> What happens -- physically, and mentally, to you if you join the Aldrya
> cult?
I don't think you *have* to undergo any transformation in order to become an elf, though if so you could always think "compost"... As elves are firm believers in reincarnation and the transmigration of souls, two possible scenarios spring to mind:
> My son also asks, if a human joins the Cacodemon cult, does he become an
> ogre?
If you act like an ogre, you might well "become" an ogre, though this wouldn't mean gaining additional stats. Just as rapists risk becoming "involuntary" Thed initiates and transforming into Broo, so cannibals might risk "involuntary" Cacodemon membership, and all that ogrishness augurs.
> "innocent until proven guilty" [is] probably not a part of Gloranthan
> law... I suspect in Dara Happa (if not the Lunar Empire at large), if
> the authorities accuse someone, they're assumed to have a very good
> reason, and the burden of proof is on the defendant.
In the Lunar court-martials described in the Tarsh War manuscript, the fact that a "defendant" has been hauled before the Curia Yanafali is taken as proof of his guilt, and the only issue for the court to determine is what punishment to inflict. Following the pattern of "triarchy" seen elsewhere in the Empire, we have three officers on the panel: these could be seen as "prosecutor", "defender" and "judge" if you want a traditional feel.
> I know various Gloranthan legal systems have been discussed privately,
> but I don't think ever posted to the Digest. Hopefully someone who knows
> more can enlighten me.
There will be many snippets on Lunar, Dara Happan, Carmanian and Pelandan Law in Tales #16's "Notes from Notchet". We hope to have this issue out for the Chicago Glorantha-Con next January.
> Most of the RQ die hards have opined to me that RQ3 was a step back.
> I was wondering what the differences are between RQ2 and 3? All that
> I've heard is people going "Sourcerer, ach ptoi". So I never bought RQ3.
This is the Glorantha Daily and not the RQ Rules List. While the questions you ask have been answered at various times over the last twelve years or so (and while I'm sure there are still flamebaiters out there willing to sell you their side of the argument), it's perhaps a little late in the day to bring it up again now. No?
In Glorantha, "sorcery" generally means "evil magic". The wizards of the West, the magicians of the Lunar College of Magic, the mandarins of the Mystic East, the Mostal-dwarf mechanics, the Black Arkati, and various other groups are said to have a type of magic which is distinctly more impersonal, materialist, manipulative, civilised, scientific and/or mechanical than the more common Battle Magic and Rune Magic used by the shamans, priests and rune lords of central Genertela. RQ3 proposed a generic set of "sorcery" rules to cover all these situations, but many Glorantha players dislike these as much as the RQ2 nerds do. There are variant Sorcery rulesets about: the most up-to-date version of Sandy Petersen's rules was advertised on this Digest very recently, and you may want to take a look at that.
Western Sorcery (called "Wizardry" by most of its practitioners) uses a superior understanding of the Natural Laws of God the Creator to assert their mastery over the mundane world. The Hermetic magic system from Ars Magica might be a good basis for this - use Runes instead of their Latin verb/noun combinations, perhaps?
> I just read that Tales #14 and #15 are out... I still have a subscription
> (I think) and I've forgotten who I'm supposed to contact in the US --
> anyone affiliated with TOTRM in the USA out there (David Gadbois?)?
Yep, David Gadbois is the Reaching Moon Megacorp for the U. S. of A.
That said, I know we've had problems shipping Tales #15 to you across the briny deeps: many hundreds of copies seem to be stranded or lost, either on a banana boat trapped in the Sargasso Sea, or else in some seedy warehouse (perhaps in the crate next to the Ark of the Covenant). So, wish us luck finding them!
> How do the Lunar Empire spread propaganda from Glamour central - do they
> use broadsheets (given that most Orlanthi/Praxians can't read) or Gim Gim
> type people.
Public proclamations (cf. Cult of Glamour, Tales #12), biased education (cf. earlier musings on Newspeak Pelorian), propagandistic ("The Dying Sartarite) and/or *illuminating* ("War is Peace" -- bing!) artwork and slogans. Big public events ("Extra Full Moon Year! The Death of Orlanth!"). Moonson Argenteus's Grand Pavane of Pelorian Nobility!! Dreams and visions and temple spectaculars!!! Oracles, too...
> If I had put out more than one issue of Drastic, I might be upset at
> being left out of your list.
An oversight, I assure you! I still think of "Drastic Resolutions" more as a companion volume to "Dorastor" and "Lords of Terror" than as a fanzine in its own right, but I'm sure #2 will disabuse me of this notion.
That said, I wouldn't count "Drastic" as one of the "apparently moribund" other RQ fanzines, as I know Steve is still canvassing for material for future issues.
Nice to see you on the Digest at last, mate!
Powered by hypermail