This text is a collection of messages passing between me and David Hall on the old RuneQuest-Daily. I have coloured David's text a dark red brown, and mine a dark blue.

Date: 11 Oct 94 16:41:34 EDT
From: David Hall <100116.2616@compuserve.com>
Subject: Anthony & Cleopatra?

At RQ-Con in Germany [German RuneQuest-Con 5, in Herdecke] Joerg and myself came up with some insights into why the greatest general in all of Glorantha (ever), Fazzur Wideread, was not at his best in the Heortland/Esrolian campaign. I think it is now time for the world to know the truth.

The first mistakes in the siege of Whitewall (as we all know) were down to incompetent subordinates - no doubt imposed upon Fazzur by the King of Tarsh. However, Fazzurs subsequent mishandling of the seige and his over-ambitious campaign in Esrolia are frankly mystifying considering his utter brilliance as a strategist and tactician. These miscalculations led to his removal from command and, with hindsight, signalled the beginning of the end for the Lunar Empire.

Diligent research has now revealed to me, and to my esteemed colleague, Joerg Baumgartner, that the reason for this was love. Yes, Fazzur was in love, and as a result (temporarily) his mind was unhinged. Who was the object of his attentions? Is it not obvious!? It was none other than the Queen of the Red Earth Alliance. This explains his failure to prosecute the siege of Whitewall with the necessary vigour (he was rarely present at the siege). It also explains Fazzur's anger at the withdrawal of troops from his Esrolian invasion army (which would in fact have opened up a dangerous 2nd front), and his determination to send many of his best men to aid the queen in lieu of the promised troops.

Our subsequent research finds some evidence to support the view that even after his dismissal Fazzur was able to rescue the Queen in a daring and brilliantly conceived combined arms raid. The lovers then returned home to Tarsh. It is clear that some difficulties were experienced with his first wife, but after her strangulation (hey, no-one's perfect) they both lived happily ever after.

Don't you just love happy endings?

From: joe@sartar.toppoint.de (Joerg Baumgartner)
Subject: Re: Fazzur and Hendira
Date: 13 Oct 94 14:39:17 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 6581

David Hall in X-RQ-ID: 6563

The reports on her strangulation are news to me. How did Onjur the Poet, the son of Fazzur who later led the Fazzurite faction in Tarsh against the Phargentites, react to this disposal of his mother?

How happy, and how long is "ever after" in a land that will be torn by civil and external warfare only a couple of years in the future? Fazzur is mentioned as the commander of the Tarshite force in 1625, where Kallyr repells him at Dangerford, but apparently was recalled after this battle, when the Phargentites received command from Moirades. He doesn't appear in the CHDP after this battle, but his son Onjur does. (pp. 128 and 154)

So: How is Fazzur's relation to Onjur the Poet? What does Onjur do in 1621, what in 1625?

(And was he irrevocably slain by Mularik Ironeye after the capture of Furthest?)

From: David Hall <100116.2616@compuserve.com>
Subject: Oh woe is me!

Joerg writes re Fazzur the Great:

Damn you! Why spoil it all! Fazzur and the Queen had a chance of happiness, and now you've smashed those hopes to pieces on the rock of your despicable logic. I weep for them.

It is now obvious to me. Why do we hear nothing of Fazzur after 1625, and only hear of his son Onjur after 1631? It is clear now that Fazzur was by 1631 dead, along with his second wife, both brutally murdered at the hands of his son, Onjur, in vengeance for the death of Onjur's foul and shrewish mother. The swine! The cad!

Joerg! Why couldn't you let it rest? Why did you have to delve deeper? Why? Why? Why? Now my hero is dead and I don't know if I can go on...

You murdered him Joerg!! Your merciless logic cut his heart out - and with it my hopes and dreams of a pure and happy Glorantha.

I'm sorry, I have to go now...

David

From: joe@sartar.toppoint.de (Joerg Baumgartner)
Subject: Re: Oh woe is me! or: Shakespeare strikes again
Date: 15 Oct 94 16:42:52 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 6614

David laments the final acts of the great Tarshite soap opera we're composing. Strange, I thought a denizen of the land of Shakespeare would appreciate a story told to its end...

I asked:

and gentle David quoth:

Will you accept my condolations?

