RE: Bat-Blat and Broyan

From: Jeff Richard <richj_at_...>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 11:30:49 -0800


Chris:

> Looking at the OiD description, I note that Broyan has
> zero storm, wind, lightning or thunder magic. By the
> time of OiD he is worshipping Vingkot directly,
> without the stormy affinities added by worshipping him
> as an aspect of Orlanth. I personally believe this
> was true at the time of Whitewall as well, since a
> Volsaki king needs all three of the affinities
> provided by Vingkot Orlanthson: Fight Dara Happans
> (aka Sun Domers), Fight Trolls (aka Kitori), and Rule
> Kingdom. I don't think this is simply an "author's
> error" in OiD. So, I doubt he identifies himself with
> the Thunderer.
         

        I don't know when Broyan began worshipping Vingkot directly - maybe as early as 1617. IMO, he doesn't need a storm, wind, lightning or thunder affinity - he's got Wind Daimon servants who do that for him. As a result, I think he identifies himself as the Thunderer's Son - Orlanthsson.          

> However, he could still be at the center of a ritual
> bringing the storms together, especially if he
> identifies himself with Vingot and uses his Rule
> Kingdom affinity and Storm Voice feat (by way of
> example, not limitation) to help call all the winds
> from the lands of the Vingkotlings -- that's a lot of
> wind. I think this is consistent with Jeff's
> approach. And Broyan could still have the idea of
> summoning the big storm to deafen and blind the Bat
> from having fought trolls.
         

        This is how I view this. Broyan (and his companions - including players) performs a series of heroquests to identify Broyan with Vingkot. We then get a series of rituals (a crowning, acknowledgement, etc.) that reinforce this identity. Broyan is augmented by the defenders, by the Hendreiki, and by a surprising number of Sartarites - all to have him identified as Vingkot. Vingkot then summons the Thunder Brothers to Whitewall. Where the Thunder Brothers assemble, Orlanth is present.         

> I like the idea of the PC's going out to find or free
> certain winds (maybe the messenger winds?).
         

        Maybe the PC's get to be one of the winds.         

> Since he can't fly, maybe he leads the ritual on the
> ground? OTOH, he has a gale force Umbroli as a
> follwer, so perhaps it carries him.
         

        Broyan can be carried by his personal wind. This is how most Orlanthi fly IMO. Vangath let's one fly using one's own breath (although a personal wind can be a manifestation of one' own breath - which is what I think Hoargrey is: the manifestation of Broyan's breath).          

> Presumably, though, the victorious defenders sally
> forth afterwards to attack the disrupted and
> demoralized Lunar Army. Gettig to sack their camp
> would be cool. What happens if you capture a lunar
> vexilla (i.e., the standard, not the people)? Do they
> get decimated? I'm thinking of how single minded the
> Romans were to re-capture their standards from the
> Parthians.
         

        Good question.          

        Jeff

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