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Date: Mon, 31 May 93 17:15:12 +0200
Message-Id: <9305311515.AA24145@glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM>
From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest)
Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily)
Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Mon, 31 May 1993, part 1
Precedence: junk
Status: O
The RuneQuest Daily and RuneQuest Digest deal with the subjects of
Avalon Hill's RPG and Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha.
Send submissions and followup to "RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM",
they will automatically be included in a next issue. Try to change the
Subject: line from the default Re: RuneQuest Daily... on replying.
Selected articles may also appear in a regular Digest. If you
want to submit articles to the Digest only, contact the editor at
RuneQuest-Digest-Editor@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM.
Send enquiries and Subscription Requests to the editor:
RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Henk Langeveld)
---------------------
From: dickmj@postman.essex.ac.uk
Subject: Saddest request of all time
Message-ID: <9305291616.AA09222@serdlc23>
Date: 29 May 93 16:16:19 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 898
Has anybody got the Human or Non-Human Charcter sheet boxes (2 and 3)
they don't want?
The empty boxes will do, the problem is we use our own modified
charcter sheets for RQ3.5 but (being the showman I am) I need these two
to complete the entire set of boxes and have a complete line running from 1 to 11
I'm even willing to pay a little for the priviledge (?!).
Hope to hear from another misguided individual soon.
Oh, and by the way, never trust an initate of both Issaries and
Donadar, as you can guarantee he's on the fiddle. (Keeping the Arganth spirit alive)
Only on Saturdays......
Armorica
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From: dickmj@postman.essex.ac.uk
Subject: Mass combat
Message-ID: <9305291651.AA09327@serdlc23>
Date: 29 May 93 16:51:23 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 899
For those of you who are on the test list, the second part of the mass
combat rules should be, even as we speak, winging their way to you,
However I'm a realist (well almost) and I realise that the computer may
choose in its infinite wisdom (too much playing Paranoia!) not to
deliver the messages, so if yours fails to arrive, give me a shout and
I'll try again.
If anyone who's not on the list wants a go then send me a line and
I'll give you a copy. However, I must warn you that they are far from
finished at the moment - but we wouldn't be testing them if thay were
finished would we?
How can those that are afraid to die be threatened with death
-Arganth
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From: gal502@huxley.anu.edu.au (Graeme Lindsell)
Subject: Brithini and Gormenghast
Message-ID: <9305301014.AA14907@cscgpo.anu.edu.au>
Date: 30 May 93 14:22:24 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 900
>From: paul@phyast.pitt.edu
>RQ Sorcery - Paul Reilly
> So if we use these rules _all_ western armies should be made up of
>people with enhanced stats and damage boost on all their weapons. You might
While I agree with your other points, remember that those western armies
are composed of soldiers with much weaker magic than those of the
polytheistic or tribal cultures. Sorcery is great for the professional
practitioner but its crap compared with spirit magic for the amateur:
harder to learn, harder to cast and less effective: most sorcery needs
a lot of MP behind it before its any good. I think RQIII sorcery is
very un-Gloranthan in feel because of this: I think it would be a better
system for a less magical world such as Gateway Earth. It's probably not
a coincidence that this system first appeared in RQIII, with its drift
away from Glorantha. The inclusion of spells for Farmers and Knights
is something i like a lot about your Runic system.
One question: do you think there is any way to give Western non-sorcerers
a chance at a POW tick under your current rules, or do you prefer a new
mechanic for getting POW increases? Remember that the Malkioni saints
need POW sacrifice in the only description of them we have seen.
Re your comments about Range and Duration: I agree about Duration and
made a suggestion for a stat to limit it in another post. Range, I'm not
so sure. I've always thought the sense projection rules were used to
simulate the abilities of sorcerers to curse at a distance: if we get rid
of it than something like that Sympathetic Targetting needs to be built
into the base Gloranthan Sorcery to simulate it.
To MOB: we played your Garhound contest last year and Vathmar won. He
decided to stay since he wasn't sure of his welcome back in Sun County.
A great adventure, even if my Humakti had to sit on the sidelines a just
be guard wine barrels. Our only complaint was that we worked out who (and
what) the killer was early. We recently finished the River of Cradles
scenario and we were universally unimpressed. I felt we were being
railroaded through the whole thing, and I especially didn't like the
beginning where you're forced into it: if I want to be someone with no
control over his life, manipulated by powers beyond his control, I don't
need a fantasy role-playing game, do I?
(PS Gary James was our GM. Says Hi!).
Re: Brithos and Gormenghast by The person whose name I've lost.
Brilliant idea! I can see the meaningless rituals going on for eternity.
Aside: does anyone know how closely we're supposed to compare the
West's regions with their European counterparts? Does
Brithos = Britain
Seshnela = Spain (or France)
Fronela = Germany (plus scandinavia)
Ralios = Italy ?
Some seem to compare better than others. From what I've read (and
I'm sure Nick Brooke will correct me if I'm wrong) medieval England
was hardly the most conservative nation in Europe.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Graeme Lindsell Email: gal502@huxley.anu.edu.au
Research School of Chemistry Phone: (06) 249 3575
Australian National University Fax: (06) 249 0750
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
From: T.S.Baguley@open.ac.uk (Thom Baguley)
Subject: Strike ranks and other things ...
Message-ID: <9305311051.AA28170@Sun.COM>
Date: 31 May 93 03:52:57 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 901
SRs
This is general commentary on a the SR discussion. As someone pointed out, if
you have ever fought in melee combat (I fence and once did a little live role
playing) you would be convinced of the need to allow for an opponent's reach.
Under the right circumstances speed can overcome superior reach, but quick
reactions actually come from practice rather than being innate. I think that
some kind of SR system is a good idea.
The main problem with the old SR system was this concept that everyone stood
around doing nothing for six seconds and then tried to hit eachother. The idea
of actions in RQ III was good, but the notion that you couldn't always attack
and parry with same weapon was very strange. In real life it is possible to
parry and hit the same person almost simultaneously (by attacking into an
opponents' attack and deflecting their blade as you attack - all you have to do
is straighten your arm and your opponent moves onto the point of your sword -
if you get it right). The RQ IV system seems a good compromise. There are
certainly even more realistic variations possible (eg 100 SR rounds) but I
can't imagine using them for more than three or four combatants.
I also like the new manouevre skill, but think it will be a little hard to use
in big combats. I think I will use it, but only for difficult conditions e.g.
manouvre rolls to avoid tripping over obstacles. I think I would give bonuses
to players using specific manouevres in combat (e.g. "I'm going to move towards
him in a threatening way. When he tries to hit me I'll step to my right and
swing my sword down on him"). It would make combat more fun.
Someone suggested Manouevre should be a separate skill for each weapon. I'm not
so sure. A look of footwork overlaps for different weapons. I would assume that
the weapon skill covers the weapon specific tactics and footwork, while
Manouevre covers the general combat components. A compromise would be to
average Manouvre and weapon skill. Thus my Sword of Humakt would have a
manouvre skill with broadsword of (115+89/2=) 102% but ony (55+89/2=) 72% with
fist attack. This would be pretty realistic (you don't get to 115% without
learning a few moves). I'm assuming that it would average with attack rather
than parry for simplicity.
GARHOUND CONTEST
In my contest Carylon Squally won hands down (no cheating by me was involved).
He even beat Stikklebrix in a fair fight (Orlanth smiled on him I guess!).
CAMPAIGN SETTINGS
Dragon Pass/ Maniria will win hands down. If you split up Dragon Pass, then I
guess either Sartar or River of Cradles/Pavis will win (my compaigns have
usually taken place in both).
Thom
_/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ _/ Human Cognition Research Lab
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ The Open University
_/_/_/_/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/ Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, U.K.
