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, Wed, 01 Jun 1994, part 1
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X-RQ-ID: Intro
This is the RuneQuest Daily Bulletin, a mailing list on
the subjects of Avalon Hill's RPG and Greg Stafford's
world of Glorantha. It is sent out once per day in digest
format.
More details on the RuneQuest Daily and Digest can be found
after the last message in this digest.
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From: akuma@netcom.com (Steven E Barnes)
Subject: Carmania
Message-ID: <199405310826.BAA24334@netcom.com>
Date: 30 May 94 18:26:50 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4269
> Paul Reilly here. The Carmanian interest group is working on stuff to
>release to the net. I will jump the gun a little to correct an impression
>that Steven Barnes picked up somewhere:
> So it's like Zoroastrianism but different. One has to embrace the Dark as
>well as the Light. Different factions within the Carmanian Church have
>different ideas on how best to go about this, but I think all would acknowledge
>the basic principle. Nick?
Actually, this is very close to my ideas regarding the Carmanians.
Naturally, I would like my campaign to be as close to "official" as
possible.
The remaining problem areas are: what dieties are in the pantheon?
What are the game effects of their "heretical" worship of dieties?
How does all this tie into sorcery?
I have some ideas, but am very interested in seeing what you come
up with. So what is the expected "release date?"
-steve
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From: jonas.schiott@vinga.hum.gu.se (Jonas Schiott)
Subject: Replies and comments.
Message-ID: <9405311216.AA16502@vinga.hum.gu.se>
Date: 31 May 94 16:16:24 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4270
Nick:
>It's not explicit there, but do you believe (as I do) that all the
>-korion peoples of contemporary Ralios are the descendents of settlers who
>came from Dorastor through Karia?
Could very well be. Don't see why not.
>Though I'm not sure how it meshes with the Elephant-Men, who emerged later.
Later than what? They seem to have been around since the dawning at least.
We have the remnants of them living in those mountains (do they have a
name? I think we made one up...) between Karia and Vustria.
Martin:
>Jeez, what were the
>wolverine hsunchen like? Pretty nasty, I'd bet, at least in
>reputation.
Yeah, that's why there was a (perceived) need to get rid of them.
> Quibble: maize was the result of Hon-Eel's heroquest in the
>Third Age, so I don't think Pelorian peasants could have had it
>in the First Age.
Hmm. Don't have "Dorastor" handy, so I'm not sure about this, but I think
Dorasta was extant in the first age... This is a very confusing issue, I'll
have to check the sources.
Gary:
>One thing I'd particularly like to know concerns people's views on the Dawn
>Age Dangans. Jonas seems to view them as a kind of Orlanthi tribal
>confederacy, as far as I can see.
Several sources (well, two that I can think of) name the "Dangan
Confederacy" as "Theyalan converts in eastern Ralios". They don't seem to
have anything to do with King Dan or Dangim. David Dunham has complained
(privately) about the confusion this creates. Well, I'd rather live with
that confusion (history _is_ confusing) than try to shoehorn all the
incompatable Dan-things together.
>the "New Fens of Ralios" write-up by Ken Rolston in Different
>Worlds 15, wayyyy back in '81.
The New Fens are no longer _in_ Ralios, they're in Maniria.
>In any case,
>amongst other things, it claims that "the New Fens were formed when the canals
>of the Dangan Empire fell into ruin and waters spread over the lands."
Damn! Missed that one... Or rather, when the Genertela Book relocated the
fens, we assumed we could safely ignore that old article. Might have to
look into it again.
>Were these guys up to
>digging canals and building empires in the First Age?
Which ones? :-) But anyway, assuming they did, why would they do it so far
south? An alternative explanation is if you take the statement that Felster
Lake was once much larger and assume that it covered the area where the New
Fens are now. When did it recede? If one takes the idea of the
Basmoli-Seshnelan wars seriously (and I don't think _we_ made that one up),
it would have to be _before_ the Dawn.
>Does anyone know anything about Hrelar Amali other than what is written in
>GCHW and the Jonstown Compendium?
Isn't there a (very) brief mention in KoS? The bit where Mastakos jumps
across the continent. Of course, that story says some other very weird
things as well...
I have no problems at all with your Church write-up. It's just the sort of
thing those crazy westerners might believe... I have one small comment,
though.
>The
>heretics in Galin even declare that the sun is the third part of the Divine
>Trinity, and deny that the Breath of God exists at all.
We assume that these 'heretics' (well, all of Helby, really) are decended
from Galanini. When did these particular hsunchen change their lifestyle?
Dunno. At a guess, I'd say some of the Galanini couldn't take the pressure
from Arkat's Dark Empire.
Joerg:
>While I'm not sure about there being no Orlanthi at all before the
>Theyalan missionaries
A matter of taste...
>Surely the description of bipedal humanoids with elephants' heads was
>more a combat-induced invocation of the Elephant-spirit's (Kivitt's?)
>magic and/or form?
Actually, the phrase "bipedal elephants" is _ours_. Dorastor says nothing
at all about whether the Kivitti are hsunchen or not. We thought it would
be interesting to have something a bit different, and not just another
bunch of hsunchen.
>The Horned Bear, and other fantastic beasts: Apart from the fact that
>Wonderwood still is home to such beasties,
We're currently working on a scenario set in Wonderwood (any day now, Mike,
any day!), which will include descriptions of a lot of strange beasties.
( Jonas Schiott )
( Institutionen for Ide- och lardomshistoria )
( Goteborgs Universitet )
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From: jonas.schiott@vinga.hum.gu.se (Jonas Schiott)
Subject: Those horse guys.
Message-ID: <9405311216.AA16505@vinga.hum.gu.se>
Date: 31 May 94 16:16:32 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4271
There seems to be no consensus about what Galanini really are or what they
worship, so as a possible basis for discussion,this is our current take on
hsunchen in general and Galanini in particular:
Hsunchen
The East Wilds harbour nearly a dozen different hsunchen peoples. A few of
the tribes - such as the Galanini - are large and powerful, but most are
quite small - like the Beaver and Otter hsunchen. At the beginning of Time
the hsunchen dominated all of Ralios, but after missionaries from Dragon
Pass had done their work, the old ways no longer seemed as attractive.
There are still marked physical differences between orlanthi from different
regions of the Wilds; this is a result of their descent from hsunchen of
different tribes. But this common background is not something most people
are conscious of; only those who have studied the old legends with a
critical eye have an idea of the true story. Their common origins have also
resulted in better relations between the two cultures than elsewhere; the
orlanthi have some understanding of their primitive cousinsU worldview. So
unlike many other places where remnants of these primitive peoples survive,
the hsunchen of the East Wilds live in mostly peaceful co-existance with
the more advanced culture that has supplanted them.
The hsunchen fill in the cracks between various orlanthi territories,
dwelling on land that is claimed by no orlanthi clan (or disputed between
several). Those hsunchen clans who lead a nomadic lifestyle are of course
only present on their UhomeU lands during the winter seasons, and a few
camp somewhere new each year. Some nomadic hsunchen have settled down into
a regular pattern, travelling similar routes each year; these are always on
friendly terms with the orlanthi they habitually visit, bringing news and
trade to otherwise isolated clans. The non-nomadic hsunchen are less often
encountered by outsiders; their abodes are well off the beaten paths, and
there is normally no reason for orlanthi to seek them out.
Most hsunchen are seen as curiosities or nuisances by the orlanthi. The
exceptions are Galanini and Telmori, the former because they are still
numerous enough to be a potential threat, the later because their
aggressivness makes them an actual threat.
Galanini
The Horse People are a nomadic breed, constantly on the move during the
verdant seasons, and only settling down in one place during dark and storm
seasons. For most clans, Vustria is used as a base of operations, sending
parties of scouts and hunters all over Ralios. In the rest of the Wilds,
some clans can be found travelling in whole herds. Their primary locales in
Delela and Saug are Laughing Horse Plain, Thunder Veldt and Goldlook Forest
(the later is where most of them make their winter camps), but it is not at
all unusual to find Galanini raiding or trading anywhere in the East Wilds.
They usually avoid raiding the orlanthi living near their UhomeU areas.
Contact with the western civilizations, on the other hand, is seldom very
cordial.
Galanini culture seems very contradictory to outsiders - they live in a
mixture of highly formalized solar hierarchies and primitive hsunchen
anarchy. The leader of the tribe is referred to as the Emperor; he and most
of the other men worship Ehilm, while the women mainly carry on the
tradition of ancestor worship on the Hykim/Mikyh scheme - their deity is
Galanin, God of Horses .
