Subject: The Cannon Cult Chronicle, Volume 5, Number 10
RQDIGESTV05N10
First Distribution: Jan 30, 1991
This issue:
RQ III Alchemy system Christopher W. Johnson
Brithini Philosophy Paul Reilly
Skill Difficulty Charles C. Allen
Hrestoli Society Paul Reilly
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From: johnson@ssvax1.dnet.loral.com (Christopher W. Johnson)
Subject: RQ III Alchemy system
I've been receiving this mailing list for about 3 weeks now (mid Jan)
and have just recently received the archives of back issues. One of the
items missing from RQ III has been the Alchemy system. A couple of
people have asked about a system, so I dug out a project I have had on
the back burner for 3 years and tightened up a few rules.
This system has been lightly play tested (I've only been able to play
about once every 3-4 months) and I welcome any comments and/or
suggestions.
Note: This started with the original RQ II Alchemy rules. The pricing
structure in our world has a weeks room and board at 25p for an average
Inn.
Please email any responses to me and I'll post a summary.
-Chris Johnson
johnson@ssvax1.dnet.loral.com
Here goes nothing...
-----------------------------
Alchemy
Alchemy is the skill of creating healing potions, poisons and their
antidotes, acids, and magic potions. Alchemy skills are very secret and
are regulated by the Alchemy Guild. Guild members are not allowed to
teach or show alchemy skills to any one outside the guild. Members who
break this policy are known to die horrible deaths. Membership is for
life. To join you need to pay a one time guild fee of 5000p, have a
sponsor in good standing and be apprenticed for at least 7 years. After
your apprenticeship, to stay in good standing, a yearly guild fee of
500p is paid to your home guild. Associate membership may be maintained
with a yearly fee of 100p. Associate membership allows you to maintain
an active status. Most guilds require an associate membership before
allowing you to rent labs or sell potions in their area of control.
Associate memberships may be obtained from local guilds for 10-50p
depending upon the relationship of your home guild and the local guild.
Lapsed membership may be brought up to date by paying a late fee of 150p
per year of unpaid dues. This will bring the member up to associate
membership level. They must still pay the current year's dues if they
wish to become full (or good standing) members.
Background
Skills: Throw x2, Bargain x1, Speak Own Language x2, Read/Write Own
Language x3, Speak Other Language x1, Read/Write Other Language
x1, Craft glass x3, Taste Analysis x3, Plant Lore x3, Mineral
Lore x3, Animal Lore x3, Devise x3, Enchant x2 or Ceremony x2,
Alchemy(1) x5, Recipes(2) x9 (Divide as desired), Fist Attack
x1, Dagger Attack x1, Dodge x2
(1) Alchemy is a Knowledge based skill raisable only through
training and research.
(2) Recipes are Manipulation based skills and are raisable
through experience and training.
Recipes: 1d3 upon acceptance. 1d2-1 common recipe per year (if
available)
Equipment: 100p/year in alchemy equipment, 120p in potions or material
(Divide as desired), 3d10 pennies in coin, writing equipment,
notebook for recipes, heavy leather apron and gloves (2pt
protection for chest, abdomen, thighs, and hands), linen and
wool clothing, knife, small chest for equipment, firemaker and
tinder.
Potion Creation
The success chance of correctly creating a potion is:
success % = Alchemy % + Recipe % - Potency Penalty %
The Potency Table lists the potency penalty at the various lab levels.
A critical success doubles the potency of the potion without increasing
the cost or time required. Fumbles are rolled on the fumble table.
The amount that an alchemist can make in one batch is:
Alchemy % + Recipe %
-------------------- = Total points in batch
10 - Lab Level
The time needed to create a batch is:
1 day per point of highest potency
Lab Usage
An Alchemist in good standing may rent alchemy labs from the guild or
another alchemist for:
75 + 10x(Lab Level) p/day
An Alchemist that has only active status will pay 2x as much.
Every day working in a lab the alchemist has a
cumulative chance of breaking equipment equal to:
2500
Breakage % /day = --------------- %
Alchemy % x DEX
Roll once at the end of the time spent for each batch. If breakage
occurs, make a LUC roll and the amount broken is (multiple of LUC
roll)xd100 in pennies. A LUC roll of 01 is a crit. Roll LUC again and
the fee is (multiple of LUC roll) xd10 in pennies. A LUC roll of 00 is a
fumble. Roll LUC again and the fee is (multiple of LUC roll)xd1000 in
pennies.