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ Tel: +44 908 65-4518 Fax: -3169
_/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ Internet:T.S.Baguley@open.ac.uk
---------------------
From: pvanheus@cs.uct.ac.za (Peter van Heusden)
Subject: Sorcery - Changes
Message-ID:
Date: 31 May 93 18:20:07 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 902
Paul scrivens:
> RQ Sorcery - Paul Reilly
>
> I think most of us agree that there are severe problems with the RQ III
> Sorcery system. I would like people's opinions on what a new Sorcery
> System for RQ IV should be like. Of course, if you like the system as
> it stands you should also speak up in its defense. In my opinion, a
> major rewrite would be desirable. However, I don't know whether any really
> major changes can be promulgated at this point. (Due to requiring
> compatibility with already published material, etc.) then we should look
> at incremental fixes. More on some possible such fixes in another article.
>
>
> What do we want from a Sorcery System?
>
Sorcery must be, in a way, "how" magic works. The Sorceror thinks he is
manipulating the world on a basic level. Thus, we need a system which to
a certain extent is mechanical, and predictable, and neccessarily relies
a lot upon the abilities of the sorceror, rather than the conditions of
the world.
My concept of Sorcery is heavily influenced by 2 things. 1) Tolkien.
2) Ars Magica
1) Tolkien has a creation myth of a "song of the world". This amounts to the
world having a base harmonic, and the lives and acts of men playing side
tunes upon this. Ie. there is a base "reality" which can be bent, or twisted,
depending upon the will of the sorceror. This also means that it is easier
to bend in a way which just amplifies the current "tune". Ie. making water
is closer near rivers, etc. This would be basically changing reality. The
sorceror trips up his foe by making a root appear before his foot. Of course,
it is quite consistent that that root could have been there already. This
means, sure, create fire: ie. make a ball of fire appear. However, the
harmony kicks in. That fire isn't really there, and unless the sorceror puts
in effort to "keep bending", it won't be there for long.
2) Ars Magica has 2 basic types of spell - spontaneous, and formulaic. This
all will be discussed below, however.
>
>
> Problems with RQ III Sorcery
>
>
> How do Gloranthan sorcerors act? In the supplements we see an order of
> Wizards who serve religious roles, who study Lores, and who maintain
> intricate spells carefully crafted by them. And their are a few extremely
> powerful sorcerors. There seems to be a limited amount of magic that can
> be done in one area - in the cult system this is modelled by temples.
>
> Sorcerors love Runes, according to some of the published material.
> We are told of Death Rune magic, Fire magi, etc.
> But there is no real system to encourage people to act in accordance with
> these Runes. A sorceror with Treat Wounds is just as likely to have
> Animate Fire as he is to have Regenerate.
Solution: Runic Sorcery. 2 points: 1) Runes appear both in G and in Earth.
Symbols appear everywhere, be they names, runes, elements, etc. So, you have
skills in various runes, and can combine them.
2) BIG problem. We don't want this to only work in Glorantha. So, do we
create a dual system, or drop the runic idea, or give a sorcery construction
kit, whereby you can adapt sorcery to your world.
(BTW. Horror story on RQ and Glorantha: I'm recruiting players for a non-G
RQ game. I said to someone: "Why not play RuneQuest?"... and got the
response: "Huh? I thought you could only play that in Glorantha." This person
had dropped the system because of the world. (He only saw 2nd Edition). This
MUST NOT HAPPEN.)
Ok. What should we have:
Ars Magica (AM) has 2 types of spell, as I have said. A spontaneous spell is
a off the cuff combination of forms (read Runes) and techniques (things like
create, destroy, change). A mage would often light a candle like this: quick
create Fire on the candle. Basically, I was thinking of skills for each
form, and each technique, and averaging them or something. This has been
done, posted, responded to, etc, before.
Then, you have formulaic spells - the ones in books. Basically, you crit on a
spell, you can write it down, and get a new spell, which you can then cast
again and improve seperately. Its a lot less dangerous that spontaneous
magic.
So: these two basic things, with runes added in. Essentially, a whole new
type of magic.
*******************************************************************************
Peter van Heusden One man one newsfeed
CS3, UCT, Cape Town, RSA "How fast are you? How dense?"
pvanheus@cs.uct.ac.za - Rudy Rucker