game flavor

From: Carlson, Pam <carlsonp_at_wdni.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 96 14:12:00 PST


Hi All -

Philippe fears that the Lunar way lends itself to power gamers:

I'm afraid the Goddess would say that the lust for power is in the player, not the game.

>RQ 2 permitted only chaos-fighting barbarians PC, and the game was great.

I dunno - I played RQ 2 and thought: "Hey - what's this wierd empire to the north? What are they like? Why do they have it in for these barbarians?  They must be reasonable people - what makes them different?" And the game was great.

>In the groups I've seen playing Lunars, the main aim was to get
illuminated as quickly as possible to be able to use chaos and to do evil freely with a little background justification. All they wanted was power.

Unfortunately, this is an easy trap. But you're right- - the key is player maturity. And the ref can steer the campaign to one that involves non-combat solutions, cultural issues, and social plots. 195% Sword attack and six Mindblasts won't find your lost nephew in Pavis!

In my experience, the power-gamers always go for Humakt or Urox. Lots of combat skills and spells, few commitments, and combat-advantageous geasa.  <Yawn>

My Lunar character was a Yelmie/Shargashi adrift in Pavis. He had lots of rune spells and great combat skills. But he couldn't sleep on the ground, or dig in the earth (which precluded him from being a 'free man' in Orlanthi eyes), or eat food cooked over a dung fire. Consequently, he was cold and hungry a lot. The only rune spells he ever cast were to protect his friends

It's a role-playing game, isn't it?



John Hughes asks:

>The issues raised are essentially practical. What DO cults (any cults)
actually teach in terms of coming to terms with the universe/human nature/daily survival?

My guess is that these is the initiate level teachings. How to track a deer (Odayla), how to care for your sword (Humakt), how to keep bread from molding (Ernalda). "Lifestyle" cults, like Orlanth, Ernalda, Lodril, Waha, etc - would also teach social context skills - how to make decisions, resolve arguements, treat your neighbors, who to marry, etc. Some of this is taught by parents, some by "godis" to adolescents. Mostly by parable and example, I would assume. All "lifestyle" cults cover the same issues, but with different emphases and answers.



> What IS a hero?

Someone who changes life for the better.



>In view of recent discussions, I just HAD to share this, from Gita Mehta's
wonderful 'Karma Cola'.

>'Hindu thought is without dogma, and dogged by Dharma.

>Dharma means no distinction between chaos and order, accepting good and
>evil as indivisible, witnessing continuity as the moral order, being as a
>process of endless becoming. And yet to act. It means you cannot follow the
>Law. You are the Law.'

Welcome, T&J'er John! All Hail the Goddess!

Pam


End of Glorantha Digest V2 #382


WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html

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