Thanks so much for your Moon Rites review. I haven't seen the blighter myself yet.
One small oversight - in addition to the articles you describe, Moon Rites also contains an article by Oliver Bernuetz entitled 'Cora of the Two Appetites'. This most unusual Lunar saint is a courtesan, a heroine who defied Sheng Seleris. Oliver covers courtesans in the Empire, especially those in secret service (the cult of Cora), and describes the delights and dangers of Coryllic seduction. Soooo Lunar....
Check it out folks!
John
nysalor_at_... John HughesQuestlines: http://home.iprimus.com.au/pipnjim/questlines/
'I am helium raven and this movie is mine.
Sha da do wop, da shaman do way,
We like birdland.'
MOON RITES - the review
The cover is a greyscale picture of the Crimson Bat in front of the Red
Moon,
except that the greyscale is in fact a redscale. The backcover has a lunar
priestess in fromt of the Red Moon; also very nice.
The interior layout is professional looking (good man this John Hughes), and
the illustrations are also good (I liked especially the ones done by
computer; you can also see them at the GloranthaCon webpage).
The book starts with "Power Greya Two-Eyes", an excerpt of Greg Staffords
Lunar novel. When you liked Gregs Orlanthi writings you will LOVE this one,
because it is more accessible than a lot of his other writings. Greya will
become known as widely as Harmast; at least in the Glorantha tribe, as far
as
i am concerned.
"Broken Pot County" by Mark Galeotti describes the folk of the Durnvokings,
a
primitive barbarian culture northwest of the Yolp mountains, in the Lunar
Empire. They are a not so typical Lunar culture, but an interesting one; if
you are in their lands as a Lunar to spread the faith of Sedenya, or as
Olanthi to seek potential allies against the Lunars. This article will be
enaugh to start a campaign in this land.
David "Our man in Aggar" Millians tells us the "Aggari Tales of Creation". Everything sounds familiar, but at the same moment strange. The feelings I had previously only with Harald Smith´s descriptions of Imther come here to mind.
Simon Bray gives us three descriptions of "Dirty little Gods" which didn´t made it upon the God´s Wall. They are very funny, but also feel right in their gloranthan content. The will find a place at least in MY Glorantha.
Peter Nordstrand gives us a hero band: "97 Child Missionaries of Raibanth".
What will your Orlanthi characters do if the Lunars missionaries they have
sworn to kill are KIDS???
What will your Lunar characters do to protect this innocent child
missonaries
who seek to pray in Dragon Pass?
"The Surgeons of Vitality" is a masterpiece to bring the insane modern
plastic surgeon into glorantha, and let it feel right! That is why I love
Peter Metcalfe; he can add a piece of satire into glorantha, without making
it feel wrong. These guys are wonderful adversaries.
"The Crimson Bat" YES this part of the book is about the bad Bat. The Bat is
a Cult and a hero band in one! Roderick Robertson (the man who doesn´t
drive,
but maybe he can ride the bat???) shows us all details of gloranthans
"Deathstar".
Mark Galeotti tells us something about the things he knows best: Crime and Punishment AND the Lunar Empire. "Crime and Punishment in the Lunar Empire" is not only about Thieves. It´s about how they and their kind are handled in the Empire. And that can be very different: Dara Happan, Lunar and Carmanian judgement in the empire is not the same. Now we can truly imagine how important it can be to be a Lunar Citizen.
In "As the Moon turns" Stephen Martin, Alex Ferguson and Nils Weinander give us an expanation why the calendars in glorantha, have different length of month (moons). Maybe the gloranthan correct reason, maybe not, but a very good and logical sollution.
Nils Weinander gives us two Narrator characters "The Lunar Twins". A nice
background description is given along with their Hero Wars stats. You can
join one or the other, or get one or the other as adversary. If your group
is
Orlanthi or Lunar makes no difference. These two are useable as they are.
"Fellowship of the New Wane" by Bryan Thexton is a hero band of Lunar
fanatics which hate the Empire. The use for a series are obvious:
Friends/Allies or Foes/Adversaries? Your Orlanthi group might like them
because they hate the empire, but might also hate them because of their love
of Sedenya. Your Lunar group might love and hate hem exaclely out of the
same
reasons, but the other way around.
Trolls! Yes, "The Ice Fair of Yolp" is an episode about Uz in the Lunar Empire. The most loved nonhumans of glorantha are brought into action by James "Uz - The Trolls of Glorantha" Fruzetta himself.
(Almost) Everybody has visited it, (almost) everybody loves it: Pavis! "The
Imperial Society for the Reclamation of Pavis" is an article about, well,
the
Lunars in Pavis. Bo Rosen and Ian Thompson give us new informations about
this hero band. Give your Pavis campaign a lunar touch!
Gian Geros "Encounter with a Dilettante" describes a Lunar Character with stats. Feels like a not so naive Version of Jaxarte. :-) A Lunar whom you might meet at some point (when your narrator owns Moon Rites).
Finally five "Rules of Game Mastering" by Sandy Petersen show you why he is such a successful GM.
This book is worth every single cent that you might have to pay for it.
Moon Rites is a great collection of lunar articles by some of our most
talented (fan-)writers.
It is a great book by itself, and will enhance the "Imperial Lunar Handbook"
greatly when it hits the shelves.
And remember: This is a GloranthaCon fundraiser, so it's a small print run!
If you don´t buy it now, you might not get the chance to buy one when
"Imerial Lunar Handbook" is out, and you feeling you might want it…
If you are not going to GloranthCon: Buy at least this fantastic book!
If you are going: Buy it nevertheless... :-)
See you in Toronto!
Cheers
André
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