Poll results - Yet to be collated, they should be up in about a week or so, as I dig through e-mails and Digests. Everyone who contributed to the Poll, thank you for your input! I especially thank our European digest members and our many lurkers, quite a few of whom sent me answers to poll questions. It's still not to late to send me your poll information!
GLORANTHAN WEAPON STYLES AND FIGHTING TECHNIQUES In Glorantha, the issue of Cult Weapons and their use has always fascinated me, due my real life fascination with both western and eastern martial arts, both in fact and fiction, as well as the elemental associations with weapons that are present within Glorantha. I'm interested in Gloranthan Hand to Hand and Weapon fighting styles. Here are my thoughts on styles of fighting and specific techniues that would perhaps be used in Genertela... All speculation, of course. If anyone has some hard facts from Greg or Sandy's work, or some other in-print reference, please avail me. I'll do a little talking about weapon schools that would be associated with Cults in Genertela, for what I plan for my game that I will be hopefully starting up this fall.
Orlanthi Cultures/Central Genertela - While the Barbarian cultures of Maniria would not have weapons schools and the like as one may find in Kralorela and the Lunar Empire, there would be quite a few differing sword styles, as perhaps due to their cultic emphasis the worshippers of Orlanth Adventurous and Humakt would be the finest swordsmen/women in all of Glorantha. In the Myths, Orlanth's skill with the sword was legendary, and even though Yelm beat him in every other contest, Orlanth defeated him in their one and only clash of arms. Humakts feats as an individual warrior are also legendary, as depicted in his defeat of various Chaos Gods during the Darkness, according to Orlanthi Myth.
IMO, Humakti would concentrate upon mastery of one particular Cult Weapon (Broadsword, GreatSword, etc.) to the exclusion of all others, attempting to achieve perfect knowledge of how to precisely inflict death with that one weapon, as befits those who follow the Runes of Truth and Death. Humakt sword style would be precise and linear, skillful at exploiting openings and peircing armor. Humakt sword style would also be economical of movement, as Humakt Warriors would work together in small units, as befits professional soldiers. I can also see the initiate Humakti who would be a mercenary also learning a fair degree of skill in weapons useful in an army and in formations, such as a spear or pike of some sort, a dagger or hand axe for close in-fighting, and a shield. I can see the Humakt cult teaching secret weapon skills to initiates that would allow for more precise hitting of certain locations (so as to cripple opponents, as opposed to slaying them, depending on the honorable Humakti's needs), penetrating weak points in armor, and seeing past feints and dodges. This would most likely be special skills that the Humakti can learn through Hero Cults within Humakt, perhaps having to undergo some kind of minor HQ (such as when Humakt defeated Vivamort with the 7 truth cuts) or take an additional Geas (Hunt down and destroy a Vampire during Sacred Time each year.) Humakti would be heavily armored and would favor shields, and while favoring Swords, the weapon of the Death Rune, Humakti would be armed with other weapons that were their preference and needed for the job at hand, unless Geasa limited them only to cult weapons.
Orlanth worshippers, on the other hand, would IMO be far more flamboyant. This would of course be modified by local flavor and such, but I envision Wind Lords being skilled fighters whose movements woud be sweeping and circular, even when using other weapons besides swords. Orlanth cultists would IMO share with the Humnakti the use of many different weapons aside from swords, due to Orlanth defeating so many deities and taking their weapons during GodTime... These features would be something that would place these two cults apart from the other elemental cults. Orlanthi would wear lighter armor, as wearing the Woad would be a religious and symbolic act, and unlike Humakti would be superb individual warriors, skilled at feinting and dodging (not to say that Hunakti aren't brilliant on their own as well, I see Orlanthi emulating the individual warrior aspects of their God.) It could be said that Orlanth Cultists make great adventurers but lousy soldiers. My opinion as to why Sartar was so easily overwhelmed was due to Lunar mass infantry tactics and the like.
Secret weapons techniques would also be taught, but would perhaps require trips to various shrines and HQ's as well, or an apprenticeship under a Wind Lord who had made the quest (and would require you to eventually make it too.) These would have colorful names as the swirling wind vortex, 12 storms strike, Orlanth dances the Wheel of Mastakos or Orlanth tames Urox. I can also see Orlanthi attaing secret weapons techniques of other cults by HQing to Orlanth's actual battles with the Gods of those cults, where he learns or steals those secrets (The Skallywag!)
Other cults would have their secrets, usually only taught to their Rune Lords. Precision spear techniue and Archery would be the domain of Yelmalio/Elmal, Yelm, Golden Bow and High King Elf. Brutally powerful axe skills with secret man-disabling moves (you figure it out) would be the province of Babeester Gore. While Waha and Storm Bull would not perhaps have any outstanding special skills, Waha Kahns would be supreme riders, being able to fire missiles or attack from their mounts with immense skill, while Storm Bulls would be extensively trained about the weak points and vulnerabilities of Chaos Creatures. Even Arroin's subcut of Chalana Arroy may teach advanced Dodge techniques and staff parry so their people don't get hurt (remember, during the Greater Darkness Arroin lost much of his magic, so he may have had to in the myths protect himself physically without harming anyone.) Who thinks that Chalana Arroys would be allowed to disarm opponents with hand to hand techniques or parrying weapons, use shields, or put opponents into non-damaging holds, a la greek wrestling or Aikido?
In the Lunar Empire, I can see a wide variety of weapon and war schools, established for a number of reasons. The cult of Yara Aranis can teach how to effectively cripple mounts while on the ground, Yanafal Tarnils would be much like Humakt, and Jar-Eel's hero cult would teach deadly scimitar and blade techniques (the Razoress, indeed!) The Lunar Way would embrace nearly all weapon styles. I can also see Lunar scimitar fighting being mobile, graceful, spinning and circular... much like Orlanthi swordsmanship. All the more reason for the Storm Gods followers to hate the Red Moon, whom stole Orlanth's legendary skills.
Secret skills taught by Chaotic cults have actually been described in some detail in Lords of Terror (which I just picked up, BTW. Very Good!) We know of the Jaws of Krarsht and their special weapon skills, as well as the Garrote skills of the Thanatari. Assassin cults in Glorantha, such as Black Fang, may also have special skills like these. BTW... Is there any evidence that Danfive Xaron in the Lunar Empire may be an assassin or spy cult? Please help me with this, Lunarphiles.
I won't speculate on the Kralorelans, Pamaltela or The West, except I envision the Malkioni knights fighting much like european knights of the high middle ages. Unlike the central genertelans, weapons would not have mythic associations, although I can see special religious orders or totally secular weapons schools, sponsored by nobles, teaching various secrets. The Kraloreans would have unnumerable weapons schools and styles, if they do indeed emulate asian culture as what little I know about them suggests. Kralorean experts here on the Digest... would the Kralori have equivalents to the Martial Arts sects of ancient China, such as the Shao Lin temples, or the clan-based swordsmanship schools such as in Japan during the warring states era? Pamaltela? I won't even go near there.
One final note... I envision secret cult weapon skills in an RQ campaign as being only a very small part of it, at most. Magic should predominate, not martial arts. I envision Rune Masters having one or two techniques of this kind, if at all. More likely than not, spells will more directly emulate a God Time action or skill, while a mundane skill will have been developed within Time, emulating a God's feat and developed with his or her wisdom. Examples of this are Horse Archery, Alchemy, and Nysalor Riddles.
All hail the Seven Lightbringers, rescuers of Yelm!
Chris Bell
mailto:remster_at_interport.net
Powered by hypermail