Re: Three Runes

From: L C <lightcastle_at_90ZoyAFOmBvuuf5Hjs2D_vQgsIFQwIwhHR9ddUwKrlYj9lf-v5dkV1taiD_7CVQC>
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:11:15 -0500

John Machin wrote:
>
>
> > Right. Now, I suppose you can argue that the reading of all three runes
> > is where people pick the god, but the HQ2 rules (I haven't read S:KoH
> > yet) seem to imply quite strongly that your runes don't in fact define
> > the god you have necessarily.
> >
>
> I find this quite perplexing myself. Someone who worships Orlanth but who
> has Fire, Law, and Truth can't actually use any of Orlanth's magic as Rune
> Affinities. Unless they worship him through some Lawspeaking cult which
> might have Law or Truth as a cult association. Mechanically, this
> character
> is at a tremendous disadvantage!
>

Except that you can only Initiate (not worship) Orlanth through Air, Movement, or Mastery. (Is my understanding.) In other words, the choice of Runes narrows the choice of gods but is not an exact match. Or represents a specific sub-cult. If you never initiate to a God, for instance, it's not an issue. I mean, if you have Air, Movement, and Death - who is your god? Could be Orlanth, could be Vinga, could be Humakt even.

Hey, just checking the book I see that Kolat is described as "approached from the [spirit] rune and providing
spirits instead of runic affinities" but otherwise a god with spirit and air runes. Again, I suspect this is something clarified in KoH.
>
> > and I am quite fond of that interpretation.
> >
>
> I think it makes for potentially interesting characters (e.g. "I was
> initiated into Ernalda, but I fled my clan and hearth to heal others; to
> want to heal the world was not a phase for me, it was not something that I
> could ever initiate out of..." etc).
>

Exactly. But then I'm prone to cause massive transformational difficulties to my players. Well, those players who like those stories. ^__^
>
> I'll write out my tedious essays another day and start spamming Roderick
> with them... (actually, I owe Rory 1 x Bat Shit Alchemist Essay... I
> should
> finish that!)
>

Yes.
And I have a Dragon Pass riff on the crew from Serenity to send into Rule One.
>
> > I still think that while most cultures are likely to view it as "This
> > God has marked you", others won't. For instance, I could see anywhere in
> > the West as likely to refer to it by Rune instead. (Although some might
> > go by Saint.)
> >
>
> Wizards might say "runes" (or Forms or Archetypes or whatever their
> Founder
> likes to call them). I like the idea that non-wizarddly monotheists have
> Patron Saints!
>

mmm...

I actually suspect you and I have similar ideas on what to do with the magic system once you open up runes to everyone. :)

LC