Re: Bless Woad/Armour of Woad

From: Roy Wiseman <RoySubs_at_...>
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 13:20:45 +0100


Me:
> >This spell may only be learned by a full Wind Lord.
>

Tim Ellis:
> All feats are performed at an improvisational penalty by non-devotees.
> The only way to duplicate this would to be to make it a secret rather
> than a feat

fair enough.

> >It may only be cast during the High Holy Day of Orlanth upon a properly
> >prepared pot of woad (a blue dye derived from the woad plant), and thus
> >may only be cast once a year.
>
> Which probably takes place "off camera", so all we need to worry about
> is if the Character has and can apply it in time - which is what the
> Feat represents...

so performing the Armour of Woad ritual in the wilds of Snakepipe Hollow during Sea Season is fine? fair enough, it's clear that Glorantha is at least somewhat different.

> > The woad must be smeared over the naked body of the user. A casting
> >of the spell enchants enough woad to coat one man.
>
> I'd assume this anyway, to be honest. I don't think Orlanthi combat
> feats are used to augment the whole fyrd...

would you. and if someone didn't have your insight to know this would they be stupid?

> > Each day that the woad is worn it declines in potency by 1 point.
>
> Bookkeeping (boring)

didn't mean to include that as I agree that it is mechanics...

> >If the user ever puts on armour or clothing, the woad immediately loses
> >all its magic power.
>
> It has been suggested before that Armour of Woad should state that the
> wearer should be naked... I will conceed this is possibly true

BUT, it's not said, so we lose the culture identity of Glorantha... cue the cheese sandwiches...

> > Once a pot of woad is enchanted, additional castings of Bless Woad
> > will not enhance its enchantment. As long as its pot is kept sealed,
> > blessed woad never spoils.
>
> So, basically the feat can be performed at any time...

No. *Only* if you have a sealed pot of woad, where did you get the pot, can you just rub together some woad plants and smear it on? "I use my Sunset Lea p to steal the power of Yelm as Orlanth did, leap into the bushes while heating them up (using my powers of the sun) so that they melt into woad and come out blued up". You *could* do that, but it's not really much of a ritual as described there. So, no, basically not. I can't concede that is a fair point.

> >Is this detailed in the rules... nope. "you would typically be using
> >Armour of Woad to augment your defensive edge", you say as if it's
> >obvious, but it is NOT.
>
> Sorry, it is to me. "Armour" = "That stuff that protects you in combat"
> "Woad" = "Blue War Paint" therefore "Armour of Woad" = "Blue War paint
> worn to protect you in Combat", I don't really see any other sensible
> way of reading this...
>
> >You see, to me, both of the above examples are rubbish
>
> We agree on some things then...

yes, but I think once I try to clarify my point (I thought it was clear, but I was wrong, much in the same way that many magical effect are not clear I guess...), you will want to disagree with me. My point is that it's not clear that the above examples are NOT good, they are deliberately stupid examples, BUT, a person who knows nothing about Glorantha would NOT be stupid for coming up with them IMO (to you, would he be an ass?), because he/she does not have a point of reference to know that things are not meant to be this way, and someone without knowledge of Glorantha could easily interpret things in these silly ways.

> They don't say what I would be using my Chainmail, Large Shield, Spear
> and Broadsword for either, but fortunately, I was able to work it out.

um... that's because these are things you can look up in the English dictionary!!! where is the English dictionary entry for 'Sunset Leap' or 'Armo(u)r of Woad' (capitilisation as in rules intended)

> "I'll send the Chain Mail to all my friends so they come to help me, and
> hide behind my Broad sword (I can do that because it is broad...)"

uh... funny. Those items are described in The English Dictionary (most local bookshops in UK/US should be able to supply you with one). Missed the point again I think... which is, if there was a magical effect called 'Chain Mail' would it send a metal Chain through the magical Mail service that exists on the Hero Plane???. What would a magical effect called Chain Mail do in general? IMO it's a fair point, you disagree, that's your opinion and you are entitled to it. Please tell me what the magical effect 'Chain Mail' would do though. I NEED your help cos I'm not *good enough* to work it out. ie. Bagog : Movement (Chain Mail), does what? Please tell me? You cannot concede that it is a fair point because you don't like folk to disagree with you?

> Remember, the game (every game) is what you make it. Try playing Hero
> Wars as Hero Wars rather than complaining because it isn't RuneQuest

I didn't complain that it wasn't RuneQuest. Period. Please don't make things up. Try reading Cults of Prax sometime and you'll see what I mean. The rules were partly irrelevant. What WAS relevant were things like the cultural whys of Orlanthi / Lunar hatred and the cultural significance that a Herd Mother held to all Praxians etc. This was the Gloranthan reality that we felt a part of. Spirits of Retribution to not be messed with. Be a disciplined Lunar Soldier (and your magic will be more powerful on a Full Moon), be a wily Issaries Trader (and avoid or kill Hyenas) etc. I complained that nothing was as clear anymore. We could see before why you would normally need a massed group of Orlanthi Priests to call enough Clouds to cover the sky etc. and it made sense. Now just a bunch of Myths, then a smattering of Movement (Chain Mail), Combat (Kill Things), Fishing (Pick Nose) abilities and it doesn't make as much sense (unless they are described within the cultural context of course and then it all makes perfect sense!).

Powered by hypermail