Nyarlathotep
Mongoose
Let's face facts: The career of a scholar in the Hyborian age is a precarious situation. Unless you've hit the ground running due to some special ancestry like being a Child of a certain hoary ancient nature deity or having your mom, whose been doing a little too much Black Lotus, fall asleep on Dagoth Hill - much of your early career will be spent trying to grab scraps of knowledge while trying to avoid getting killed by the far more numerous physical types (Whether it be your foes, or your friends hairbrain schemes) or getting hexed by your superior for picking up the wrong dancing girl from Shadizar.
But i'm not here to talk about them.
I'm here to ask about the folks who actually made it through the turmoil of the Hyborian age, whose name is "ringing out" not just amongst the usual but in the streets and in the courts of kings.
IE: Welcome to the Big League.
Now for some - earning a reputation is something incidental. I'm quite sure that Hadrathus of Aquilonia didn't become the head of the branch of "Asuranism" for personal aggrandizement. These folks live in essential autarky.
But i can't help but strike down that image for those with a far more pro-active bent: Especially since "Sorcerous News" essentially acts like the Internet for these folks.
So - first question of the day - just who are in the big leagues besides:
Thoth Amon and the Black Ring
Yimsha and the Black Circle
The Master of the Scarlet Circle
maybe some of the Hyperborean Witch-King/Avatars
A Host of Independent Sorcerers.
2nd Question: Deserved or Not, Thoth-Amon's publicist got him the rep as being the greatest sorcerer of the Hyborian age.
Now for most people, having the title is meaningless - but were talking about a bunch of meglamonical pre-madonnas who like to have their egos stroked (after all - more than half of them have fun ordering around demons).
So - is there anyone out there in the whole of the Hyborian age who would contest that opinion?
3rd Question: What's the agenda? Whose agenda you might ask?
Why their agendas!
Are all these fraternal organizations simply redistributive coalitions to maintain power over a certain country? Are they simply status quo?
Correct me if i'm wrong, but that seems to be the case with the Black Ring. Later pastiches have taken the bite out Stygia as being an "Evil" country - which is a good thing mind you - but might have turned it into an "immobile" country(and the Black Ring too).
As it stands, the only one who seems to have a plan is the Master of Yimsha - and he's reaching for the big prize by "going global" - world domination 1 kingdom at a time.
Referring back to previous point: Doesn't that raise a few eyebrows amongst those "in the scene"? Sure if i'm a Hyperborean witch king i'm not going to be too concerned....until i find out that he's duped the Turanians who are starting to knock on my door?
4th Question: The Great Race?
Here's a little scenario idea that i've been playing around with:
Let's say that by a mere chance accident one of those ancient Pre-human cities has just burst forth from the sand in Turanian territory (I have half a mind to make it Lovecraft's Nameless City), and its been confirmed to have a host of ancient lore the likes which the Hyborian age has never seen......and some idiot decides to broadcast this on the Sorcerous News Network.
Now the common average scholar looking for power might hitch a ride to the place.
But in your opinion - how do the folks in the "Big League" Act?
But i'm not here to talk about them.
I'm here to ask about the folks who actually made it through the turmoil of the Hyborian age, whose name is "ringing out" not just amongst the usual but in the streets and in the courts of kings.
IE: Welcome to the Big League.
Now for some - earning a reputation is something incidental. I'm quite sure that Hadrathus of Aquilonia didn't become the head of the branch of "Asuranism" for personal aggrandizement. These folks live in essential autarky.
But i can't help but strike down that image for those with a far more pro-active bent: Especially since "Sorcerous News" essentially acts like the Internet for these folks.
So - first question of the day - just who are in the big leagues besides:
Thoth Amon and the Black Ring
Yimsha and the Black Circle
The Master of the Scarlet Circle
maybe some of the Hyperborean Witch-King/Avatars
A Host of Independent Sorcerers.
2nd Question: Deserved or Not, Thoth-Amon's publicist got him the rep as being the greatest sorcerer of the Hyborian age.
Now for most people, having the title is meaningless - but were talking about a bunch of meglamonical pre-madonnas who like to have their egos stroked (after all - more than half of them have fun ordering around demons).
So - is there anyone out there in the whole of the Hyborian age who would contest that opinion?
3rd Question: What's the agenda? Whose agenda you might ask?
Why their agendas!
Are all these fraternal organizations simply redistributive coalitions to maintain power over a certain country? Are they simply status quo?
Correct me if i'm wrong, but that seems to be the case with the Black Ring. Later pastiches have taken the bite out Stygia as being an "Evil" country - which is a good thing mind you - but might have turned it into an "immobile" country(and the Black Ring too).
As it stands, the only one who seems to have a plan is the Master of Yimsha - and he's reaching for the big prize by "going global" - world domination 1 kingdom at a time.
Referring back to previous point: Doesn't that raise a few eyebrows amongst those "in the scene"? Sure if i'm a Hyperborean witch king i'm not going to be too concerned....until i find out that he's duped the Turanians who are starting to knock on my door?
4th Question: The Great Race?
Here's a little scenario idea that i've been playing around with:
Let's say that by a mere chance accident one of those ancient Pre-human cities has just burst forth from the sand in Turanian territory (I have half a mind to make it Lovecraft's Nameless City), and its been confirmed to have a host of ancient lore the likes which the Hyborian age has never seen......and some idiot decides to broadcast this on the Sorcerous News Network.
Now the common average scholar looking for power might hitch a ride to the place.
But in your opinion - how do the folks in the "Big League" Act?
