Subject: Re: [MO]Hinu&Rohindarthism arrival date Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 17:33:36 -0800 (PST) From: David Melik I thought I ought to forward this to everyone... >>I didn't see any problem with Sind's timeline. What did you have in >>mind? It's pre-AC history (In Champions of Mystara) is very brief, we could >>probably do it anytime we want. I looked at it's post-AC timeline, and >>in fact AC 100-150 works well, it was a period of power struggles between >>several families- just the sort of thing someone would want to get away >>from, especially Rohindarthans. Actually come to think of it, I wouldn't >>want it happening then. Since we thought Rohindarthism would be the >>major religion of MOrient, it really makes sense for it being around for the >>past 2000 years or so. Sind's history is so open that it's history can be >>added to in order to explain the migration, instead of vice versa. Ah, that >>brings up a point, migrations generally happened a long time ago, so I >>think your original date is indeed good. >>Well, I'm still not sure about the original date, but I'll explain my >thought process: >Rohindhartha could have lived from around BC1500 to 1430, before Shahjapur >was removed to the Hollow World. He became immortal ca. 1430, and >immediately began trying to establish his religion in Sindh. This religion >would probably be most attractive to wealthy people, who could avoid such >"unclean" activities as slaughtering animals for food. The Rohindharthans >could have risen to power fairly quickly, perhaps even taking the throne of >Sindh. Also, the rich would be able to devote more of their time to >seeking enlightenment, instead of survival. Rohindarthan rulers of Sindh >would have tried to deal with everything peacefully. They allowed the >ogres to live near them until the ogres marauded in 1271. The more >traditional Sindhis would be fed up with the Rohindharthans, and "Hindus" >would probably retake the throne. When the Red Orcs arrived in the 1250s, >the pacifist Rohindarthans would have tried to avoid battle, and the >"Hindus would accuse them of aiding the enemy. Once the Sindhi got the orcs >out of their land in 1250, with the help of the Karimari, they would begin >persecuting the Rohindharthans. The Rohindharthans, already weakened from >their fall from grace and the years of persecution by both the orcs and >their neighbors, would not have had the heart for battle. They may have >built a fleet of ships to bear them away. Many settled the Sepent >Peninsula, where their beliefs gradually mixed with the locals so that >Rohindhartha is, to this day, one of the minor immortals worshipped in >Yavdlom. The locals were *too* welcoming, and after about 20 years many of >the more ardent followers of Rohindhartha saw that they were losing their >religious beliefs and identity, so they decided to sail on around 1225, >somewhat like a Rohindharthan Mayflower. They carried with them some >converts from the peninsula, both Sheyallia Elves and Tanagoro. What >exactly happened next could be debated. They may have settled on the >Savage Coast, making friendly contact with the tortles or local elves. >They may have met the Rakasta, and perhaps here they picked up martial >arts. They could have had friendly or hostile contact with the enduk and >the manscorpions. They may have tried to settle in the Sylvan Realm at the >suggestion of the Elves in the group. They were eventually forced to flee >each location, in part because they chose flight over self-defense. They >sailed East from the Sylvan Realm, eventually reaching MTibet, which they >began colonizing with their motley group of pilgrims. They mixed with some >of the locals, and eventually the worship of Rohindhartha spread. >We could move these dates, of course. We could keep them in the Savage >Coast until BC 500 (the dawn of the Red Curse) if we want, or, as you said, >move their flight from Sind into the future. I would say, though, that >either sometime between 1150 and 1050 or else shortly after 500 would be >best. > I think this is a great story to put in the history section. I've indeed changed my mind, the time you have it set at is good. Also, one suggestion I had to the timeline, about "river valley civilization" starting around 2000 BC, it was just sort of arbitrary, I take it back. China's started around that time, but we should examine Mystara's timeline to make it more appropriate. Of course, it could start when I mentioned but it has to fit. David Melik Darwin@.nwinfo.net