Open Seas from DUNCAN ROWLANDS on 1997-12-29 (Glorantha Digest Vol 05)

From: DUNCAN ROWLANDS <DUNCANROWLANDS_at_compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 08:54:46 -0500

IMO the Open Seas ritual is the only way currently widely known in Glorantha to avert the disaster of the Closing striking a ship beyond sig= ht
of the coast. Those areas which do not worship Dormal as a god may still=

be aware of him and have acquired the knowledge of his sorcery, it is onl= y
a skill, not a divine gift, after all. =

With regard to the Tsankth pirates obtaining the skill my opinion is that=

in 1589 a Kralori merchant fleet arrived in Vormain and traded the knowledge of Open Seas to the Vorumi (including the pirates) for limited future trading rights. Since then the pirates do not worship Dormal as a=

god but honour him as brave and heroic man (for a foreigner who didn't bathe often enough and couldn't brew a decent cup of tea.)

The time line on page 29 of Book 1 of Genertela, Crucible of the Hero War= s
contains the following entry; "1589 - Vormain: Kralori merchant fleet arrives, initiating the Opening of the Ocean."

With regard to other sea faring cultures similar events could well have taken place. As for the rules mechanics of the spell re the free int, range, duration, etc required; who gives a shit! Just have the captain o= r
specially trained navigator or other crewman spend ten minutes collecting=

water from under the keel, mumble over it a bit, scatter the water over t= he
deck and shout "shiver m'timbers, belay that sail, cast off the anchor an= d
into the rigging you slovenly slobs, we're off to kill some land lubbers m'hearties!"

Duncan