Re: Modules

From: Peter Larsen <plarsen_at_P9TtWXEIEimgRmVX3W3tbxcQhg7FlxpDsUJJGR6O9oQe3ibpETTF4A1_QiMwTTXfpwZi>
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 09:17:44 -0600


At 12:50 PM -0800 2/23/02, John Hughes wrote:
>If we don't feature honey as a special feature of our first stead - and it
>seems a good idea to be guided by Bryan's vision in this particular case,
>(plus of course the folk who do the resources write-ups), rest assured that
>it *will* feature strongly in a future stead, along with that bear-like
>wyter I'm so obsessed about. :)
>
>Or we could do 'honey' up as an example of a stand-alone 'plug-in' module
>that narrators could add to any stead if it interests them. I'm sure most
>steads will have some hives (honey is a treasured food, and sugarbeet is the
>only alternative source of sweetness), but it obviously is also a possible
>stead speciality.

        Gosh, I can't get out of this post! John, you're a devil!

        Something that's important in module building is remembering that, in Glorantha, magic and daily life are intertwined. It requires certain kinds of magic to exploit resources, and exploiting resources leads to certain kinds of magic. If you have groves of trees that provide fruit or nuts and good wood, you need initiates and devotees of Overdruva and Orstan. If you have a shrine to either of these two gods, you probably produce more carpenters, and you will have wood to exploit (the gods are fickle but not crazy).

        I think it works like this -- your great-grandma, Asdis Claydaughter, was touched by Pella. She began to have dreams about great clay beds. Her stead was a little big, so she got some like-minded young people together, lobbied for support from the Pat. and Mat, and got them to lobby the Chief and Ring for permission to create a new stead. Asdis did the magic tests to prove that Pella was speaking to her, the Ring said OK, and off they went. The clay beds were good, and there was room for flocks and herds and fields (and fish in the stream). Once the stead was established and growing, Asdis repaid Pella by establishing a shrine. All the steads in the bloodline, and, later, the clan asked to send their daughters to Asdisstead to learn the new secrets Pella taught. Asdis saved the best for her daughters and grand-daughters (of course), but she was generous to her kin. Because of the shrine and honor done to Pella, girls born to the stead are unusually likely to be called by her, sometimes at a very young age, sometimes when they enter Ernalda Allmother. There is always a devotee or two and a gyrda to tend the shrine. These blessed women are eagerly sought as brides by other clans, and that brings new wealth (and sometimes young men) into the stead (and clan).

        Less often, steady work in a specialty draws the god's attention and results in more initaiates and devotees at an established stead. In turn, this increases the value of that resource, which increases the pleasure and blessings of the god.

        So, I think that, when we create modules, we should think of how economic issues affect magic and vise versa. Additionally, I imagine that any magical resource will affect the stead as a whole. Honey-mad? There's a shrine to King Bee, which means more Elmal and Minlister initiates, not to mention the possibility that an Earth Witch child who can speak to bee spirits will be born. Is there are shrine or place sacred to Finovan? Lots of boys initiate to him and your stead causes trouble by raiding the neighbors alot. Everyone born on the stead might get Move Quietly 12 (from childhood games), and initiates to Finovan might get +1 to their Affinities. In extreme cases, maybe even non-Finovani get Attract Herd as a stand alone ability. You might choose to build a stead elsewhere, if there is a holy place to Finovan nearby. If there is a place sacred to Humakt, Babeester Gor, Eurmal, Urox, or other "problem dieties," you'll think twice before going anywhere near it.

        Anyway, modules should reflect this, even if the effect is not always as strong as I have desribed here.

Peter Larsen            

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