Skip to content
The Well of Daliath
Menu
Menu

Red Moon in Prax

Posted on October 9, 2020

Prax is said to have been under Lunar influence since the beginning of Time, for is not Time the source and strength of the Lunar Empire? So the Imperial scholars would have it, who seek to undermine all of the world with their pens when their scimitars have failed.

Early in the Third Age, a hero named Jannisor assaulted the city of Glamour, capital of the Lunar Empire. Among his allies were sable riders from the Hungry Plateau, cousins to the tribes of Prax. During the assault the Star Twins effected that event called the Great Sable Recognition by Lunars and the Great Defection by others. The sable people recognized their Lunar heritage, and went over to worship of the Goddess, spelling doom for Jannisor Moonchaser.

Some three hundred years later, the Lunar Empire came up against the nomads of Prax. After the sack of Boldhome, the Empire sought a route to the sea. A desultory war against the Holy Country proved ineffective; the Empire needed to outflank the Pharaoh, and decided to “pacify” Prax. They sent their Sable allies first. These men spoke the same language and had the same customs as the Sable Riders of Prax, but were obviously better outfitted. Sable conversion was fast and almost complete.

The combination of Sable Riders and Lunar Army proved more than the other tribes or the Sartar outpost at Pavis could withstand. The Bison and Impala tribes were forced into the Wastes, and within a few years the Empire had built the city of Corflu on the coast. Thus was established Caravan Alley, where the Lunar convoys were escorted across the desert by armies alert for enemy raiders.

The Return of Prince Argrath

Lunar influence in Prax ended with the rise of Argrath. He had been present many years before, and had been chased from the land riding in the cradle of a giant. He returned with powerful allies, and freed Corflu and Pavis. He welded together a confederation comprised of members of several tribes working together for a positive change.Under Argrath’s leadership, the Lunar Army was beaten and forced to withdraw. Due to commitments farther north (in the Redlands), the Empire could not immediately counterattack with sufficient new forces, and Argrath was able to follow-up on his victory by entering Dragon Pass. He made his triumphant entry into Sartar, and from there he entered into history and legend.After that, the Plaines of Prax remained virtually unchanged. The tribes went about their eternal way, moving and fighting, choosing their gods and spirits seemingly at random for whatever temporary help they could give. Even though the people might have been happier or more prosperous in another, more fertile land, they remained in their ancient ways of hardship. Such, they say, is the curse and the blessing of Prax.

“Under Argrath’s leadership, the Lunar Army was beaten and forced to withdraw” refers to the several campaign of activities from 1625-1628 and includes Moonbroth, New Pavis, Hender’s Ruins, as well as Sword Hill, Dwarf Ford, and Battle of Heroes.

Conversion in this case just means acceptance of the Red Goddess and the 7 Mothers. Around 1621, about 20% of Sables were 7 Mothers INITIATES, but most were at least lay members in the cult.Similarly, only about 35% of Sartarites are Orlanth initiates, but nearly all are lay members of the Orlanth cult. And also nearly all are lay members of the Ernalda cult.

This lay membership might come through an associate cult. For example if you are an initiate of Issaries, you are an associated cult with Orlanth. Which means you are part of the Orlanth religion.

This stuff always gets a little messy on the edges and is never cut and dry – but that is the nature of cult practice, mysteries, and religion.

Jeff Richard

Next
Previous
Argrath (1599-1616), Battle of Hender’s Ruins 1625 ST, Battle of Heroes 1628 ST, Battle of Moonbroth II 1624 ST, Battle of Sword Hill 1627 ST, Jannisor, Prax (homeland)

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
  • About This Site
  • Get involved!

Latest Posts

  • The Grasslands of Prax

    Something to keep in mind about Prax. The grasslands of …
  • Praxian Kinship Groups

    Praxian tribes are divided into smaller kinship groups or clans, …
  • Lunar Resettlement of Tarsh after 1460 ST

    After 1460, large sections of Peloria (especially east of the …
  • The Spread of the Lunar Way

    In the Lunar Provinces, about 26% of the total population …
  • Gods of Fire and Sky and the Lunar Way

    The Gods of Fire and Sky co-exist alongside the Lunar …
  • How Much Land is a Hide?

    So in RQ, a “hide” is a unit of accounting …
  • Agricultural Data for RuneQuest

    Back in the late 70s and early 80s, Greg‘s only …
  • Farming in Dara Happa

    In anticipation of the Fire/Sky Book, here’s a few notes …
  • Farming in the Big Rubble

    There are some 1600 humans in the Big Rubble, with …

Links

  • Chaosium
  • Chaosium’s RuneQuest RPG Wiki
  • Glorantha on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on Discord
  • Prince of Sartar Webcomic
  • Glorantha G+ Archives on Tapatalk
  • Search mailing list archive

Latest from BRP Central

  • creating a spirit cult of Fralar
  • Thoughts on running an Animal Nomad/Praxian game
  • Fillable excel RQG character sheets?
  • Where is there a list of temples in Dragon Pass?
  • New on the Jonstown Compendium: Many Suns
  • Subcults vs Associated Cults
  • Gorgorma and Dendara's Chess Game
  • Merged deities
  • Elf plant ships and dwarf stone ships
  • Do Dwarves have souls?

Popular Tags

Boldhome (large city) Chaosium Colymar (Sartar tribe) Contents Cult demographics Cults of Runequest (preview) Ernalda Esrolia (homeland) FRA Furthest (large city) G+ post Gods Wall Greg Stafford Guide to Glorantha (preview) Humakt Jar-eel Lunar Empire Lunar Pantheon Magazine Malkioni pantheon Map Michael O’Brien Mongoose MRQ1 New Pavis (small city) Old Glorantha Q&A Orlanth Orlanthi pantheon Photo reference Population demographics Prax (homeland) RQ3 RQG Sandy Petersen Sartar (homeland) Spirit Cult Star Subcult Tapatalk post Tarsh (homeland & Lunar province) Troll Pantheon Yelm Yelmalio Yelm Pantheon Youtube

Recently added or updated

  • Spirit Magic by Cult and Associate Cult

  • ISS1102 Glorantha: Introduction to the Hero Wars (2000)

  • Dragon Pass – A brief outline (2013)

  • Some Fronelan Population And Cultural Details

  • Notes on Fronela III

  • Notes on Fronela II

  • Notes on Fronela I

  • Hon-eel Temples and Shrine

  • Seven Mothers Temples and Shrines

  • Ernalda Temples and Shrines

  • Barntar Temples and Shrines

  • Babeester Gor Temple and Shrines

  • Voria Shrines

  • Ty Kora Tek Temples and Shrines

  • Asrelia Temples and Shrines

  • Maran Gor Temple, Shrines and Site

  • Odayla Shrines

  • Humakt Temples, Shrines and Sites

  • Orlanth Rex Temples, Shrines and Sites

  • Hippoi Shrines

©2025 The Well of Daliath | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme