This whole post got really, really long and for that I apologize. I would like to say that I thought Paul Chapman's write up of the silent Humakti was some wonderful color and characterization. I can't find the Uz eating the insurance salesman story to properly credit the author, but that was very good and downright hysterical to boot.
Also, I promised some Humakti stuff to a few people. I haven't forgotten, I just haven't had a chance to put some needed polish on the write-ups.
BROO: When I think of Broo, I think of "Alien." OK, it's one of my favorite movies, which probably has a lot to do with it. I think a baby Broo looks an awful lot like the thing that crawled outta Kane's gut. Lots of teeth. Broo tend to have like an animal's head, so something vaguely humanoid, but with a large animal-head with a jaw that is too big for the over-sized head. As the beasty ages, it grows "into proportion." Also, while the birth is maybe not *automatically* fatal, I would think most people would die (in RQ3 terms, I would say the damage would be at least like 6d6).
I think the gestation period is related to whether a host is obviously
pregnant. I'm going to draw on my very limited medical background and
heavily embellish with what I see in movies. Parasites due seem to have a
short "incubation" period, but with notable side effects (fever, etc.).
However, if the gestation is long, I wouldn't think the pregnancy would be
too noticable. Now, I see either of these options as giving a lot of
potential fun.
In the first, you find Carter Burke two days later, he's obviously pregnant,
and you gleefully kill him. In the second, Kane looks fine, and two seasons
later in the middle of a pasta dinner...surprise!
Now, borrowing from "Alien" again. If you remember, Kane doesn't remember what happened. He recalled having, " a strange dream where I was suffocating." (if I'm remember the line right) Assuming the incubation is long and not noticable, maybe the person doesn't remember the rape. First, I'm sure they could have been unconscious. Also, though, often people block traumatic events from their minds. It is not uncommon for rape victims in the RW to block the attack from their minds. So, I'm leaning towards the long incubation period, _but_ I think the host would detect as chaotic. However, I think using the short incubation on occasion (hey, it's chaos, it isn't supposed to follow rules) could be quite the twist too. Either way, it's pretty gruesome. I suggest making everyone in the campaign watch the scene on video, that's a good way to give 'em nightmares! :)
HUMAKTI: Thomas Gottschall comments on geases (specifically Humakti):
>I think it was Nick Brooke who first said that a good Humakti not only
>has his geas but he tries to follow as many of them as he can.
I thought I did, because I remember taking a lot of flack about it until I cleared up the issue. According to the RQ3 cult write up (which is the only version I have), an initiate swears to one geas and receives an accompanying gift. However, I still believe that the initiate should try to follow all the geases anyway, and if you break any you're not sworn too...well, you're only human (or duck or etc.). However, Nick, if you were the first to suggest it, I'm sorry for not remembering it and improperly claiming some credit.
Now, according to RQ3 rules, an exceptional initiate maybe allowed to accept another geas and the accompanying gift. Also, a Sword must take one more geas, although they can swear as many as they like. I don't like the idea of letting an initiate "perfect" one geas then move onto another. Mostly because some geases are quite easy to perfect (ie, extra tithing, not using a non-cult weapon).
>This is your first and your most precious one. For example let's
>choose NEVER LIE. So you aren't allowed to lie. But what happens if you
>do it accidently ? It's very hard in the beginning to stop lieing, I
>know it because I played my Humakti.
Depends what you mean by lying. Yes, it took me a bit to stop making my typical snide remarks and one-liners when playing Krit, who does have the geas to never lie. However, when my steak knife shattered at dinner one night, I quickly got the idea. The reprisal depends on the severity of the crime. Unfortunately, the only long write up of the cult is OOP. According to TotRM#5, the cult has one spirit of reprisal: Humakt himself. A minor transgression will cause the sword the criminal has the best skill with to shatter in his hand. A major transgression will cause all swords to shatter in his hand (it has been suggested this is why Yanafal Tarnils use scimitars). From memory, death isn't a penalty, although I certainly don't see this as unreasonable if the crime is grave enough (especially if the crime involves a loss of honor).
>It is said that geasa are devices to make the worshipper more similar to
>the deity. If so, Humakt would be an ever-silent, non-armoured and
>honourous swordsman.
In game terms, you get a lot of Shield and Prot, and learn to dodge. Also, you get an allied spirit to cast magic (including the Shield and Prot) on you. So, it could work. I see the "silent" aspect paired with orate as a cult skill being more, "doesn't say much, but when he does, it's worth listening."
Paul Chapman writes that he has a list of Greater Humakti geases. That was not in TotRM #5, because I have that, and I don't see it. Paul, if you find that list, please forward me a copy, I'd be quite interested. However, I think a lot of the gifts work that way by taking the same geas several times. Also, a number are defined as "never," which I think is along the lines of a Greater geas.
PANTHEONS: Pam Carlson suggests that Pantheons should be complete. I think this would be true if a pantheon doesn't interact with others, and that is something I see in most RW mythological polytheistic pantheons. However, in Glorantha, the gods do interact (this is one of the things that really draws me to the world). So, I don't think it is nessecary that a pantheon be "complete." Further, what does complete mean? Everyone has a sun god. Ok. Does everyone have a sea god? I think the Earth Pantheon really does break this arguement down. Peter Metcalfe makes the comment that the Esrolian pantheon is really the only complete pantheon due to all the husband gods. This may be splitting hairs, but I'd still consider Orlanth to be in the Storm Pantheon, not in the Earth Pantheon as a husband diety. While it's a nice idea, and has some basis, I don't think it is true, nor should it be. As Hasni pointed out, that means everyone has a god of chickens. We've had enough arguements about 60 sun gods, do we really want to go through *that* again only with chickens? :) "But, the Glorious ReAcension of King Chicken states that Colonel Sanders slew Original Recipe. Which means he can't be the same as Extra Crispy!" :)
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