Lab Costs
The cost of equipping an alchemy lab in silver pennies is shown in the
Lab Cost Table. This is only the cost for the equipment needed to run
the lab. The cost of the building is extra. These costs are in large city
prices (not all large cities have the manufacturing available to make
alchemy equipment). The equipment will cost more (2x to 5x the price) if
purchased in small cities or towns. The type of equipment needed is
virtually nonexistent in small towns or rural areas and if found would
easily cost 5x to 10x the large city prices.
Alchemists may also try to make their own equipment. The procedure is,
first a Craft Glass skill must be made to make a piece of equipment,
then the craftsman must roll under their Alchemy skill to see if it is
good enough to be used for alchemy. If successful, the piece is worth
the craftsman's Alchemy skill in pennies. This may be performed once per
day. Larger more complex pieces may be made by taking longer. Roll the
Craft Glass skill each day, if you fail the piece is ruined and you must
start over. After a number of days crafting the glass, roll the
craftsman's Alchemy skill. If successful, the piece is worth the
craftsman's Alchemy skill times the number of days spent crafting the
piece in pennies.
The day-to-day running expenses are also shown in the Lab Cost Table.
These expenses occur when ever the lab is being used, and are already
figured in with the rental.
For game purposes the level of a lab is based on the value (at place of
manufacture or large city price) of the equipment it contains. If
breakage reduces the value of equipment to a lower level, then the lab
operates at the lower level until the broken equipment is replaced.
Availability of Labs
The availability of labs in any given city is found by rolling on the
availability table. Keep rolling for a given lab level until there are
no more labs. Example: there is a 50% chance of 1 level 1 lab in a Large
City, and a 50% chance for there being a 2nd level 1 lab.
LAB LEVEL Selling
Potency 0 1 2 3 4 Multiplier
1 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 1
2 20% 16% 12% 8% 4% 3
3 45% 36% 27% 18% 9% 6
4 80% 64% 48% 32% 16% 10
5 125% 100% 75% 50% 25% 15
6 180% 144% 108% 72% 36% 21
7 245% 196% 147% 98% 49% 28
8 320% 256% 192% 128% 64% 36
9 405% 324% 243% 162% 81% 45
10 500% 400% 300% 200% 100% 55
11 605% 484% 363% 242% 121% 66
12 720% 576% 432% 288% 144% 78
13 845% 676% 507% 338% 169% 91
14 980% 784% 588% 392% 196% 105
15 1125% 900% 675% 450% 225% 120
N 5N^2 4N^2 3N^2 2N^2 N^2 N(N+1)/2
Potency Penalties and Selling multipliers
Lab Lab Daily
Level Equipment Expense
0 0-1999 5
1 2000-5999 10
2 6000-11999 15
3 12000-19999 20
4 20000+ 25
Lab costs in pennies.
LAB LEVEL
Location 1 2 3 4
Large City 50% 35% 20% 10%
Small City 35% 20% 10% 5%
Town 20% 10% 5% 1%
Small Town 10% 5% 1% 1%
Rural Area 5% 1% 1% 1%
Availability of Labs
Selling Potions
An alchemist makes his money by selling potions. The higher the potency
of the potion, the higher the cost it brings. This reflects the extra
effort the alchemist needs to put into higher Potency potions. To find
what the standard rate for a potion is, multiply the selling price of
the potion by the selling multiplier of its Potency. (ie. Heal 1 = 50p,
Heal 2 = 150p, ... Heal 6 = 1050p)
Magic Potions
Alchemists also can make magical potions. These potions contain both the
magic points needed to throw the spell and the knowledge of how to cast
it once at the normal strike rank. In addition to their cost, the
ingredients must be enchanted.
Enchantment
The enchantment needed for the material is not a permanent enchantment,
so no permanent POW loss is needed when performed. The time required to
perform this type of enchantment is 1 day/point in the batch. At the end
of the time, the enchanter needs to roll under his enchantment skill
(ceremony can be added to help this chance). If he is successful, the
material may now be used to create magical potions. If the enchantment
is a critical success, the POT of the material is doubled at no extra
cost in time or POT penalty. If the enchantment is fumbled, all the
material is ruined. If the enchantment failed, only the time spent
enchanting is lost; the material is still OK.
Apothecaries that regularly cater to alchemists, usually carry
pre-enchanted material for 3x the normal cost.
