From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest)
Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Tue, 07 Sep 1993, part 3
Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily)
Sender: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM
Precedence: junk
The RuneQuest Daily and RuneQuest Digest deal with the subjects of
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From: davidc@cs.uwa.edu.au (David Cake)
Subject: Re: Sorcery
Message-ID: <9309060324.AA27302@cs.uwa.edu.au>
Date: 6 Sep 93 03:28:07 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 1545
Just a brief note about the Sorcery rules changes (should really be on
the RQ4 list, but the subject came up here, and its really more about whats
wrong with RQ3 sorcery than RQ4).
While many people are worried about the effects of high powered
sorcerers, and the first draft of the rq4 sorcery system made changes mostly
focused on this problem, I think in retrospect that this was not the main
problem with sorcery, and I think that there is some general agreement with
this (there are many complaints about how boring sorcerers are in rq4), and
perhaps the rq4 draft went too far.
However I never really had a big problem with the power of experienced
sorcerers. Experienced sorcerers are tough, sure. So are Storm Khans and
old (big fetch) shamans. I did have a big problem with sorcery at low levels.
As a magic system for the non-specialist or beginner, it was pretty bad. The
big problem was that it was truly unbalancing-- it was both too powerful and
too weak at the same time. Most beginning PCs from a sorcery using culture
(my campaign was set in Sog City, and several PCs were Hrestoli or other
Sorcery users) it was absolutely hopeless without Intensity (the Farmer caste
Hrestoli lost big time), and with intensity characters had a very small chance
of casting potentially very powerful spells. Spell chances were often under 20,
but characters often had Free Ints of 10 or so. The players hated it because it
was so damn unreliable, and they needed a great deal of experience and
training to become as magically proficient as the beginning spirit magic users,
and the GM hated it, because when it did suceed, they often (especially if they
had some stored power) cast Damage Boost 8 or 10, and chainsawed their way
through the bad guys.
I think that RQ3 sorcery definately showed severe signs of no
playtesting, it kind of works for NPC bad guys, but is no good for PCs. The
RQ4 draft is much improved in this direction, though it still needs some work.
The fact that some spells are Easy skills means that non-adept sorcerers wil
not feel wildly outclassed by the spirit magic users, and the really dangerous
spells are Medium or Hard, so the Gm can live with it.
Dave Cake
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From: glidedw@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu (Donald Wilton)
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Sat, 04 Sep 1993, part 2
Message-ID:
Date: 5 Sep 93 20:01:19 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 1546
How do I design a GodLearner cult site? While I can copout and create a
humongous Star Trek site, where the Thing lives, I would like to see
something that intelligence, role playing and ingenuity help in. Unlike
D&D, I don't see many horrible dungeons, wiht a zilion traps, deadfalls,
kill the pcs stuff. This might be such a place, but I have to place it in
context.
I have changed the context of sorcery. Lunar sorcery is what the Lunars
gain, without becomning atheists, through Illumination. Sorcerers learn
this, while athiest before gaining a familiar, and gaining power over
animal flesh, ensuring the atheist stance on life. Illumination permits a
portion of this power, without losing faith. Malkioni and Troll sorcerers
have straight sorcery, without the spirit sorcery. The Illuminates can be
spotted without the Rune Spell, to note Illuminates, by careful ovserving
of whether their spirit magic wanes with the Moon.
this resolves the spells of sorcery for me. while the sorcerer has to
learn a few real sorcery spells, that have no effect until he or she
achieves a familiar. This sovles the lower power sorcery problem, and
permits you to find Illuminates.
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From: JARDINE@RMCS.CRANFIELD.AC.UK
Subject: Sorcery, White Moon, Fools and Barrels
Message-ID: <9309061320.AA22602@Sun.COM>
Date: 6 Sep 93 13:27:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 1547
O.K. most of you will have met this one before, but for those who don't see
the problem with sorcery it occurs at low level.
Example: (Psycho the Sorceror)
INT 18 (well its his best stat and one in 36 people get it on 2d6+6)
Magic items:
Intellect spirit INT 5
MP storage xtals 6 & 8
Spells:
Damage Boosting 25%
Cast Back 20%
Enhance STR 20%
Enhance CON 20%
Smother 30%
Skills:
Intensity 25%
Duration 20%
So with this starting Sorceror everyone in the party will have the first four
spells running at intensity 6 ALL the time so all monsters are in for a tough time as is the GM.
Unfortunately the sorceror is not much better off with virtually no armour about 40% in dagger and one useful spell (smother) at an effective percentage of about 20 which takes the whole round to cast. So sorcerors really gross out the
other members of the party, but are often really boring to play, I guess thats
why most of them spend their time at home and charge people to cast spells on them. My complaint is why are low level sorcerors so gross.
