Re: curious personal attack

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 17:25:15 -0700


> Mikko Rintasaari:
> > I'm trying to express what I as a Glorantha GM and a customer would like
> > to see in the products, and some views on how the enjoyment value of HW
> > gaming could parhaps be upped for those with feelings like mine
>
> Hear, hear. By the sounds of it, boiler-room activity on TR is
> still underway, so this might well be the very time for it. (I'm
> hoping at this point Rory Robertson is not in 'la-la-la, can't
> hear you, I have beans in my ears...' mode, though I'd not be
> entirely without sympathy if he were.)

Frankly, the only time I have *not* read this list is when I came back from Germany last week and had 400 messages all saying "this game sucks". After the first 50 or so, I decided to stop reading and take time to cool down rather than get into "Heated Discussions". When I do not answer a particular heated comment, you can be assured that I am doing so to avoid coming across as a vindictive jerk.

No, I'm not planning on adding descriptions or myths for each feat. I'm trying to get some suitably cool stories so that you can pick out your own feats from them, but I will not be saying "The Sunset leap feat can let you leap far into the sunset."

One thing that I have found is, no matter *how many times* you say "this is only *one way* you can use X", that will soon become the *only* way to do X. How many different rules mechanics do you want for each feat? One? Two? Five?

You want myths? here's a few from Morden:

  1. "Morden, as had Brekun before him, screamed the Widow's Howl, and every small creature which was within hearing of that shout fell down dead. The Widow's Shout wasn't a novel thing to these Orgovaltes warriors, and Hakorlat had used it often himself. The warriors held tight to the reins and rode hard.

But what Morden did, at Vargast's advice, was to put a part of his real soul into the shout. Morden should think, said Vargast, of whoever loves him most, and let his pain drive the shout. But that was not enough, said Vargast, Morden must also feel the grief his wife would feel, and put that too behind the power of his shout. Morden did, and learned that Brekun shed two tears when he last thought of his wife.

The shout crashed into the two riders like a small wall, but they were too well prepared to be disabled by that. It had been stronger than expected, which shouldn't have mattered either, but both men leapt into rage because the shout had surprised them, despite themselves, and they spurred their horses on even harder, one gripping lance and the other a javelin."

2. "Morden shouted, then hurled his blade upward into the air. It turned over and over, slowly, as it flew upward, and Morden reached for his javelin.

Arkarthan recognized this: the Sword Trick. He had seen it when he fought the Sylilans as a younger man, and remembered the shout. It made him run away that time, long ago. Now he knew the barbarian would pick the javelin, hurl it while rushing forward, and catch the sword just before he reached hand to hand combat. Arkarthan had hoped it would be this easy. He was called Quickhand, but his invisible hands were only one of his assets."

3. "The prince, watching this, said, "This man is greater than I am today. He has been preparing for weeks, I see, probably since the Sacred Time. I will remember his name, and come back when we're equally prepared. It must have been that fop's fault, with his faulty weapons and his Eurmal-stained gifts. Godi, send your hawk back and tell my sister that she need not fear being forced to marry that man any more." And the godi nodded agreement, and they turned their horses and rode away, to be sure to be out of range of the Dusk-leaping Feat and the Setting Sun Throw and the Leaping Pursuit Feat too. As they galloped away one of the godi crouched low with his shield on his back fearing that Morden might know a Sunset Killing Shield Feat. He did, but didn't use it that evening."

So, what do the Widow's Howl, Dusk-leaping Feat, Setting Sun Throw, Leaping Pursuit Feat or Sunset Killing Shield Feat do? You know as much as anyone, except maybe Greg.

RR

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