Re: Runes for non-theists [was: 'Three Runes']

From: L C <lightcastle_at_IAvuAQYzVk42fgw9bVYDxdsambWAsFjdX3QGMlIqLP4Ca39TR6oBK8y_vv_ZG0zF>
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:52:16 -0500


Peter Metcalfe wrote:
>
>
> I must confess to being a bit deflated by the non-theist rune
> suggestions. Most of what has been suggested can already done by the
> Orlanthi (Sartar: Kingdom of Heroes p75) and they don't have a special
> facility for doing so. So if the Orlanthi can do them then so can
> everybody else.
>
  1. Some of us have mentioned repeatedly we don't have the book. If some of our concerns are addressed there, we can reconsider ideas.
  2. "So if the Orlanthi can do them then so can everybody else."

I'm not sure that follows, although since I can't see the examples I can't say for sure.

>
> I should point out that as the rules stand, your personal runes do not
> have an ability rating so they can't be used to augment spells,
> grimoires or tradition knowledge.
>

See, this was something I asked about earlier. This shows up in the Sartar rules, I presume? (This doesn't appear to be in the HQ2 appendix.)

> What the character creation process
> creates are affinities for thos runes. The personal runes aren't used
> to augment the affinities either but make them active. You could give
> them non-theists a special ability bonus for synergy between personal
> runes and their magics but that's a bit boring.
>

I'm not 100 percent sure what "make them active" means in this case, but it sounds like KoH has several interesting additions to the chargen rules which need to be considered.

>
> So my suggestions for use of personal runes for sorcerers and the like:
>
> I think Animists use the runes to become a charm for their patron
> spirits (eg Waha, Storm Bull, Telmor and Kargzant). Not that they now
> have a charm for Waha etc but that their body and spirit becomes a charm
> for Waha etc. Obviously they still have freedom of action but if they
> stray from Waha or whoever their patron spirit is, then their spirits
> from that tradition go kaput until the charm is remade. Obviously this
> is powerful magic and used as an alternative to Shamans.
>

>
> The charmed animist can use his patron spirit's charms without treating
> their abilities as stretches. Once per session, he can release himself
> from the charm and gain a bonus (+9 perhaps) on all his patron related
> magics and skills.
>

So this would be in addition to the other charms they have?

>
> For the sorcerers, there are several option, based on their theological
> background.
>
> 1) Hrestoli (knights in particular) fill themselves with the power and
> zeal of the Invisible God as revealed through their chosen saint. This
> doesn't transform them into superduper walking tanks - that's their day
> job - but it does free them from the confines of dusty grimoires and
> tomes. They live their scriptures and rely on prayer not formula for
> their spells. This causes wizards to fear them as and denounce them as
> illiterate fanatic berserkers.
>

I actually like this. (And, to be fair, have wanted to distinguish more between this more worshipful western faith and the scholarly wizard approach. So something like this is tempting.)

>
> 2) The power that flow through the Saints is shunned by the Rokari and
> the Brithini for different but related theological reasons. Instead
> they have two methods depending on whether one is a sorcerer or not.
>
> 2a) Non-sorcerers perform mental and spiritual exercises to
> emulate the True Being of their occupation (ie Horal for
> warriors, Talar for rulers etc). This confers no spells by itself
> but the emulation "grimoire" acts as a bonus to all
> skills related to their occupation. Non-sorcerers can still
> learn spells from other sources provided it does not conflict
> with the principles of their True Being.
>
> 2b) Sorcerers can prepare their essence to be the pages of a
> compatible grimoire (ie if you have the Law Rune, you can have
> the Abiding Book engraved on your essence). This provides a
> special ability bonus of +6 to all spells within that grimoire
> but acts as a flaw to spells that use the power of the rune but
> are not within the grimoire.
>
> These methods are heavy going spiritually and only the most devout
> practice them.
>
> -
>

These are all interesting ideas.
LC            

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