Making Magical Potions
To make a magical potion, the alchemist needs the help of a person who
knows a spell (this may be himself). First the alchemist brews a potion
of the appropriate type (spirit, sorcery, ...) with enchanted material.
When done, the potion is now ready to receive a spell. The spell must be
cast into the potion twice. The first casting sets the potion to the
particular spell. The second casting stores the spell in the potion. The
castings may be performed by two different people, but they must be the
same spell. See Shelf Life of Potions for the time constraint.
Magic restorative potions need no spell to work. They are simply a
storage holder for magic points. The only stipulation is that both the
setting and storing of magic points be from the same person. That person
then becomes the only person that can use the potion.
Shelf Life of Potions and Material
Normal alchemy material has a shelf life of 2 seasons (20 weeks). Each
season after the first two, the material has a 50% chance of losing its
potency. Material that has lost its potency is useless.
Enchanted material has a shelf life of one season (10 weeks). Each
season after the first, the enchanted material has a 50% chance of
losing its enchantment. Material that has lost its enchantment simply
needs to be re-enchanted to be usable again. This material also falls
under Normal material shelf life for its potency. Roll separately for
enchantment and potency.
Normal non-magical potions (Only Divine, Spirit, Sorcery, and Magic
Restorative potions are considered to be magical) have a shelf life of 2
seasons (20 weeks). Every 2 weeks after the first 20, the potion has a
cumulative POT% chance of spoiling. Roll once per 2 week period.
A magical potion that has been brewed, but not set, has a shelf life of
one week. Every week past the first, there is a cumulative POT% chance
of the potion's enchantment breaking down. Roll once per week. If the
enchantment breaks down, the potion is useless.
After a magical potion is set from the first casting, the second casting
needs to take place within 24 hours. Every 24 hours that pass after the
first casting, has a cumulative POT% chance of the enchantment breaking
down. Roll once per day. If the enchantment breaks down, the potion is
useless.
A magical potion that has been set and filled, has a shelf life of 1
season (10 weeks). Every week past the first 10, there is a cumulative
POT% chance of the potion spoiling. Roll once per week.
If a potion spoils, roll d100 and consult the spoilage table.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Recipes
Material Selling
Name Cost/point Price Notes
Abortive 1p 5p Potency is matched against the CON of
the recipient plus the number of weeks
pregnant minus 10. If it overcomes, the
abortion is successful. In either case
the recipient is bed ridden and sick to
her stomach for Potency days.
Acid* 15p 100p Damage from Acid is its POT. Each round
the POT lowers by one. When the POT
reaches 0 the Acid is gone.
Blade Venom* 50p 500p 2x POT is matched against CON. Damage is
done to hit points of location hit and
occurs 1 second later.
Contraceptive 1c 5c Acts as a low grade poison. Every 5 POT
lowers CON by 1 (regainable afterwards).
Each point of POT lowers the chance of
pregnancy by 5%. Each dose lasts a week.
Fertility 5c 25c Each point of POT adds 5% to the chance
of getting pregnant. Each dose lasts a
week.
Fire* 20p 200p Fire equal to POT xd3 when burned. Each
round the POT lowers by one. When the
POT reaches 0 the fire has burned out.
Healing 10p 50p Heals 1 hit point per point of POT.
Magic Potions: Allows creation of spell potions. All
require double POW to create.
Divine 50p 500p Each point of POT will hold 1 point of a
divine spell.
Spirit 10p 100p Each point of POT will hold 1 point of a
spirit magic spell.
Sorcery 10p 100p Each point of POT will hold 1 point of a
sorcery spell.
Magic Point 10p 100p Restores 1 Magic Point per point of POT,
Restorative up to a Max of 2x normal Magic points.
Simple Poisons:
Poison-1 10p 75p Match 2x POT to CON. If the poison
overcomes the CON, it does full damage
(2x POT). Otherwise the poison does half
damage. Damage is to total HP and occurs
30 seconds after injection.
Poison-d3 30p 225p Same as Poison-1 except damage is POT xd3.
Poison-d4 60p 450p Same as Poison-1 except damage is POT xd4.
Poison-d6 100p 750p Same as Poison-1 except damage is POT xd6.
Complex Poisons:
Poison-1 30p 225p Match POT to false CON. If the poison
overcomes the CON, it does full damage
(2x POT). Otherwise the poison does half
damage. Damage is to total HP and occurs
30 seconds after injection.
