> It's not just a matter of being good at it, they specialise to the
> extent of having specific magic for the purpose.
But only since the HW version of her (if you can call anything that short a "version"). It was never suggested before. And, as you say, they didn't bother to provide any myths to back it up. Of course, Bruce has, now, so maybe we'd better think about taking it seriously, but even that is only "why Vingans aren't afraid of trolls", not "why Vingans hate trolls".
> Therefore, Vinga
> herself must have been notably good at it, which I would take to
mean
> (there being no myths to base a clearer picture on) she fought them
> often.
Since she did most of her fighting in the Darkness, I expect she did, at least compared with the older Orlanthi gods. Trolls didn't come up to the Hurtplace until Yelm was already dead, after all.
> the initiation rites ... would be notably dangerous!
Oh, they were! Everyone else got Summons of Evil, here's a broo to beat up. Poor little trollkin got Summons of Evil, you're on a Hill, and there's this guy in gold armour climbing it... I expected her to lose, but some very imaginative roleplaying and use of abilities got her through. (And luck). She did nick his spear, too. In theory I should have given her Lightning Spear for that, but I reckoned that would be a bit OTT.
(Meanwhile, back in Sartarite Sun County, some poor sod has just failed miserably at the HoG, having been ambushed by a Vingan who he refuses to describe.)
>(not to mention the 'unofficial' initiation ceremonies
> dreamed up by the other Vingans)
Yes... things weren't looking too good at first. Then someone said
rather too loudly that she was too small and not human, and said it
in
front of a visiting Vingan Duck. They laugh at her, too, but only
behind her back. It's those two iron shortswords at kneecap level
that
make all the difference. Anyway, Louith (that's the duck) decided
that
her own honour was at stake here, so the trollkin didn't get teased
to
lethal levels. But even she wouldn't actually act as the creature's
sponsor. So, within ten minutes of being initiated herself, my main
Vingan PC had her very own Vingan warband: sworn to her, and
technically adopted by her. At the start of the next session, she
gets
back to the clan and has to explain this to them.
But possibly this discussion, fun though it is, doesn't belong on the Rules list?
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