Fix: Easy use the maximum manipulation is skill / 10 from RQIV.
OKay thats enough (is sick in corner, gasp for breath).
> White Moon
What is it? Here are some totally heretical answers:
In the beginning there was the White Moon (see Nick Brookes bit).
Then it was split and torn asunder.
The first part to be revealed was the Blue Moon = Annilla.
Then the Red Moon tore itself from its hidding place in the Earth as the Red
Goddess took her place.
Finally the Green (Yes Blue+Red+Green = White light) Moon (a Dragon) unearthed
itself when the Red Moon tried to claim its territory.
Eventually, dragons(?!?!) ripped the Red Moon appart so that it fell to earth
and the Red was joined to the Blue and the Green (Dragon) thus recreating the
White Moon.
>Fools
Nick - I suggested nailing him to the seat, but the rest of you 'elmo
types said that that was far to nasty.....
>MOB
I love the Oz straight talking.
We might say the same think about John Major if he had any balls!
-----
Lewis
-----
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From: S.J.Green@sheffield.ac.uk (SIMON J GREEN)
Subject: Marketing
Message-ID:
Date: 6 Sep 93 15:52:29 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 1548
Hey, people- i thought that the marketing and format of new games was
the province of their producers. I know that the players are as
important; but isn't all this chatter about RQLite (etc.) a bit much?
I hope nobody in California reads this- I can feel them wind fists
hammering at my door already...
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From: jjm@zycor.lgc.com (johnjmedway)
Subject: there's a moon in the sky
Message-ID: <9309061800.AA10493@hp0.zycor.lgc.com>
Date: 6 Sep 93 18:00:54 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 1549
>> From: 100270.337@CompuServe.COM (Nick Brooke)
>> X-RQ-ID: 1536
>>
>> Back by popular demand...
Thank the gods? 8)
>> I'm delighted to see some proper questions on the Daily again, and will do
Agreed. Back during the Great Sorcery Debate, there were polite and
other hints to the effect that rules belonged on the rules list ( a.k.a.
rq-playtest... ) and other matters, cultural, spiritual, historical, et al,
belonged here. I'm quite interested in the RQ-UnHeavy discussion, but not
here too!
The Moons:
>> Consider: before her fall the Blue Moon is said to have had powers over
>> Balance, and Empire, and Water, and Secrets. The Blue Moon cult we know and
>> love has powers over Water and Secrets, but no Empire and a complete lack
>> of Balance. The Red Moon Empire meanwhile makes Balance its highest virtue.
There are references to the Red Moon transforming into the White Moon
once all off the gods are healed, as in once they all get an injection
of what the Lunars would call "balance" ( aka Thorazine? ). Is this
future transformation only believed by the White Moon cult? If not, why
are the White Moonies not trusted by the Red Moonies? Is it just the
problem with the White Moon cult's pacifism interfering with the war
effort? Is there something else?
>> There are worse things I could say about the Dara Happans and the original
>> Moon Goddess, but I'm trying to convince Greg of their veracity first...
>> Wish me luck, guys!
Was this original Moon worshipped by the Dara Happans, or by the rival
matriarchal culture along the Poralistor River?
>> You've covered most of what we know. Vinga is a womens' god, also called
>> 'Orlanth Adventuress'. She's the goddess of women who turn to violence --
>> usually as a last resort to protect what they love. Think of the Sartar
Is there possibly some additional connection with the earth deities? I
bring this up because of the coincidence of red hair between Vingans
and many Babester Gor-worshippers, and that they are both the avenging,
rather than adventuring types.
>> enchanted Nose-Biter. But I found those cases absurd too. Some day they'll
>> print a (non-Aldryami) female initiate of Yelm, and then I will explode.
Again thanks for reappearing. ( Loved that last line )
somebody else:
>> > The Mad Sultan: Is it still sultanates, or ought we change this to the
>> > "Mad Satrap"? The speculation that the title Sultan was imported by the
I must have missed something. From where does the name change originate?
>> -> the Lunar Empire is a means, not an end
Nicely put.
>> From: ddunham@radiomail.net (David Dunham , via RadioMail)
>> Subject: Glowline
>> X-RQ-ID: 1537
>>
>> Is there a better (or more recent) description of the Glowline than in
>> Cults of Prax? I've heard recently that the Red Moon is visible in
>> Pamaltela, which contradicts this account.
The Glowline describes the boundary of the area in which the Red Moon
is always _full_. It is visible, though changing in phases far beyond.
The Temples of the Reaching Moon are designed to extend this full moon
effect, and thus the magic of the Empire.
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Related questions, from someone too lazy to look the answers up:
On what days is the moon what phase?
How visible is the blue moon as it climbs into the sky?
How often does it cycle?
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