In my game, they did this. Each of the PCs had several aims in a campaign, ranging from killing Chaos, through Freeing an Angel to finding Gbaji's Adamant Claws. Each of the PCs were aided by the Vampires in the Tower of Lead who wanted to destabilise Dorastor for their own ends.
In short, the PCs started at the bottom, in huge war-wagons taking on Ogres, Broos and Scorpionmen, moved up to attacking Shamans and HeroQuestors, began to attack Chaos Heroes and Demons and ended up killing Ralzakark, freeing a Son of Thed, finding Gbaji's Claws, making personal enemies of Cacodemon and a few other minor deities and having a wonderful time.
This was achieved through careful planning, individual heroics, a lot of luck and the fact that the Vampires were feeding them information and assistance all the time.
One thing they soon learned was that alone they could never succeed aloneand that you are only as strong as your allies. This meant that this party consisting of Zorak Zorani, Orlanthi, Uroxi and, later on, a Yelmalion Hero, made alliances with the Red Emperor, Jar-Eel, the Vampires, Ralzakark, the Poison Thorn Elves, The Hellwood Elves, the cult of Krarsht (one Orlanthi High Priest managed to open a Krarsht Temple on the Moon - to weaken the Lunars) and various assorted Chaos Heroes.
In my opinion, to clean out Dorastor, you either have to mount a campaign such as Arkat did, where he mounted all-out war upon the people and finished up with a battle between heroes, or you have to weaken it from within, playing each faction off aginst the other. The second approach will not clean up Dorastor but will weaken the organized Chaos, leaving loads more disorganised Chaos to eat people.
In my (sadly defunct) campaign, Dorastor is now far more dangerous and nasty than it ever was, simply because the powers keeping it in check, for whatever personal reasons, are dispersed and weakened, if not dead. The party have succeeded in increasing Chaos by fighting it.
Propoganda
"Rumour has a Thousand Tongues". At least, she does in my campaign, and every one wags and wags. Basically, the Lunars have different methods to spread rumours and propoganda.
Amongst Dara Happans, things are posted and read aloud in market places, or the religious heirachy are informed and preach the truth from the temples.
Amongst the Orlanthi, Heralds and bards spread rumours through their recitals. Word of mouth from traders is also important.
Amongst the Praxians, the truth is spread by the Twin Stars and other Lunar cults, also by conversations with the Antelope Lancers and Sable Riders.
Amongst the Pentians, the Red Caravan spreads the good word, as do the Char Un and other traders.
The Lunar Empire has a whole range of Dream Senders who spread Lunar Truths to the sleeping populace.
The Lunars use the best method to spread the truth in each area they have power, influence or ambition, like any strong organisation.
Healing
John H. Schmidt comments
> I figure this type of healing [maggots eating pus from wounds] would be the
> preferred method of non-magical healing for the Xiola Umbar cult, but would
> a Chalana Arroy healer use "darkest" remedies to assist in healing.
Of course. The White Ladies will always use new techniques to heal the sick, except Chaotic ones. The cult of Arroin, I feel, could well embrace this healing method, amongst many others.
Becoming Someone Else
In my campaign, there are Flesh Mostali who are Humans living the Mostali way. They get to work hard, serve the Machine, learn some poxy little spells and, if necessary, fight for the dwarves. They are completely dedicated as they believe that their essence will be reformed when they die and they will be reborn into a Dwarven Caste. They are, of course wrong, and the Mostali know it (Mostali simply return to the World machine when they die and their "souls" dissolve to become energey to be used again, unless they are heretics who have left the Mostali Way).
I think that nobody can be physically changed to become an elf, or other Aldryami, however anyone can join the cult of Aldrya and serve the forest as long as they become vegetarians and do not hurt the plant peoples. (Interesting that human worshippers of Aldrya must only eat Aldrya's Children).
People cannot physically become Ogres, even if they join the Cacodemon Cult (unless they gain the Chaotic Feature "Become an Ogre"). This is because Ogres are the True Human kind, all other human kinds are inferior and it is impossible for that which is inferior to become equal. (By human kinds, I mean those descended from Grandfather Mortal).
Graham Wren writes:
> Even Mostali were mostly human, but there was no way any
> stinking human would ever learn that!
Wrong, I am afraid. The Mostali, even Dwarves, are not descended from Grandfather Mortal, do not even have a sniff of the Man Rune and are in no way, shape or form, human.
> I was fortunate that my players never felt the urge to play anything but
> huamns and ducks. I don't fully understand the attraction of playing
> most odd races, and I am stunned that anyone would want to play a spawn
> of Chaos! I think you are not making your chaotic races horrible
> enough, if someone would consider a broo as an appealling race to play!
So, you never cheered on Darth Vader or the Kurgan or felt that Rob Roy deserved to get sliced up in the recent film? Strange chap. Playing Chaos is a welcome release and allows the more unusual sides of our natures to surface. Anyway, Chaos is not as bad as it is painted.
Rune Masters
Peter maranci writes:
> Unfortunately each role precludes the other. According to the >RQIII Cults Book, "A candidate for Rune Lord may not be a shaman, a >sorcerer, or priest." (page 19). > > Nor can he become a priest *after* becoming a Rune Lord: "A Rune >Lord may not subsequently become a priest of any cult." (page 19). >
Unless, of course, they can - Mistress Race Trolls can do whatever they damn well like, worshippers of various Stygian heresies can be both Rune Lord and Sorcerers, a shaman could easily become a Rune Lord of Pavis, for instance, if he wanted to. Arkat was a Rune Lord/Priest/Sorcerer and probably Shaman, Sheng Seleris was certainly a Rune Lord/Priest/Shaman, Pikat Yaraboom was a Shaman/Priest.
These rules are simply game mechanics for the RQ3 Rules set. In Glorantha, things are infinitely more flexible as is stated in Gods of Glorantha, if memory serves.
> It is therefore impossible to become a Rune Master. Q.E.D. > > Looking at the Orlanth Adventurous writeup in _Cults of Prax_ for >RQII, however, I see that "Rune Lords are urged to become Priests as well, >when they meet proper requirements."
RQ2 had different ideas about Priests and Rune Lords - again, more Game Mchanics. Each cult had Rune Lords and Priests, with Associate Priests filling the RQ3 role of Acolyte.
Whatever you feel is best, follow that. I like PCs with different abilities and will never stand in the way of people becoming Shaman/Priest/Rune Lord/Sorcerers, if they can justify the path to greathood.
Anyway, what is the point of becoming a Rune Master, other than prestige? If you want it for HeroQuesting, I feel that control of the powers of the Cults is far more important than a nebulous control of the Runes themselves.
Simon Phipp
Back in the land of the living
End of Glorantha Digest V4 #18
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
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