Freer than other Angarak societies. Hunters, woodsmen and miners tend to be free spirits—their own men, subject directly to the King. Others are in clans, subject to chieftains. Reverse dowries for women you pay a man for his daughter—hence the interest in trade and in profit.
Note on slaves66 – Among the Nadraks, slaves exist only for insurance purposes. Slaves are substitutes for Nadraks chosen for sacrifice. If you’re chosen, buy a slave and send him (or her) instead. Thus, slaves are worked but not seriously mistreated. The freemen—miners, woodsmen, hunters, etc. are for the most part exempt because sacrifices are chosen from the clans (so many each).
RANK
The King—Still subservient to Torak and must obey orders brought to him by Grolims from Mallorea.
The Jarls (Earls)—The Clan-chiefs subservient to the King.
The Warlords—Keepers of castles and leaders of groups of warriors—subservient to the Jarls.
The Warriors—Next in line.
The Peasantry—Farm workers. Not exactly serfs. They are used as soldiers.
Freemen—Merchants, woodsmen, hunters, miners. Can be quite wealthy. Mostly town dwellers.
MODES OF ADDRESS
The King—August Majesty
Other Nobles—My Lord
Warriors—Brave John or Mighty John
Freemen—Miner John, Merchant John, etc.
Peasants—John
Slaves—You or Slave. Never called by name
MANNERS
Nadraks are bold, war-like and rowdy. They are the most likeable of the Angaraks. They like to drink and they like to make money. They are somewhat less fearful of the Grolims than are other Angaraks.
All Angarak societies are cruel, and public executions (as well as the sacrifices) are a common entertainment. They are fanatic warriors, but tend to be a little flighty in combat— high-strung. Nadraks are not really trustworthy. Marriage is by purchase. Women have no rights.
HOLIDAYS
(Note: Erastide is not celebrated in the Angarak Kingdoms.)
Festival of Torak—Torak’s supposed birthday—a few sacrifices.
Day of the Grief Place—Date of a major battle in Drasnia— an orgy of sacrifice.
Day of the Wounding—The day when Torak was burned by the Orb—several sacrifices.
Day of the Casting Out—The day when Belgarath, Cherek and the boys retrieved the Orb from Cthol Mishrak and Torak destroyed the city—many sacrifices.
POPULATION
Probably 3 ½—4 million Nadraks.
Mishrak Ac Thull
COINAGE
See Gar og Nadrak. Much barter among the Thulls.
COSTUME
The standard costume of the Thulls is a knee-length belted tunic with elbow-length sleeves (male and female) made of various fabrics. Soft leather shoes. Armor is a chain mail complete with helmet. Weapons are broadswords, maces and axes (weapons of strength) in winter fur cloaks and felt boots.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
Thulls tend to be stupid. Village life is about all they are really capable of. Their cities consist of neighborhoods that are little more than villages. Their farms are poor because of the thin topsoil, and the Thulls produce food only through great amounts of back-breaking labor. There is a certain amount of rough, somewhat childish, good humor among them which tends toward the earthy—even obscene.
The major source of income among them is the hiring out as porters to Murgos and Nadraks. This is customary and traditional. Though they will fight when banded into military companies under their own leaders, by custom when they are serving as porters they are not required to fight. This is the responsibility of the other Angaraks who have hired them.
Thullish women are sexually voracious, and infidelity is so common that it is not even taken seriously. They are somewhat driven to this by the heavy burden of sacrifice laid upon them by Torak. The Thulls are sacrificed in numbers sometimes ten times as large as are the Nadraks and Murgos. Since a pregnant woman is exempt, it is prudent for a Thullish woman to keep herself in that condition.
As with the Nadraks, slaves are used as substitutes in the sacrifices. Several Thulls, smarter than the average, have established vast slave-pens to the south of Mishrak Mardu. Worn-out, old or feeble slaves are bought cheap in large numbers from the Murgos and are held in the pens until required. They are sold to Thulls who might need them. It is customary for long caravans of these unfortunates to be driven along behind the Grolims who go about the country selecting sacrificial victims. As soon as he is chosen, a Thull goes to the slave broker and buys a substitute.
Because of the ever-present fear of being chosen, Thulls live in more or less constant fear. Their sometimes homicidal fury is the reaction to this fear. In their dealings, Thulls have to make a profit in order to build up a bankroll to buy substitutes. They run away from sacrifice often.
RANK
The King—Hereditary.
Lords of the Marks—Greater or lesser nobles depending on wealth.
Warriors—The standing army of the Thulls. Fairly large. Used to track down runaway sacrificial victims.
Guptors—A Thullish word meaning a wealthy man.
Commons—Farmers, porters, etc.
Slaves—Never used for work. Thulls do all their own. Slaves have only one purpose.
MODE OF ADDRESS
The King—Your Majesty
The Lords—Your lordship
Warriors—Your honor
Guptors—Your honor
Commons—By name
Slaves—Never addressed at all—simply goaded or whipped into motion
MANNERS
Thulls are not bright enough to have very much in the way of elaborate etiquette. They tend to be morose and sour—sullen. The good humor mentioned previously is a kind of release. They fear the Grolims.
