Rune magic; Spirit Magic; Kolat from Neil Smith on 1997-10-27 (Glorantha Digest Vol 05)

From: Neil Smith <nsmith_at_dmu.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 21:43:06 GMT

Rune magic

What with everyone going on about variant magic systems, I thought I'd put in my tuppenceworth. Our group is using a rune-based rune magic system where we've separated knowledge of divine spells from the power to cast them. The result is something between normal rune magic and Runepower.

Summary of the system:

Learning spells:

Joe Initiate goes to his priest and spends a week learning to re-enact 'The Arming of Orlanth' myth. Re-enacting this myth allows Joe to give his mail shirt aspects of Orlanth's own magical armour, Turnspear. Joe can learn as many myths as the godar is willing to teach him.

Powering spells:

Spells are powered by Runic POW. Normal POW is used for all the normal POW-like things, but initiates can convert some of their POW from normal to Runic POW (recorded as Runes on the sheet). People have access to Runes associated with their deities. Frex, Joe Initiate can convert his POW to Air (through Orlanth) or Earth (through Ernalda), but not Moon.

Casting spells:

Each myth has a certain Runic cost. When re-enacting the myth, if the person spends the specified number of Runes, the spell works. Frex, Joe Initiate spends one Mobility rune to power Teleport, or two Air runes for Command Sylph.

Comments? If people want a fuller description, let me know and I'll send it by email.

Spirit Magic

Off the cuff idea: the spirit magic learning approach from Ninja and Vikings seems like a good system. But why not base it on something other than opposed POW rolls? Perhaps something like Orate would be better. Or Intimidate for learning Demoralize. If you're using traits, why not get the supplicant to make Merciful rolls to learn healing spells?

Kolat

We've a new PC starting as a Kolating. Does anyone have any hints, tips, or points to add flavour to this character? There seems to be remarkably little about the Father of Winds.

Thats all for now. Coming soon: why Chaos is a cop-out (for developing plots).

Neil.