So the Holy Country is a little smaller than Dragon Pass but has three times the population. More than half the population lives in just one Sixth – Esrolia. Esrolian art, crafting, and material goods can be found in all the Sixths, and of course are found in Sartar and even Tarsh. In some old documents, Esrolia and the Holy Country are used interchangeably.
During the long reign of the God-King, this was mitigated somewhat by the magnificence of the City of Wonders, which was a cultural and economic center, as well as the magical court of Belintar. The God-King was always careful to protect the separate identities and cultures of the various Sixths. But with the disappearance of Belintar, and more recently with the disappearance of the City of Wonders, the Esrolian predominance now stands in sharp relief.
The Ernaldan cult leaders have no interest in territorial expansion but Esrolian merchants of the Issaries cult can be found in every city in the former Holy Country. With the disappearance of the City of Wonders, the Knowledge Temple in Nochet is now the world’s largest library. The Chalana Arroy cult has its largest hospital in Esrolia. And Nochet is the center of sea-borne trade throughout Glorantha.
Some claim it was the Lunar heroine Jar-eel who is responsible for the disappearance of Belintar. If that is true, she is the one responsible for the demise the City of Wonders. Harrek just administered the coup de grace to something already all but dead.