Poison-d3 90p 675p Same as Poison-1 except damage is POT xd3.
Poison-d4 180p 1350p Same as Poison-1 except damage is POT xd4.
Poison-d6 300p 2250p Same as Poison-1 except damage is POT xd6.
Antidotes:
Antidote-1 x1 x1 An Antidote will cancel the damage done
by the potion up to the level of the
antidote. The level of this antidote is
its POT.
Antidote-2 x1.5 x1.5 Same as Antidote-1 except level is POT x2.
Antidote-3 x2 x2 Same as Antidote-1 except level is POT x3.
Antidote-4 x2.5 x2.5 Same as Antidote-1 except level is POT x4.
Antidote-5 x3 x3 Same as Antidote-1 except level is POT x5.
Antidote-6 x3.5 x3.5 Same as Antidote-1 except level is POT x6.
Recovery 2p 10p Each point of POT adds 1 to the natural
recovery of hit points. Only the
strongest potion taken will add to the
hit points recovered. (2 recovery 1's
will only add 1 to the hit points
recovered. Each dose lasts a week.
Restorative 7p 35p Restores 5 Fatigue per point of POT, up
to Max of 2x normal fatigue.
Sleep 3p 15p Match 2x POT to CON. If it overcomes the
CON, victim falls asleep for POT x10
minutes. Otherwise the victim is drowsy
and must roll CON x3 or fall asleep for
POT minutes.
Snooze 7p 35p Match 2x POT to CON. If it overcomes the
CON, victim falls asleep for POT hours
Otherwise the victim is drowsy and must
roll CON x3 or fall asleep for POT x5
minutes.
Vigor 5p 25p Each point of POT adds 1 to CON to
fight off natural (non-spirit) diseases.
Only the strongest potion adds to the
CON. Each dose lasts long enough to help
one CON roll.
*=Triple Fumble Chance
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fumble Table
D100 Results
01-05 Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd10
06-10 Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd100
11-15 Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd1000
16-20 Potion failed and you don't know it!
21-25 Potion failed and you don't know it!
Poison: It also turned into a Healing potion equal to POT x1/2 of
potion.
Acid/Fire: It also turned into an armor enhancing potion of POT
equal to POT x1/2 of potion.
Other: It also turned into a Simple Poison of POT equal to
POT x1/2 of potion.
26-30 Potion failed and you don't know it!
Poison: It also turned into a Healing potion equal to the POT of
potion.
Acid/Fire: It also turned into an armor enhancing potion of POT
equal to the POT of potion.
Other: It also turned into a Simple Poison of POT equal to the
POT of potion.
31-33 Potion failed and you don't know it!
Poison: It also turned into a Healing potion equal to POT x2 of
potion.
Acid/Fire: It also turned into an armor enhancing potion of POT
equal to POT x2 of potion.
Other: It also turned into a Simple Poison of POT equal to POT
x2 of potion.
34-35 Potion failed and you don't know it!
Poison: It also turned into a Healing potion equal to POT x3 of
potion.
Acid/Fire: It also turned into an armor enhancing potion of POT
equal to POT x3 of potion.
Other: It also turned into a Simple Poison of POT equal to POT
x3 of potion.
36-40 Explosion! d4 damage to 1 location. Automatic Breakage of
(multiple of LUC roll) xd10
41-43 Explosion! d6 damage to 1 location. Automatic Breakage of
(multiple of LUC roll) xd100
44-45 Explosion! d8 damage to 1 location. Automatic Breakage of
(multiple of LUC roll) xd1000
46-50 Explosion! d4 damage to d3 locations. Roll damage for each
location. Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd10
51-53 Explosion! d6 damage to d3 locations. Roll damage for each
location. Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd100
54-55 Explosion! d8 damage to d3 locations. Roll damage for each
location. Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd1000
56-60 Explosion! d4 damage to d6 locations. Roll damage for each
location. Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd10
61-63 Explosion! d6 damage to d6 locations. Roll damage for each
location. Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd100
64-65 Explosion! d8 damage to d6 locations. Roll damage for each
location. Automatic Breakage of (multiple of LUC roll) xd1000
66-70 Potion functions normally but also causes total amnesia for
28-CON hours.
71-73 Potion functions normally but also causes total amnesia for
28-CON days.
74-75 Potion functions normally but also causes total amnesia for
28-CON weeks.
