Re: Some more Onslaughter - an explanation of heroes

From: Robert McArthur <mcarthur_at_dstc.edu.au>
Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2000 00:26:29 +1000


I suppose what I have a difficulty understanding is, supposedly superheros
have complete control of the magical flux around them (now where did I remember that quote from - Dragon Pass?). To get that, I would assume that
you learn a lot by visiting gods and heroquesting. All the heroquesting I've
heard of, excluding the initiatory ones and IFWW, would be pretty fatal had
someone tried to undertake it alone.

Thus Harreck and Jareel, to get where they do, need to have massive support
to do the quests that get them to their power, get them to be superheros.
Now I realise that these heroes go through quite a number of direct supporters who accompany them - just look at the lists in KoS for Argrath. However, I can't imagine anyone from another cult joining Onslaught! OK, so if X in, say Orlanth, wants to become a hero then they need to do something mythically with a Humakti hero to re-enact a particular myth. If I were X then I would choose another Humakti! IMG not all are like Onslaught :-)

Now, you can jump in and ask about Androgeus and her supporters. Well, he's
been around a long time - perhaps she was a superhero before Time, perhaps
even a 'god' who still has some free will left - the only remnant. I dunno.

Of course, this only IMHO answers why Onslaught isn't upto superhero status.
He could never standup to Jareel or Harreck even in single combat (IMHO, IMG).
He has only a superficial knowledge and ability with the flux around him.
Any magic he had would be inoperable around the superheros (should they want
that - and, perhaps, even if they didn't :-). Any spirits wouldn't show their
face. It would be left to a skill % vs skill % with, for god's sake, bite or
something. Now, should Harreck fail to hit first (possible if Onslaught knew an antidote method for stopping Harreck's power gained from heroquesting
to do this), and fail to parry (does he ever? pah, probably not - he's got
the best armour he needs in the form of a god!), and should his armour
(god)

fail him, and he gets 'killed'.

Oh dear.

Poor Onslaught.

Harreck either comes back fully healed during his walk through hell or from
his home on his own planet, or he never actually dies (old DP) since Onslaught
didn't, and couldn't, cut him into the final number of grisly portions.

Bye bye Onslaught.

Now, against heroes - that's more of an interesting matter. I (IMG, IMHO)
can see a lot in what Martin's saying re: Argrath and his abilities. Some heroes (eg. Beat Pot, Gunda) are going to have hero-level combat, but others are going to heroes in other ways (Argrath, Cragspider).

I can imagine that Onslaught is being portrayed as being hero level at combat. I don't mind the comparison with being able to beat Argrath if it came to one-on-one combat with noone else interfering because that's like saying "well, I coulda killed him if someone had tied his hands, and his feet, and blindfolded him, and hung him upside down for a week without water. Easy. No worries. I'm just as good - nah, better - than he is." Argrath isn't alone.

(even then, I think all Argrath would do is *summon* some allies PDQ).

So, onwards Onslaught. I wish you well (away from me). I think you're on
the wrong path to Humakti herodom. I don't think Makla Mann would approve
particularly, or any other Humakti hero. I think O's forging his own herodom within the way of Humakt, unlike any before. Personally, I think
he'll be very lucky to get there - these are the hero wars, and there are
a lot, relatively, of heros about. Like in the wild west (ha!), there are
times when an individual can 'ride tall' and stay an individual. The hero wars, IMHO, signal the end of that time and few, if any, Onslaughts will survive or reach their potential.

Robert


End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #358


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