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, Sun, 18 Sep 1994, part 1 Sender: Henk.Langeveld@Holland.Sun.COM Content-Return: Prohibited Precedence: junk 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. X-RQ-ID: index 6256: = - Truestone and Excommunication 6257: = - Kill an aldryami and die a hero! 6258: = - Moon Spear 6259: = - Many-faced Lodril 6260: = - Pol Joni and Storm Mountain Orlanthi 6261: = - Gustbran --------------------- From: taz@cix.compulink.co.uk (Tarry Higgins) Subject: Truestone and Excommunication Message-ID:Date: 17 Sep 94 10:37:27 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6256 In-Reply-To: <9409160716.AA28017@glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM> T.J.Minas@soton.ac.uk (T.J.Minas) makes some interesting points about casting excommunication from truestone, it's an interesting idea indeed, but I donlt think it's workable. I know that truestone fills a person with a need to cast rune magics into it strike rank by strike rank, but isn't Exommunication a ritual that takes at least 1hour to cast? I don't think that rituals can be cast into truestones because of this. In addition although the name of the spell in the books is "Excommunication" it really should be "Excommunicate Orlanthi" or Excommunicate Humakti". On the whole though the way that Sandy looks at truestones makes them little more than divine magic matricese, crystals seem more interesting and strange. I think that they should be more than just this, in every game I have played truestone has been rarer than crystals by far, and it's qualities should reflect this. Each piece of truestone should be completly unique. It's far more fun this way rather than finding "standard" boring truestone. IMO Truestone is inherently magical in and of itsself, and it should be possible to do things to a blank piece of truestone to set it into various ways by modifying or using ths normal rituals. This would normally require all participants to make their ceremony rolls and such like otherwise things might go VERY strangly wrong - so only the best priests would be participate in this. (And of course should someone fumble then naturally something will go very badly wrong for all of them, and again should someone critical then it might just be a little bit better than they expected) The sorts of things that should be possible : Storage of a large ammount of magic points as many as can be got into it while it was being set, ideal for a priests to be used as the temple alter stone with the priests and spirits all standing round. Similar to the above, but capable of recharging itsself - mayby by having the people donate MP rather than POW instead at creation time or possible a mix of both, so it has a max of 50 (MP donated by say 5 casters) with a recharge rate of 5 per day (each caster donated 1POW) Mayby it could be a divine matrix that recharges itsself at one point a day (or week or season) - recharging all the 1 point spells first then the 2 point ones etc - or possible it will recharge if just by being left in an active temple. How about allowing it to enhance the effects of certain divine spells - just as Power Enhancing crystal does - but this being set for specific rune spells. Regards, Taz Higgins --------------------- From: CHEN190@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (Peter Metcalfe, CAPE Canty) Subject: Kill an aldryami and die a hero! Message-ID: <01HH8HPS87K2FGZDD5@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> Date: 18 Sep 94 10:51:53 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6257 ----------- Martin Crim >I was trying to figure out what the Aldryami call their sun god, >as it seems likely that they have their own name whether it's >really old what's-his-name or not that they worship. But the >list of Aldryami names in Elder Secrets has a Sunshine (Lowin) >and a Sun Follower (Seomale) that seem to have no linguistic >connection. I, the Blue Wizard, have investigated the speech of the Aldryami and have concluded it is much more than sounds alone. It has been well known that Aldryami have some wierd touchsense that allows them to sense the emotional capacity of that which they touch. I must say that I have accepted a commision by the lords of Fonrit to produce a 'phantom elfsense' spell to clear the forests. However, I feel that the elves also have some capacity to sense the emotion in the speech. Consider the facts. Elves do not like to hear other people speak their language and speak other tongues in the presence of other beings. Furthermore in some places they delegate the task of speaking to outsiders to a speaker cf Speaker to the Small Red Rivers in the Jungle, Speaker to the Beast Men in Seshnela and Speaker to Those for Whom the Love has Gone. The last is an elvish warleader who has come into prominence against the fight against Fonrit. It is my belief that when other speak, they give a different emotion to their words than that for which the Aldryami are accustomed. When saying love, the human might give an emotional subtext of happiness and this confuses the aldryami deeply. The most experienced of them translate any aldryami being spoken by an outsider into another language and respond in kind. Some are incapable of performing this mental trick and slowly go insane after prolonged contact with the outside. The warriors of Fonrit discovered this truth in the Eight Season Wars and so I am told make use of Aldryami in their war crys as a means to damage the mind of their opponents. Sample cries, I am told, include 'Blossoms Abound!', 'Rising Shoots!' and 'Dancing leaves!'. This has been adopted to such an extent that the marching song of the Gargunan army is 'Greensleeves is my heart's desire...' whereas the Goanese sing 'Green grows the grass...' As for the deciphering of the Aldryami tongue, I can only conclude that as well as accents, the elves of different woods have a preference for using particular woods. Heartwood is 'Penacyr' for the Greens and 'Cenor' for the Browns. If people are willing, I will describe the writing of the Aldryami in a future post. --Peter Metcalfe --------------------- From: 100270.337@compuserve.com (Nick Brooke) Subject: Moon Spear Message-ID: <940917125558_100270.337_BHL41-1@CompuServe.COM> Date: 17 Sep 94 12:55:59 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6258 ______ Devin: > While eagerly reading my TOTRM 12, I noticed in the Granite Phalanx > writeup that certain officers can get the spell of MoonSpear from their > Lunar connection. Pray tell kind sirs and ladies....what doth this spell > do? Chris Gidlow (who wasn't credited for this fine write-up: black marks for the Megacorp!) hasn't written a description yet. I'd run it as an exact parallel of Sunspear; if the Moon is shining upon the intended target, he gets whacked on the head by a dangerous (meteor, moonbeam, whatever) and takes loads of damage (physical or mental), enough to incapacitate or kill most normal folk. A 3-point reusable prestigious Rune spell. *later* I've just phoned Chris, and he thinks it's a crimson ray zapping out from the officer's spear to microwave the brain of the intended target, and not something coming from the Moon itself. Moonlight may be needed for it to work; or damage could vary on a cyclical basis. We chatted a bit about its effects, and came up with something like this: ___________ MOON SPEAR: 3 points, ranged, instant, nonstackable, reusable. A ray of moonlight is projected from the caster's spear to blast the brains of one target. Without needing to overcome magic points, the target takes 4D6 points of damage to the head. Armour worn on that location will protect against this damage as usual; spells are ineffective. GM Options: use whatever you prefer from: (1) The [target and/or caster] must be illuminated by moonlight: the spell cannot be cast on the Dying or Black Moon days, or if cloud cover blocks the moonlight (this is Nick's version, not Chris's). (2) The damage done by the spell is cyclical: Full Moon 5D6 Half Moon 4D6 Crescent Moon 3D6 Dark Moon 2D6 (Just discussed with David Hall: he likes this) (3) The meaning of "spells are ineffective" is exactly the same as for Sunspear, whatever it meant back there. I remember Sandy helping us out with this, many moons ago. It's not quite as gross as it looks: consider. A sufficiently prominent target for this spell ought by rights to have a plate helm; under RQ3, that's nine point head armour. 4D6 damage averages 14; take off nine AP defence, and you've got a mere 5-point head-wound. Treat the spell with exactly as much respect as you give Sever Spirit or Sunspear, and it's probably safely balanced. And, Sartarite commanders beware: don't take off your helmets on the battlefield! (Anyone remember 'Scanners'?) __________ Truestone: I agree with Jonas about Ceremonies and Rituals not being "storable" -- the caster would have to perform the ritual correctly himself, using the power of the stored spell instead of his own. I'd like better rules for "refilling" both Divine matrices and Truestones, but that can wait a while. Personally, I like thinking of the problems caused when the guy who fills a Truestone can't regain his spell until the one he's stored is cast. Fun for GMs... reminds me of those life-candles in folk-tales. But then, I've never used or seen a Truestone in play, so I'll defer to those who have. ==== Nick ==== --------------------- From: niwe@ppvku.ericsson.se (Nils Weinander) Subject: Many-faced Lodril Message-ID: <9409171611.AA03926@ppvku.ericsson.se> Date: 17 Sep 94 20:11:04 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6259 Peter Metcalfe writes: > Lodril indead has a good many modes of worship ... > All these are correct ways to worship Lodril. Exactly! Lodril has the Disorder rune, so he should be worshipped in many ways. My guess is that each temple has its own practices, which vary greatly over time. /Nils W --------------------- From: ddunham@radiomail.net (David Dunham) Subject: Gustbran Message-ID: <199409180018.AA18282@radiomail.net> Date: 18 Sep 94 00:18:16 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6261 Mark Foster wonders: >Does anyone have anything written up on Gustbran the Smith? From my Ralios PenDragon Pass game: GUSTBRAN [heat, stasis] God of the Forge Worshippers: Smiths. Skills: Awareness, Devise, Industry, Mineral Lore, Religion (Gustbran), Ritual. Duties: Forging tools and weapons. Virtues: Energetic, Generous, Honest, Proud, Trusting. Cult Magic: Bludgeon, Endurance, Extinguish, Heat Metal, Ignite, Repair. Divine Magic: all common, Enchant Bronze, Enchant Iron, Enhance Gustbran, Find Bronze. Miscellaneous: Shrines are very rare. (Although almost all clan thanes support a smith, there's no way for enough smiths and apprentices to gather to support a shrine by the temple size rules.) --------------------- From: joe@sartar.toppoint.de (Joerg Baumgartner) Subject: Pol Joni and Storm Mountain Orlanthi Message-ID: Date: 17 Sep 94 23:25:01 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6260 Martin Crim in X-RQ-ID: 6254 > Re: Tim Minas's comments on Praxian census > The figures in G:CHW are pre-Jaxarte (yeah, that's the ticket). > However, I accept the 5,000 figure for the Pol Joni and reject > the Nomad Gods 6 counters, on the principal that later > publications trump earlier ones. In Dragon Pass the Pol Joni have 3 Clans counter (5-5-4-X), corresponding to maybe 1500 men. These could make up to 20% of their populace, so their actual number might be 7500 rather than 5000. The rest of the Barbarian Horde are at least partly horse riders, too (they are subject to Ironhoof's exotic power), even the shamans. They consist of 2 Amber clan units and one each of the Potor Clan and the Ansil Clan, plus the magician forces of Flash Jak, And-Jay and Krise, with ca 500 men per counter another 3500 men of the bastard tribes. (I suppose that the shaman units' fighters will be comprised of the minor bastard clans beside the Pol Joni, Amber, Potor and Ansil.) Assuming the 20% ratio Nick applied to the Char-un, there will be other cattle bastards besides the Pol Joni, numbering 17,500 or so, to a total of 25,000 cattle bastards. These numbers might actually be a bit high for the non-Pol Joni clans, who might be supplemented with Storm Bulls from the Block and other mercenary adventurer types from the plains who have less qualms to ride alongside horses. All of these would live in the Better Place, the hilly parts of the Good Place, and of course No Man's March around Barbarian Town. Some might serve as auxilia under some Hendriki marcher barons around Knight Fort. The possibly existing cattle bastards from the upper Zola Fel and the more fertile Bison Plains around Adari IMO are accounted for in Argrath's secret societies forming the Twin Spears, Swordbrothers and Bullocks. They too are subject to Ironhoof's powers, but they also are formed from Praxian nomads. I suspect they have very mixed beasts - bisons, sables, high llamas and possibly even impalas alongside with zebras and horses. Apart from these secret societies, only the