76-80 Potion functions normally but also causes total blindness for
28-CON hours.
81-83 Potion functions normally but also causes total blindness for
28-CON days.
84-85 Potion functions normally but also causes total blindness for
28-CON weeks.
86-90 Potion functions normally but also causes total deafness for
28-CON hours.
91-93 Potion functions normally but also causes total deafness for
28-CON days.
94-95 Potion functions normally but also causes total deafness for
28-CON weeks.
96-98 Blow it: Roll twice on this table and apply both results.
99-00 Blow it badly: Roll three times on this table and apply all
three results.
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Spoiled Potion Table
D100 Result
01-50 Nothing happens when drunk.
51-60 Turns to Simple poison. POT damage.
61-66 Turns to Simple poison. POT x2 damage.
67-70 Turns to Simple poison. POT x3 damage.
71-75 Magical: Functions normally, but takes POT worth of magic points
when cast.
Other: Functions normally, but takes POT x2 worth of fatigue
points when drunk.
76-80 Magical: Functions normally, but takes POT x2 worth of magic
points when cast.
Other: Functions normally, but takes POT x4 worth of fatigue
points when drunk.
81-85 Magical: Functions normally, but takes POT x3 worth of magic
points when cast.
Other: Functions normally, but takes POT x6 worth of fatigue
points when drunk.
86-90 Explosion!
d6 damage to everything in a 1 meter radius.
91-94 Explosion!
2d6 damage to everything in a 1 meter radius.
d6 damage in 1-2 meter radius.
95-98 Explosion!
3d6 damage to everything in a 1 meter radius.
2d6 damage in 1-2 meter radius.
d6 damage in 2-3 meter radius.
99-00 Be creative.
Permanent enhancement for 2x perm POW cost.
Turns hair different color.
Turns teeth/fingernails different color.
Makes teeth/fingernails fall out.
Turns teeth/fingernails to a precious metal.
Grow tail, horns, forked tongue, ...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Poisons
For ease of gaming purposes, there are two types of poisons: natural
and brewed. Natural poisons are found and used in their original state
and require no further processing to use. Natural poison is also the
poison found in most poisonous animals. Brewed poisons are synthetic or
concentrated natural poisons and come it two varieties: simple and
complex.
Brewed simple poisons are concentrated forms of poisons and attack the
CON with twice their brewed potency. (ie. A POT 4 brewed poison will
attack the CON of its victim with a potency of 8, while a natural poison
of POT 4 will attack with a potency of 4.) They have a delay of 30
seconds, duration of 10 seconds, variable potency, and are plant,
animal, or mineral base.
Brewed complex poisons are very concentrated forms of poisons and attack
false CON with their brewed potency. (ie. A POT 4 complex poison will
attack the false CON of its victim with a potency of 4.) They have a
delay of 30 seconds, duration of 10 seconds, variable potency, and are
plant, animal, mineral, or synthetic base.
How Poisons work
The potency of a poison is matched against the CON of the poisoned
individual on a resistance table. If the poison overcomes the
individual's CON, then the full DAM is done directly to the individual's
total hit points over the duration. If the poison does not overcome the
CON, then it has a lessened effect-usually this means that half the
poison's DAM is done to the total hit points.
Some poisons are made to react so violently with the body that no CON
roll is made for normal characters. If a character has a false CON
versus poisons, he may make a roll of the false CON versus the POT of
the poison. If the poison overcomes the false CON, the victim takes full
damage, otherwise the poison has lessened effect (check recipe). In
either case, the false CON helps fight the effects of the poison. Any
damage to hit points done by a poison is reduced by the characters false
CON.
There are spells that help against poisons. These spells usually add a
temporary false CON to help fight off the effects of a poison. Treat a
character under the effects of one of these spells like a character with
a false CON versus poisons.
Poison damage is always damage to the total hit points of the adventurer
unless otherwise stated in the recipe and is not healable by normal
Healing spells and potions.
If an adventurer takes two doses of a poison, he resists versus each one
separately: two doses of a POT 5 poison is not the same as one dose of
POT 10 poison.
Blade Venom
This is a special type of poison, made for use on a weapon. It is
expensive and dangerous (Triple fumble chance) to make. Damage taken
from blade venom acts only against the hit location affected as with
weapon damage. If the CON attack of the blade venom does not work, the
poison will have 1/2 effect.
