Large scale magics in Glorantha

From: Grawe, Philipp <pgrawe_at_tusc.com.au>
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 09:31:47 +1000

> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 18:57:49 -0700
> From: "Roderick and Ellen Robertson" <rjremr_at_jps.net>
> Subject: Re: Strategy'n'Sorcery
>
>
> Most of the Magical effort happens before the battle (there are benefits
to
> spending a week or a month in your preliminary rituals!) so a lot of the
> "tactics" of magic are guessing what the enemy will do, and plan
> accordingly. Even so, I'm sure that there are generals or commanders who
> "hold back" on committing their magic, and wait for the right time to have
a
> special unit perform a quick ritual for a short term (maybe an hour, maybe
> less) effect. This allows flexibility on the battlefield - the Solar
> Hoplites and Phalanxes probably spend a week or a month getting their
> magical support together and it lasts for the whole campaign (probably
> things like "Keep Formation" rituals, rather than "FireSpear"), while a
> skirmish formation may keep their options open until the day of the
battle,
> or even during the battle itself.

This raises a point that's had me wondering for a while, actually. I suspect it's one of those eternal questions, but:

How do people run the large, army scale magics of Glorantha in game terms ? I find running individual people in large scale battles works quite well and is good fun - it's a great way to play out the confusion, the blood and guts and the sheer size of the battle by having a general idea of the run of the battle without having to bring out the Hex maps and Ancients armies, you concentrate on the individual players and what they are doing within this. The problem is, how do you play out the huge scale ritual magics in such an environment. Nothing is really defined - I've never played White Bear, Red Moon, but I know the larger scale ritual magics exist in Glorantha, and I'm pretty sure there's more to it than 500 guys casting Ignite at the enemy all at the same time. The closest I can think of is the Humakti Morale spell, but I hear of vaguely defined rituals and I can imagine a whole lot more you could do with 500 people worth of Power casting a spell in unison.

It seems a bit weak to say "Right, ok, the priests do a ritual for an hour and you all feel empowered by this. Add 50% to your attack". You'd much rather have one of the players who is a priest leading, or involved in the ritual and run it as part of the game.

Philipp.

---