commonplace.
Alarmists have contended that these Angaraks are in fact spies
probing the west in preparation for yet another invasion, but these
are the counsels of timidity. Our own merchants in the south and
those of the Drasnians in the north have witnessed no unusual
military activity and the numbers of the western Angaraks are so
limited that without the aid of Mallorea they could not hope to
mount a sustained campaign against the west. Kal-Torak is dead.
ffis like will never appear again, and without such a leader to Spur
them on there is little likelihood that the hordes of Mallorea would
ever again join with the western Angaraks in those desperate
adventures which so nearly exterminated them in the past.
Car Og Nadrak
COINAGE
All coins have the likeness of Torak on the face, and all coins – even
though stamped in either Car og Nadrak or Cthol Murgos are
universal among the Angaraks. (Coinage originated in Mallorea.)
GOLD
Angaraks use large gold bars or ingots for major transactions.
10 lb. bar called a gold tenweight, worth about $20,000
5 lb. bar called a gold fiveweight, worth about $10,000
1 lb. bar called gold pound, worth about $2,000
M lb. bar called goldmark, worth about $1000
COLD COINS
4 oz. coin called a goldpiece, worth about $500
2 oz. coin called a half goldpiece, worth about $250
1 oz. coin called quarter goldpiece, worth about $125
A oz. coin called gold token, worth about $62.50
SILVER
4 oz. coin, worth about $25
2 oz. coin, worth about $12.50
1 oz. coin, worth about $6.25
A oz. coin, worth about $3.125
COPPER
Coins called ‘Coppers’, worth one hundredth of a silver token
COSTUME
Nadraks wear a lot of fur.
MEN
Pants, jackets of leather, mid-calf boots, fur caps (pretty Hurulish Or
mongolian). Felt overcoats, belted and ankle-length. Fur robes in
bitter weather. Leather vests in summer. Dress clothing for indoors
is wool, linen or silk.
ARMOR
Breastplates and pointed helmets. Leather jackets with steel plates
sewn on cover arms and shoulders. Same with pants. Long, slightly
curved swords. Daggers. Nadrak clothing is usually black.
WOMEN
Gowns of fairly heavy material – richly ornamented and pretty
concealing.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
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 slaves
* This was significantly modified as the character Vella was
developed.-
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 larls (Earls) ‘ The Clan-chiefs subservient to the King.
77w 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 – Ntiner 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.
POPULATION
probably 4 million Nadraks.
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.
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. Ms 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
Cuptors – 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, breast-plates,
pointed helmets, all painted red, covered with black surcoats to
midcalf, substantial boots. Big broadswords and maces in combat,
smallsword 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.