Cities

    If we think about the history of the Orlanthi, their …
  • Rural Sartar / Urban Sartar

    Thanks to King of Dragon Pass and the old HW …
  • Continuity with the Golden Age

    Several Gloranthan cultures claim continuity with the Golden Age – …
  • Kralorela and the Eastern Dynasty of Light

    Almost a third of the humans of Genertela reside in …
  • New to RuneQuest and Glorantha?

    If you are coming new to RuneQuest and Glorantha with …
  • New Orlanthi Adults

    Traditionally, new adults in Orlanthi cultures go through a period …
  • Watch your Red Moon Phase!

    A key thing to playing a Lunar character is remembering …

Links

  • Chaosium
  • Glorantha on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest Glorantha on MeWe
  • Glorantha Wiki on Fandom
  • Prince of Sartar Webcomic
  • Glorantha G+ Archives on Tapatalk
  • Search mailing list archive

Latest from BRP Central

  • Runequest adventures & copyright
  • “Army of Duckness” Miniatures Kickstarter!
  • Seshnela Questions
  • Associated cults questions
  • Death of a Telmori's Wolfbrother
  • Axe Hall
  • Hrestoli in Tanisor
  • Solar worldview of Time
  • Caprati & Du Tumerine
  • Interracial Genetic Structure

Popular Tags

Avalon Hill Boldhome (large city) Chaosium Cult demographics Cults of Runequest (preview) Ernalda Esrolia (homeland) Fonritian pantheon FR G+ post Greg Stafford Guide to Glorantha (preview) Humakt Issaries Jar-eel Kralorelan pantheon Lhankor Mhy Lunar Empire Lunar Pantheon Magazine Malkioni pantheon Map Maps Michael O’Brien Mongoose Nochet (metropolis) Nomad Gods Orlanth Orlanthi pantheon Photo reference Population demographics Prax (homeland) Praxian pantheon RQ3 RQG Sandy Petersen Sartar (homeland) Spirit Cult Subcult Tales of the Reaching Moon Troll Pantheon Yelm Yelmalio Yelm Pantheon Youtube

Recently added or updated

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – P

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult

  • Honor and Combat

  • Orlanth art preview for the Cults of Glorantha

  • Hendrikiland or “South Sartar”

  • Dragons Past #1 – Gloranthan Military Experience (1983)

  • CHA4034 Red Book of Magic – Chapter 02 Rune Magic Spells Q&A (A-M)

  • CHA4032 RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary – Q&A

  • CHA4034 Red Book of Magic – Chapter 02 Rune Magic Spells Q&A (N-Z)

  • The Greatway

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – N

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – O

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – M

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 18 Between Adventures Q&A

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 12 Rune Cults Q&A

  • CHA4036 RuneQuest Weapons and Equipment Q&A

  • CHA4039 The Smoking Ruin and other Stories – Q&A

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – G

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – F

  • Rune Magic by Cult and Associate Cult – L

©2023 The Well of Daliath | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme