Thank you for explaining this for me. This helped a lot!
John
>
> On 1/11/2011 3:04 PM, sladehq wrote:
> > Hello, I am new to Heroquest and after doing my pre-game prep a few questions about rune affinities and what they can do came up from my players.
> >
> > What can a player do with the Law, Man, and Magic runes?
> > 1. Prior to mastery are they just used to augment other abilities?
> > 2. Upon mastery can they do supernatural effects? If so what can they do?
> Law is generally the rune of sorcery. You can also use it for legal
> procedures. I would generally copy Real World Legal Procedures as an
> example of what can be done.
> - summoning a witness to appear (normally they feel a need to be
> there but impressive wizards or jurists can actually
> make them appear in a puff of smoke)
> - binding someone to keep the peace,
> - issuing a judgment, the parties to the judgment must obey it (ie
> Go to Gaol and Do Not Pass Go!) or risk the Wrath of
> God of a strength equal to the judgment being defied. To make
> things extra spicy, a judgment is binding even if giving
> for incorrect or corrupt purposes while renegade Jurists will
> undoubtedly earn money in setting unfavorable
> judgments aside.
> - Compelling a lawful official to do his duties in a certain way
> (ie assess the level of tax on your property in a manner
> favourable to yourself). The action must be within his power to
> do and not against the purpose of his office.
>
> The Man Rune is pretty much what everybody has. I suppose you could
> use this rune for limited supermen effects (ie punch faster, be more
> attractive etc but not to fly for example). A suggestion has been made
> that the man rune could cover culture as well in which case you can use
> it for social magics (ie create a tribe, order your community by
> creating new positions of authority etc).
>
> The Magic Rune governs communication between the worlds (the world of
> the gods, spirits etc). One with the magic rune will be more sensitive
> to magic effects and background as well as an improved facility with
> magic. You could also use it to boost or interfere with other people's
> magic. Rather than just being an augment ability, you could use it to
> call upon the might and powers of otherworldy beings or to create
> portals to the otherside.
>
> > I read the Sartar Kingdom of Heroes book and the Law rune allows Lhankor Mhy priest to read and cast spells from spell books; however I couldn't find anything special about the Man or Magic runes.
> >
> That's because the Orlanthi aren't very strong on using the man or magic
> runes. They are not too strong on law either which is primarily used by
> the Dwarves and Malkioni. I'm not aware of any culture having a good
> take on the Man Rune (some societies have interpreted the rune as being
> the food rune but they are man-eaters like the Morocanth or the Cannibal
> Cult) while the Magic Rune has been reserved for a few powerful cults
> rather than being common knowledge.
>
> --Peter Metcalfe
>