>Each of those mentioned has a benchmark best magic skill of 10w4 in
>HeroQuest (p 274). A Clan spirit is already 10w3.
>
>I have a problem with these figures. What actually is the city God
>able to do with that 10w4 magical ability? I can sort of agree on such
>a high figure as the resistance to being magically messed with.
>
>Let's remember that w3 is heroic level. A capital H hero marches
>against a city, and he/she is totally outclassed by the guardian
>spirit/god of the city. This seems wrong, and I have no idea how that
>would manifest either.
>
>I'd rather think that a tribal / city god would grant some more
>reasonable level of magic that could be invoked by the city priesthood
>or those in possession of the tribal regalia.
>
>So... when Sir Ethilrist who is a 10w3 hero marcher on Furthest, what
>does it mean that the city has a god/wyter with the strength of 10w4?
>
>In my thinking, enemies of Furthest will face much lover level magical
>problems, but those problems will not go away as long as the walls and
>the temple stand. Confronting the city god directly will pit you
>agaist that 10w4, if you have a way to directly contest the power of
>the god. Like my better half said, facing the city god definitely
>shouldn't be harder than actually militarily taking the city.
10W4 is the best magical ability of the city god. While I can imagine Alkoth's best ability is a military one which can directly oppose an attacker that won't be true of the majority of cities. A trading city would have something like "protect marketplace". Provided you respect the sancitity of the city's markets you won't face that opposition.
Furthermore getting the city God to do something is going to mean the city priests are going to have to perform rituals to let the God know his abilities are required. Subvert the priesthood and you won't get any opposition from the city god. They may be able to convince it to help you.
Certainly most cities will have some sort of defense ability which is usually used to augment the defenders. But it is going to be much a mastery or two lower than its best one. Few cities are primarily fortresses.
I would suggest challenging a city god is usually stupidly pointless. Take the city, seize the priests and persuade them to get the god onto your side. Alternatively sack the city and destroy the god's worshippers which in time will weaken it to insignificance.
An example of this is in Dara Happa Stirs with Lesilla, the Goddess of the city of Mernita.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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