I can see the scene before me: It is Freezeday of Sea Season, as Fazzur returns frorm the morning service to the Seven Mothers in Furthest. While he usually spends his time at home, dividing his time between the loving attentions of his wife, his books, his estates, and his students, pressing clan affairs had brought him to Furthest once again. Stepping out of the temple, already half-way down, suddenly a group of his senior students step forth from the shadows between the columns, the hoods of their cloaks hiding their counenances, led by Onjur. However, Fazzur recognizes them already from their motions, after all he had trained every single one of them in the arts of battle and strategy. Neither Fazzur nor his students wear armour, although Fazzur is belted with his steel scimitar. Without suspicion Fazzur greets the 15 young men, as suddenly he feels the cold chill of an upcoming ambush. And lo, as he turns around, some armed and armoured members of the Phargantites leave the temple gate. Suspecting them to be the source of his alarm, Fazzur turns round and reaches for his sword, as the daggers of Onjur and his friends hit him in his back. His last breath is "You, my son?"

The Phargantites rush forward, to lay their hands on the assassins, when they realize that the man staggering in a pool of his own blood is Fazzur, their chief rival and opponent. Nonchalantly they walk by, assuming that Imperial agents are hidden beneath those hoods.

Onjur leads his companions to the parental stead. They sweep through the villas, until they find Queen Hendira in her bath, her ever present sacred snake pressed firmly to her bosom. Startled and bereft of his revenge, Onjur lets the silken garrotte drop when he perceives the fading image of a crimson scimitar rising through the ceiling - despite their haste, Fazzur's allied spirit had delivered the message of the general's death just before Onjur could fulfil the other half of his vow to take the life of his mother's murderers.

What happened before?

When Onjur's hapless mother had been disposed off, Fazzur had taken the opportunity when an assassin sent by the Phargantite had penetrated his estates' outer defences. The assassin had been slain by Horatio Hostilius below the window to the chambers of Fazzur's wife, a mere week after Fazzur's return from Esrolia. Queen Hendira still resided as a guest of state with the local earth temple. Before anyone learned of the incident, Fazzur activated a magical trinket he had exchanged with his beloved, and informed her of this strike of fortune. Via this piece of jewelry they decided to strangle Fazzur's wife, and blame the deed on the slain assassin.

The scheme was carried out, and several years Onjur pursued the Phargantite conspirators who had sent the asassin to fulfil the vow he had given on his mother's funeral. However, when he and his companions finally had removed the last of the conspirators from this life, his vow (and geas) still weren't fulfilled. Puzzled, Onjur fell back to divination, and found out the bitter truth that to fulfil his vow, he had to slay his own father!

Thus the scene on the 15th day of Sea Season resulted, after Onjur had the trinket which connected the lovers stolen from his father.

This is a true tragedy, with all elements of greatness and loss you can wish for in a world gone mad. If this tragedy moved you, the poet can retire, we can find solace in the cautionary tale told by the chorus after a grief-stricken Onjur, finally released from his vow of vengeance, lightens the bier or his father.

Date: 17 Oct 94 17:22:05 EDT
From: David Hall <100116.2616@compuserve.com>
Subject: Foul and fiendish Fazzurites

A Nest of Vipers:

Of course they called Onjur a Poet to be polite. His was in fact mad, completely mad. Driven insane by his unnatural lusts for his mother, and his consuming desire to avenge her death. He was Fazzur's favourite son, the youngest and most spoilt of the brood. Perhaps the murderous "betrayal" by his beloved father was the final straw.

I suspect that he turned his other brothers and sisters against their father and led the plot to murder poor, noble, Fazzur. The final words of Fazzur were in fact, "You too, Onjur!" - having been stabbed in turn by his children.

The vengeance of Horatio Hostilius was also enough to send anyone mad. The sons and daughters were hunted down, one by one, and killed; spitted upon the end of Fazzur's own blade. Onjur was the last. But for some reason Horatio hesitated, perhaps remembering the baby he had bounced upon his knee, and the young lad he had taught swordsmanship and riding. Instead, he turned the sword upon himself.

Surely that would have been enough to send any sane man mad, let alone the already unhinged Onjur.

But perhaps the final proof of Onjur's madness came in 1631. Would else but a madman would ally himself with the barbarian war-leader Argrath Demonspawn?

I believe the real tragedy is that Fazzur was innocent of any crime except love. I believe that it was the Queen who killed his wife and presented it to Fazzur as a fait accompli (strangulation is the traditional method of ritual Esrolian execution). What could Fazzur do? The damage was already done and he loved her...

Are you satisfied Joerg? This cesspit is of your making!! Do you weep for Fazzur?

After these Lunar accusations, nothing was left to be said. To answer David's last question: I do grieve for both Fazzur and his son.