Some more interesting notes on Holy Country, Belintar, Jar-eel, Harrek, and City of Wonders from Jeff on FB:
From the letters of Sorala Tor, Esrolian scribe in Prince Argrath's service:
"Of all the many crimes committed by the the Poisonblood Witch-Queen of the Lunar Empire (a commonly used venomous title for Jar-eel the Razoress), perhaps the greatest crime was when she assassinated Belintar the God-King and ended the divine proximity of the Holy Country. A crime boasted of by the Lunars, serving no purpose except to facilitate their imperial conquests. Belintar was a gossamer thread between the Sixths of the Holy Country and the proximate divine realm. He brought mortals and gods together, and brought us as close to the blessed God Time as mortals can experience.
Lunar apologists point to Harrek's destruction of the City of Wonders, and the assistance given to him by King Broyan, to deflect from Moondaughter's crimes. But Harrek is like a wolf or bear - he kills those things that are already weakened and sickened. His destruction is like Humakt's or Umath's - he destroys a broken and corrupt world, so that a new one might be built. He ended the fading dream of the City of Wonders, but it was a mercy killing and it woke us up from the delusions that somehow Belintar might return (a delusion spread and encouraged by the Empire!)."
JR>As an aside, although I love Jar-eel, I imagine that countless people RIGHTFULLY view her as a horrid witch who wades through seas of blood - that she spilled - while smiling sweetly and playing her harp. The Orlanthi might well hate her more than even the Red Emperor himself. (As she really has spilled rivers of blood.)
JR> within the Lunar Heartlands and Provinces there is a lot of sympathy for the Lunar Empire. Within Sartar, Prax, and the Holy Country there is a lot of sympathy for Argrath. Funny how that works!
JR> In short it is reasonable for countless people to hate and fear Jar-eel the Razoress. It is also reasonable for countless people to hate and fear Harrek White Bear. Both are harbingers of the end of an Age.
JR> Except for clowns. Unlike so many moderns, Harrek really likes clowns.... And people down on their luck. Harrek is surprisingly sympathetic. I heard once he went through Apple Lane and overheard a tenant farmer worrying about how he'd get enough apples collected now that his son is gone and his leg crippled. Harrek went off the trade road and demanded of the farmer if that was truth or just an exaggeration? The terrified farmer said it was truth, he had no idea how he would gather enough apples to pay his share of the harvest and have enough to support his family. And so Harrek spent the day gathering apples. And afterwards, they went to the Tin Inn, and Harrek drank the place dry, stiffed Blueberry, and killed Pramble for irritating him with bad poetry.
JR> As an aside, among the things Harrek is known for is the following: He never forgot his common origins and never let a poor man starve. That is a key part of the Harrek myth and has been since WBRM.