Blade venom has a delay of 1 second and a duration of 10 seconds. To
negate the effect of blade venom, an antidote must already have been
taken.
Blade venom must be carefully applied. It takes 10 seconds to apply to
an arrow point, 25 seconds for a spear point, and 60 seconds for a
sword. At the above speeds, a character must make a roll of DEX x5 on
d100 to have successfully coated the weapon. A roll of 96-00 indicates
that the character cut himself and got blade venom in the cut. If he
takes 3 times the above periods he can do it safely and only a roll of
00 indicates a cut. One dose of blade venom will coat 5 arrows, 2 spear
points, or 1 sword or axe blade.
Blade venom is a highly volatile liquid and will have lost its potency
by the end of 15 minutes. In combat, blade venom will stay on the
weapon for 3 strikes against armor, or for 1 penetration. If even 1
point of damage is done to the target through its armor, the blade
venom will go into the wound and no longer be on the weapon.
Simple Systemic Poisons
This is often found in animal stings (scorpions, spiders, manticores).
The effects are not immediate, and for game purposes can be said to take
effect 30 seconds after injection.
The various types of systemic poisons are:
MANTICORE VENOM-The type of poison injected by manticores,
scorpion men, scorpions, and other insects.
POISON GAS-The poison breathed by dream dragons and walktapi.
WYVERN VENOM-Injected by a wyvern's sting, snake's bite, and
other reptiles.
SPIDER VENOM-From the bites of spiders, whether large or small.
JELLYFISH VENOM-From the stings of jellyfish, stingrays and
other fish.
HERBAL POISON-Made from poisonous plants.
MINERAL POISON-Made from non-organic materials.
Ingredients for herbal and mineral poisons are generally available, but
the others usually have to be quested for, since they and their
antidotes require a base of the appropriate poison.
Antidotes
The making of agents counter-active to a specific substance. The cost of
making the antidote is the based on the cost of making the substance it
is the antidote for. Antidotes last for 2 hours after being taken.
A specific level 4 antidote would counteract 4 points of the appropriate
poison. Unless the antidote must counteract a magical substance, no
magic points are needed to make an antidote.
The Use of Antidotes
An antidote given to a poisoned, but not yet dead, character within 10
minutes will cancel the damage done by the poison up to the level of
the antidote. The antidote must normally be specific to the poisoning.
For example, manticore poison will not be alleviated by snake bite
antidote no matter how potent the antidote is.
However, some antidotes are 1/2 effective (always round up) against
other certain poisons. These are:
Spider Venom Mineral Antidote
Wyvern Venom Gas Antidote
Manticore Venom Spider Antidote
Poison Gas Wyvern or Mineral Antidote
Jellyfish Venom Manticore Antidote
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: paul@bondi.phyast.pitt.edu (Paul Reilly)
Notes on Philosophy
In my campaign we have worked out several details of the philosophy of
various groups in Glorantha; sadly, I have often forgotten exactly what is
based on Chaosium or AH releases and what comes from our own ideas. Following
is a note on Brithini philosophy; it is deduced from hints and statements in
various RQ sources with embellishments of our own.
Substantial contributions to this excerpt came from discussions with Mike
Holliday.
If people are interested, I will post more such tidbits.
- Paul Reilly (paul@bondi.phyast.pitt.edu)
The Brithini View of Life and Death
(excerpted from transcripts of an interview with Jrak, First Musician and
High Lord of Jrustela, in the Dark Season edition of Spinning Boulder
Magazine, 939 ST. Also present is Zora, a singer and Jrak's travelling
companion.)
Interviewer: Jrak, you have managed to achieve immortality, as all your fans
know. Is this the same as the "immortality" of the Brithini?
Jrak: Not really. In some ways their "immortality" is much more restrictive
than my own; another big difference is, of course, that they can be slain by
violence, while I cannot. And of course, there are tremendous technical
and mathematical differences, primarily due to the deep philosophical
differences we have with the Brithini.
Int: Can you elaborate?
Jrak: Certainly. Consider the Fifth Governing Runic Equation of Jaxartes...
Int: In layman's terms, please. Perhaps a few comments on the philosophy of
the Brithini.
Jrak: Hmm. Stop me if I digress too much. According to the Brithini, Life
and Death are really one thing; we would say "two aspects of one Principle",
but they consider them to be actually one. In fact, they regard all the
Opposed Pairs of Condition Runes to be single Principles.