The GalaniniUs level of technology is similarly mixed: while they lack most
tools and implements, things not needed in their hunting and gathering
society, they are probably the finest goldsmiths in all of Glorantha. Their
arms, armour and other items are of the utmost quality and artistry (though
only available to a select few). They prefer gold over all other metals,
and will want to acquire any they come across - by peaceful means if
possible.
Orlanthi lifestyle is in at least one respect heavily influenced by the
Galanini: the use of horses. The Galanini still feel a deep kinship with
their steeds, and it is clearly stated in their law that only a
horse-brother or sister is capable of sitting on a horseUs back without
insult to Galanin. The orlanthi have for many generations considered it
prudent not to anger them by riding horses, partly because they are still a
military force to be reckoned with, but mostly because of an ingrained
respect for these ancient allies. Fortunately, Galanini have adopted enough
of the Solar rigidity to follow the exact letter of the law (and to not
consider changing it), leaving the option of hitching horses to ploughs,
wagons or chariots open.
( Jonas Schiott )
( Institutionen for Ide- och lardomshistoria )
( Goteborgs Universitet )
---------------------
From: watson@computing-science.aberdeen.ac.uk (Colin Watson)
Subject: Re: True Dragon
Message-ID: <9405311320.AA16495@pelican.csd.abdn.ac.uk>
Date: 31 May 94 14:20:36 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4272
Seen a True Dragon? Hell, we've had characters *inside* a True Dragon!
Or so we believe anyway...:
It was by chance that we spotted the huge sea-cave which, if you squinted with
your eyes half closed, looked not unlike an enormous dragon's head with large
rocky fangs. The range of hills which snaked inland could have been the
beast's back. Had our ship not been driven inshore by a sudden squall then
we might not have noticed the cavern; but fate had obviously taken a hand and
we resolved to return at a later date to investigate further.
The locals knew a legend about a dragon who had bitten into and swallowed
(part of) the Earth rune. [In my GM's campaign each rune has a physical
manifestation in the world; like a Platonic ideal form of the rune. Control
of such a rune might give immense power over its domain.] We theorised that
the great dragon might have been petrified as a result of eating the rune
thus forming the dragon-cave. Alternatively, the beast might just be sleeping -
in which case it would be mightily pissed-off when it awoke with a gut-full
of sea water ;-)
Or perhaps it was just a natural or man-carved formation - but this seemed
highly unlikely...
At any rate, we set off in a small boat (with some trepidation) to explore
the innards of the cave. The subsequent adventure was terrifying in the
extreme; suffice to say that of six who entered only two returned (and one
of those had lost a leg). But we had succeeded in reassembing what we
believed to have been fragments of the Earth rune. However, after failing
to gain any sort of control over the Rune, we abandoned the venture (the
Rune took the form of a Perfectly square boulder; way too big to move; and in
30 foot of water). Later we felt that this might have been a Big Mistake.
Some months afterwards, when we were (thankfully) a hundred leagues away
from Dragon Island, we heard news that a great wyrm was ravaging the land and
had razed a small town thereabouts. We're still not sure if this was our fault.
Was it a Dream Dragon? Or worse? We never returned to find out (well, not yet).
*sigh* It seems that it's the wont of Adventurers Bold to go tampering with
Things Best Left Alone.
___
CW.
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From: CryptoMatt@aol.com
Subject: Strike Ranks
Message-ID: <9405311111.tn646738@aol.com>
Date: 31 May 94 15:11:48 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4273
In X-RQ-ID: 4258, Peter J. Whitelaw comments,
>Has anyone every wrankled at the neat little packages
>that Strike Ranks are grouped into? By this I mean
>Melee rounds. In my group we tend to make/bend
>the mechanics to fit the gameplay but I wondered
>whether there was any percentage ('scuse the pun) in
>adopting the continuous flow of SR used in the
>Chaosium Ringworld RPG (which, BTW had great cover
>art).
>Has anyone tried this?
Yes, I've tried it. The only problem that I ran into was
the players in my game. They are hard line "If it isn't
RQ2, it isn't RQ at all" and they didn't like. Other
than that, it seemed to work well.
It has been seven or eight years since I experimented
with the Ringworld SR system, so I have forgotten some
problems that I had with the system.
The only complication that I'm aware of is that the
Chaosium Ringworld RPG is out of print and many people
would not be able to get their hands on it.
-Matt Thale