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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