However, for purposes of this discussion, we'll confine ourselves to Life
and Death. The Brithini experience an immunity to the slow death of old age,
and a surprising resistance to disease, poisons, and even death by violence.
When one of their people is destroyed, their Zzaburi can usually "revive"
him, as we would say; however, their own term for this process is "Repair".
In order to enjoy this immunity from Death, however, they pay a terrible
cost. The Brithini must eschew any use of the Life/Death principle, insofar
as is possible, in order not to be touched by Death. This is the reason for
their near-total celibacy (violated only to replace destroyed Brithini, and
then only at great personal cost to the sexual partners) and also why they
never murder anyone.
Int: But Brithini kill in warfare all the time.
Jrak: No, they don't.
Int: I don't understand.
Jrak: Why not?
Int: Please explain on a simple level, the seeming contradiction.
Jrak: Very well. Remember, first, that Brithini habits are very static and
that their behavior and philosophies were forged long before the Dawning,
perhaps before the Darkness.
When would you say someone has committed a murder? It is a matter of
intent and commission. In Brithini society, the Talari make virtually all
the decisions. They will never order someone killed. They might say to a
subordinate Horali (soldier), "Stop that man from climbing that tree." The
Horali might stop the man by, for example, cutting his throat.
Int: But isn't that killing the man?
Jrak: Not really. In Godtime, the man would not die simply from having his
throat cut. Now, of course, he usually would, but from the Horal's point
of view, he has not killed the man, simply injured him. The man dies of
natural causes: lack of blood and inability to breathe.
Int: Isn't that a distinction without a difference?
Jrak: It is enough of a difference to enable the Brithini to live for
centuries or millenia without aging. Note that their Talars are forbidden
to handle or use weapons. By separating the decision of killing from the
execution, the Brithini insulate themselves from Death (and , of course,
Life).
Int: Huh. What about their sorcerers?
Jrak: They never use magic to kill someone. However, their spells may make
it very difficult for the subject to stay alive.
Int: What happens if they violate these restrictions?
Jrak: Slow and lingering death. For example, "the spell forbidden by Uxorio"
causes Brithini farmers (the Dronari) go berserk and kill enemies, but the
caster, the peasants, and the Talar who ordered it are doomed to a horrible
fate: death by old age.
Int: Wow. What about sex?
Jrak: The unfortunate couple chosen to reproduce lost Brithini will generally
age and die, having been contaminated by the Life (Fertility)/Death
Principle. We believe that the original founder of the Seshneli culture
were Brithini who were forced by necessity to reproduce, and, doomed to age
anyway, fell away from the other strictures of the Brithini culture.
Int: But you are Immortal, and you have sex.
Jrak: My immortality is differently based. Basically, I am protected
because...
Zora: (Jrak's female companion, a singer) Jrak! Shouldn't you avoid
revealing the secret of your immortality in a public interview?
Jrak: Oh. Right. Well, basically, I view Life and Death as separate, so I
can insulate myself from Death without avoiding Fertility. Right, Zora?
Zora: And how...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cca@gibbs.physics.purdue.edu (Charles C. Allen)
Subject: Skill Difficulty
Michael Norrish proposes adding "levels" to RQ Sorcery in order to
differentiate between weaker and more powerful spells. I believe the
problem is somewhat more deeply rooted than that, and for some time
have advocated the following scheme that applies to *all* skills.
A character's base skill ability can vary from 0 to 100%, regardless
of the skill. In order to determine his actual skill ability, the
skill modifiers must be taken into account:
A = m(skill)*B + p(skill) + q(character)
where
A = actual skill ability, what you need to roll under
B = base skill ability (starts at 0, can go to 100%)
m(skill)= multiplier for that skill
p(skill)= add for that skill
q(char) = add for that character (as per the standard rules)
Now the whole thing boils down to determining suitable values for m and
p for each skill. Powerful spells can be given a low m and a negative
p (yes, the character would have to train for awhile before they would
be able to throw the spell at all). If A is negative, I prefer to
play that there is *no* chance of success, rather than the "0-5 always
succeeds" that the RQ rules promote. This also applies to weapons
skills, or any other skill. Finally, a way to make it easier to parry
with a shield than with a dagger!
Another simple change that is associated is to say that the maximum MP
that can be expended by a single character on a spell is POW*B/100.