Storm Bulls from the Block can show a similar mix of mounts - possibly sans horses, but include rhinos. (BTW: Are there Morokanth Storm Bulls? What gear do they use, and do they mix with other Storm Bulls? Do the Pol Joni Storm Bulls worship at the block, or do they dominate the Stormwalk Mountain altar?) Another possible source of men for the Pol Joni and other cattle bastards are the feral Orlanthi of the Storm Mountains. These are a hardy collection of pastoral farmers living in the high valleys amid the peaks of the mountains, mostly on isolated steads similar to the Norwegian boender in the isolated places. Read the Old English Orosius (well, a translation) about Ottar (German speakers have this in Free INT 7, plug plug). These guys plow only very little land, their mainstay is their cattle. They harvest large amounts of hay where possible, and bring in brush and bush foliage to augment their winter food. Apart from that, they hunt the capricorns and wild sheep of the higher reaches, and occasionally foray either into the forests on the Heortland side of the mountains (also to get timber and firewood which can be traded with good profit to the nomads at Barbarian Town) or to participate in the hunt when the migration of the plains beasts brings them close to their abodes - these latter forays are often joint ventures with the plains-dwelling cattle herders. The mountain Orlanthi and the cattle bastards engage in mutual cattle raiding as much as any Praxian nomads or East Ralian tribesmen, even though their cattle isn't very suited for life in the foreign clans. Mountain cattle is reminiscent of the highland breed of scotland, though smaller in size (shoulder height of prize bulls rarely exceeds 1.30 metres), with woolly fur. They are quite good milk cattle, although far from effective compared to the common Heortlander breed. The plains cattle herders favour a breed similar to the Texan longhorn so familiar (even to Old Worlders) from ages of TV-Western series. Their milk efficiency is quite low, but still comparable to that of other Praxian herd beasts. I'm not sure what kind of horses the Pol Joni and other cattle bastards use. I think that part of the breeding stock was raided from the Grazelanders in Derik Pol Joni's youth, and traded from Tarshite breeders when the Pol Joni offered protection from the incessant Praxian raids. The cattle bastards policy to allow disgruntled exiles from other Praxian tribes into their ranks seems to indicate that they have horse herds with sufficient numbers of spare mounts. This would also allow them to include mountain Orlanthi volunteers in the Barbarian Horde. Of all the cattle bastards, only the Pol Joni have sworn allegiance to the royal house of Sartar and have a part in the Swenstown alliance. This has made them more territorial than the rest of the cattle bastards, although still not sedentary. The most puzzling fact about the Barbarian Horde is their adoption of Jaldon Goldentooth aka Toothmaker. Derik and Jaldon were foes, and when Derik slew Jaldon he almost died himself. Is their story a parallel to that of Pavis and Waha, where Pavis made peace by visiting Waha's altar and restoring his health? Or is this alliance only based on the fact that the Pol Joni control access to Jaldon's Rest? > I propose the following: > Who Description How Many > Agimori Pamaltelans 3,000 > Basmoli Berserkers mercenaries 2,800 > Bolo Lizard Riders odd Praxians 3,400 > Ostrich Riders boomerangers 2,400 > Rhino Riders big berserkers 2,900 > Unicorn Riders amazons 3,250 > Zebra Riders friends of Pavis 3,850 > Total Independents 25,000 You have the Newtlings below, but not the Baboons. In NG they have one clans counter and one shaman. Assuming approximately 20% fighters, their number could be in the 4000 range. > Oasis People: downtrodden farmers > where How Many > Adari 200 [+100 others] According to Tales 3, the populace of Adari is 300 to 600 humans _inside the palisade_. No mention of oasis folk or farming is made, but refugees from the fall of Pavis to Gerak Kag are mentioned. IMO oasis people are rare this far north; their Golden Age civilisation was further south. Tada's Tumulus could be similar in position to that of Antioch, far from any city of his. The rest of your numbers are useful, and appreciated. -- -- Joerg Baumgartner joe@sartar.toppoint.de ---------------------