Thullish women will quite literally couple at a moment’s notice. Always on the look-out for a chance at sex.
The court at Thull Mardu is little more than a large household with the King giving orders like a Sendarian farmer. There is a great lack of formality among them.
HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
See Gar og Nadrak
POPULATION
Probably 5 million Thulls.
Cthol Murgos
COINAGE
See Gar og Nadrak
COSTUME
Murgo men always wear armor. Mail-shirts to the knee, breastplates, pointed helmets, all painted red, covered with black surcoats to mid-calf, substantial boots. Big broadswords and maces in combat, small-sword otherwise, also daggers. Some ornamentation on helmet and surcoat to indicate rank.
Murgo women are always kept in harems. Clothing is filmy and diaphanous.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
This is a military society and is rigidly organized. Divided into companies, battalions, regiments, etc. All rank is military. The society in the known part of Cthol Murgos is in actuality a sham set up to resemble a semi-normal society. This is also true of Murgo merchants. They are all spies. The seeming society in Rak Goska is a complete stage setting. Murgos are trained there for excursion into the west.
All work in Murgo society is done by slaves.
The real cities of the Murgos lie to the south and are unknown to westerners. They are actually base housing type cities—military posts.
Murgo men have more than one wife—up to four. One route to promotion is to produce lots of kids.
There are other peoples (unknown to the west) to the south of Cthol Murgos. These peoples are quite primitive and provide slaves.
There was an effort during the Angarak invasion of the 4860s to move a huge column of Murgos through the southern mountains to strike into southern Tolnedra, but the column started out too early and was overwhelmed by a spring blizzard in the mountains. If they had made it, the west would have fallen. There are literally millions of Murgos.
Note on Rak Cthol: This ceremonial capital of the Murgos is the ultimate bastion of Angaraks i
n the west. The Murgos are in charge, and the Kings of Gar og Nadrak and Mishrak ac Thull are subject to the King of Cthol Murgos. He gives the orders. These are conveyed to him by Grolims who are not only priests but messengers of Torak as well. Large numbers of Grolims are quartered in Rak Cthol as well as the crack ceremonial divisions of the King of the Murgos. The Ultimate Temple of Torak in the west is in Rak Cthol as well as the court of the King. It is hallowed by the fact that Torak stayed here while planning the invasion of the west. (His normal residence is in Mallorea.)
Here it is that Zedar has his base of operations.67 As personal advisor to Kal-Torak, Zedar has a great deal of power. He must, however, badger and force the Murgo General-King into doing his bidding.
Also at Rak Cthol selected Grolims study sorcery under Zedar’s instruction.
RANKS
The King—Commander in chief.
Generals, Colonels, captains, lieutenants, etc. (Titles of nobility are assigned to various of them for contact with westerners. Those titles have no meaning to the Murgos.)
MODES OF ADDRESS
From the King—My General, My Colonel, etc., ‘Sir’
To the King—‘Mighty arm of Torak’, ‘Your highness’
Ordinary warriors—addressed by rankar
Slaves are merely driven, like cattle
HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
See Gar og Nadrak.
Murgos are fanatic zealots.
POPULATION
Probably ten million Murgos altogether. Maybe 70,000 in Rak Goska, a half million total in Rak Cthol, the rest to the south.
Mallorea
COINAGE
Varied. Only rarely does a Mallorean coin appear in the west.
COSTUME
Again it varies depending on the latitudes. Mostly Thull-like tunics. Further north, more clothing. Unisex garb.
Malloreans wear plate armor—breastplates. Upper and lower arm guards, upper and lower leg guards. Helmets with visors (buckle on). Large shields, broad-bladed spears, broadsword.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
Mallorea is a theocracy totally dominated by the Grolims. Torak’s ego is such that he refused to permit the Mallorean Angaraks any nobles or aristocracy. They are all commoners.
There are no cities in Mallorea. They all live on farmsteads or in villages.68 The Grolims are administrators of districts and of the large villages. The vast bulk of Malloreans live in semi serfdom.
NOBILITY
See the Grolims. The only rank in Mallorea is in the army. Malloreans are permitted to hold military rank.
General—head of a division
Colonel—head of a regiment
Captain—head of a company
MODE OF ADDRESS
To a general—My lord General
To a Colonel—Great Colonel
To a Captain—Master
MANNERS
Malloreans are brusque and even brutal to subordinates and are fawning toward their superiors.
They are a cruel people, a reflection of their religion. When they have a chance to come into contact with strangers they tend to be polite, even friendly, largely because they do not know the precise rank of the stranger.
COMMERCE
The goods from Mallorea are essentially the kinds of goods associated with the orient. Spices, silks, tapestries, carpets, candied fruits, etc. Sugar is a big trade item. There is a great deal of work in fine jewelry.
HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
See Gar og Nadrak.
There are also additional holidays in Mallorea and there is no substitution of victims in that land.
POPULATION
Mallorea is about as large as the western sub-continent, and there are approximately 25 million Malloreans.
They could quite easily overwhelm the west by sheer numbers, but the logistics of moving an entire population into position are beyond the capabilities of the Grolims who are not really very good administrators.
The Grolims
WEALTH
The Order (or race, since they are a tribe) is enormously wealthy since taxation—tithing—in Angarak countries is heavy and it all goes to the Grolims.
COSTUME
Monk’s robe—black. Hood is always up. Steel mask—polished. The face of Torak. Mask is a complete helmet, hinged and latched—they frequently wear mail under-shirts and carry daggers or swords.
ORGANIZATION
In Mallorea and southern Cthol Murgos there are Grolim communities forbidden to others where the Grolims raise and educate their children and continue their studies. In the western Angarak kingdoms, Grolims have large houses where they can live in some semblance of normalcy.
The Grolims have a Catholic structure with equivalents to: Pope—The ultimate high priest. 12 Cardinals—Administrators of large regions. Archbishop—Administrators of large districts. Bishop—Administrators of smaller districts. Monseigneur —Administrators of major towns or cities. Priest—Priest (or priestess)
These last are the workers—they control villages, also travel as messengers etc., perform the sacrifices, select the victims etc. Keep the Angaraks in line. Some are in the intelligence service, adopt the garb of the people and spy on them or on the west.
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
Angaraks are fearful of their religion—with good reason. The call to the Temple is a call to be sacrificed. A sorrowful horrifying part of their lives. Their relationship to Torak is that of driven slaves. The Grolims, who select those to be sacrificed, are not above using this power for personal revenge. Some Grolims can be bribed.
A religion based on fear. Theological offenses are also punishable by death. (Speaking unworshipfully of Torak, striking a Grolim, etc.)
THE SACRIFICE
After suitable invocation to Torak by the priest, the victim is placed naked on the altar, sliced open, and the heart is removed—offered to Torak and then burned in a brazier of hot coals on the altar. Great pits nearby are stoked up with huge fires and the bodies are then burned in the pits. The altars are never washed and the combination of rotten blood and burned flesh makes Angarak temples stink like charnel houses. They are avoided by the people.
They are large buildings of black stone and totally deserted except during the ceremonies.
RANK
The High Priest (Pope) is the Vicar of Torak. He is a dark sorcerer on a par with Belgarath, Zedar and the others, and is also immortal.
His name is Ctuchik. He was selected by Torak after the Orb burned him. Taken as his servant and his pupil. Knows the secret of the Will and the Word, but uses more mumbojumbo. Calls up demons and monsters to do his bidding. Has found ways to circumvent the restriction on the power of the Word. (He can destroy by creating fire in the body of the victim or creating a spear in his chest, etc.)69
The Chosen Ones: The 12 (cardinals) are also sorcerers, though not as powerful. They can alter themselves. A good trick is to expand: move their molecules apart until they’re ten times larger. They live for about 1000 years.
The Grolims all dabble in some degree of sorcery. Most are limited to simple tricks but some of the higher ranks have fearful powers.
The Grolims have gained control of many of the monsters—though not all. Use monsters as required.
The Grolims are Torak’s Gestapo, agents, police, servants, etc. Use as required.
PHYSICAL
The Grolim tribe is tall, lean, swarthy with piercing eyes. Voices behind the masks are hollow, chilling.
Rank is probably indicated by tattoos in some inconspicuous place—no rank on the robes.
POPULATION
All told, there are probably 3–4 million Grolims, widely scattered.
III
THE BATTLE OF VO MIMBRE
Excerpted from the prose epic, The Latter Days of the House of Mimbre By the Arendish bard, Davoul the Lame.70
NOTE
While some aspects of this work are obviously ludicrous, and the author has taken a great deal of poetic
license with facts, the piece has a certain rude charm. The spells, enchantments, sorcery and other magical clap-trap, are minimal when compared to other works in which everyone is a sorcerer, and the Gods themselves strode the battlefield. All Imperial diplomats, emissaries, ambassadors, trade negotiators and such functionaries assigned to the court at Vo Mimbre should be thoroughly familiar with this work—and most particularly with the portion excerpted here—before undertaking any official mission to Arendia. Further, it is considered mannerly and a sign of good breeding to sprinkle one’s speech with quotations from this epic. The Arends are convinced that this rather pedestrian work is the world’s greatest literary masterpiece, and there is even a cult among the nobility which maintains that Davoul, the author, was divinely inspired at the time of the writing. The deliberate archaism of Arendish court speech is a reflection of the ‘high style’ affected by this author, and officials of the Tolnedran Empire should strive to match the elevated speech mannerisms of the Arends in all dealings with them. To do otherwise would be to cast disparagement upon the Empire itself in the eyes of this most troublesome of people.
The Rivan Codex Page 24