These changes obviously bring up some other questions, but I'll let
you folks ask those yourselves in your criticisms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: paul@bondi.phyast.pitt.edu (Paul Reilly)
Subject: Hrestoli Society
Malkioni societies: The Hrestoli
Hrestoli society is based on the assumption that each person should be
given the chance to rise through the four castes, according to his or her
native ability, desires, and the dedication with which he or she works.
Hrestoli society is perhaps seen at its best in the successful kingdom of
Loskalm, a highly civilized state in the westernmost part of Fronela.
Loskalm, home to almost five million people (including Junora) is one of
the three largest human states in Genertela (the others being Kralorela and
the Lunar Empire). Scholars of Loskalm attribute their extraordinary
success to the state-sponsored Hrestoli meritocracy; those from other lands
point out Loskalm's numerous natural resources, its excellent seacoast,
and access to the trade carried by the Janube River as major factors.
In theory, every Hrestoli starts life as a member of the Farmer caste.
This theory is put into practice in post-Ban Loskalm in a very real way:
the children of Lords, Wizards and Knights serve a turn out in the fields
or performing other "righteous labor" appropriate to the Farmer caste while
they are in their early teens. While other peoples, especially Rokari,
view this as a waste of time that could be well spent in training future
soldiers, administrators, or sorcerers in their appropriate professions, it
has several beneficial effects. Perhaps the most important, although
subtle, is that it gives all classes a strong feeling of common origin and
it breaks down their loyalty to family or township in favor of a loyalty to
their fellow workers and to the abstract entity that is the Kingdom of
Loskalm. In later life, people of all castes are more likely to work for
the common good of the kingdom above their own gain than are the people of
almost any other country.
A second benefit, and one more usually quoted, is that those citizens
gifted by Providence (the visible hand of the Invisible God) with the
appropriate talents receive the training necessary to make full use of
those talents for the benefit of their people. This ideal is well realized
in Loskalm, especially in the core areas of the two peninsulas, and less
well in other Hrestoli regions. The natural tendency of parents to attempt
to further their children's careers tends to break down this ideal
meritocracy except where it is strictly enforced. Even in Loskalm, a
Lord's child has a much, much, better chance of becoming high caste than
the child of a peasant, due partially to heredity but largely to the
better training and diet available to high caste children. Caste and
occupational testing is supposed to be free of bias, but the child of a
well-known family is likely to do better in his parent's profession due to
the family's reputation, apart from other factors.
All in all, however, the continuous rise of a small number of people into
higher castes has powerfully benefited Loskalm, both by expanding the
potential pool of talent among leaders, artisans, fighters, and wizards,
and by fostering a community feeling and reducing social pressure among the
lower classes.
There are drawbacks to this seemingly ideal system, however. One of the
greatest is that the fighters and leaders, while very well rounded, have
less training in their respective duties than do their counterparts in
other countries; for example, a Rokari Knight's children are practically
"born to the saddle" and are receiving weapons training by the age of
seven. The greater natural talent of many Hrestoli warriors makes up in
some part for the lesser training, but the average Rokari knight will
probably defeat his Hrestoli counterpart in a one-on-one match, given equal
magical support. Hrestoli esprit-de-corps and ability to maintain
discipline tends to make Hrestoli units superior, however.
The training problem is more severe for Hrestoli lords and wizards, who
may spend many years as warriors before learning first the magical arts and
then the arts of leadership. Hrestoli Lords have much less training in
statecraft than their counterparts in other countries, but their extensive
apprenticeships among the lower castes gives them a strong background in
ruling them, and as individuals, they are very formidable.
Another problem, seen more in Junora and in non-Loskalmi Hrestoli areas
than in the peninsular regions, is that while the social tension of the
lower classes is reduced by their prospect of promotion upwards,
occasionally a "demotion" of a high-caste individual's children into a
lower caste produces resentment, or even open rebellion. This problem is
especially notable in Junora, where the strict criteria of the Ecclesiarch
of Southpoint are being applied to the children of nobles whose families
ruled as virtual independent overlords during the long separation of Junora
from the main body of Loskalm during the Ban. If the Count of Molene, say,
is told by church Examiners that his first-born son will never rise out of
the Knight class and must eventually swear fealty to a peasant's son, he
might very well rebel, with the tacit support of his neighbors and of the
kingdom of Jonatela. The meritocratic system depends on the mutual
agreement of the vast majority of key citizens in order to succeed; this is
also its Achilles heel.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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