Humakt, swords, God's curses

From: ANDOVER_at_delphi.com
Date: Sat, 09 Mar 1996 21:44:41 -0500 (EST)

We have been pursuing the question of how the Big H's sword busting routine on defectors works on the rules line; then the discussion wandered off a bit to Yanafil Tarnils' worshippers, and that in turn led to this post by me which I am bringing here:
Steve Lieb writes:

is our intent to make the
magic system MORE formulaic?:

Sub_Humakt_Apostasy

        If Character.Illumination=True then End Sub
        Character.Gifts=0
        Spirit_of_Reprisal.Attack=True
        Character.Property="Straight Sword Break on Touch"
        End Sub

Well, if there is any God who would have a formulaic response, would it not be Humakt? His runes, death and truth, suggest a certain tendency in that direction! Yelm would be about the only God with a more pre-fabbed response, I would have thought, until I learned that he was "illuminated!"
(Was that a pun by GS?)

As it is, I think that this curse makes sense.

But I have a related question, drawn from Lords of Terror. Mistress Devourer
(pp. 21-22) starts as a Lhankor Mhy worshipper, then betrays it to Atyar.
The text states: "When Terpin abandoned LM he was cursed, but Atyar protected his convert. When Terpin sacrificed his High Priest of Dark Truths, Atyar remov ed his protection, and Terpin became subject to the curse of the Lord of Knowledge. . ."

So, apparently, some Gods, at least, can protect defectors to their faith from the curse of the previous God! Since Atyar's cult was founded by a defecting LM, this might not be surprising in this case! OtOH, Yanafil T. was founded by a Humakt apostate!

So how do people play this? Which Gods can protect their adherents from the previous God's curses? Jim Chapin

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