From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
Sender: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
Organization: Lankhor Mhy and Associates
To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest)
Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily)
Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Mon, 03 Jan 1994, part 1
Message-ID:
Precedence: junk
X-RQ-ID: out.going/rq-daily/Intro
This is the RuneQuest Daily Bulletin, a mailing list on
the subjects of Avalon Hill's RPG and Greg Stafford's
world of Glorantha. It is sent out once per day in digest
format.
Note:
During holiday season, the Daily will only appear
on Monday and Thursday (i.e: Dec 23, 27, and 30).
Normal distribution should resume on Jan 3, 1994.
More details on the RuneQuest Daily and Digest can be found
after the last message in this digest.
---------------------
From: carlsonp@wdni.com (Carlson, Pam)
Subject: RE: Divine Magic and Sacrifice
Message-ID: <2CFD1748@itlab.wtc.weyer.com>
Date: 1 Dec 93 22:13:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2710
>Subject: Receiving Divine Magic from "human sacrifice"
>I'm curious if anyone has considered the implications of sacrifice:
I have read nothing indicating that chaotic and evil deities would grant
divine magic through the sacrifice
>of a non-worshipper's life (and POW). Any comments on this idea?
Why would only chaotic or evil deities accept human sacrifice? Some native
Meso-Americans practiced it, and I've never heard them described as "evil".
I've also read somewhere that some native North Americans considered it an
honor to slay a respected enemy if he was captured. (This may not be true -
I'm at the mercy of popular fiction on this one. Does anyone else know
more?)
One thing I've always admired about RQ is it's "greyness" - none of this
alignment drivel, or ultimate good vs ultimate evil. In fact, Morokanth
use humans as food animals, so it seems a small step to the occasional
slaying of a captured enemy for a mystical purpose; maybe releasing a useful
point or two of POW in game terms. Does anything in Gloranthan mythology
preclude this?
Pam
/ Probably the only person in the Western World who watched "Star Wars"
and wondered about the billions of reasonably happy people who must be
living in the Empire./
---------------------
From: carlsonp@wdni.com (Carlson, Pam)
Subject: RE: Antirius
Message-ID: <2CFD0B69@itlab.wtc.weyer.com>
Date: 1 Dec 93 21:22:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2711
From: 100270.337@CompuServe.COM (Nick Brooke)
>From the Horse's mouth: "Antirius" is NOT just the Dara Happan name for
Yelmalio. Most of the Antirian mythology is utterly unrecognisable as
Yelmalion, and rightly so.
Is there any more info on this cult? What is the mythology? Is it printed
anywhere?
Pam
---------------------
From: henkl@yelm (Henk Langeveld - Sun Nederland)
Subject: Re: Heroquesting?
Message-ID: <9312301347.AA26232@yelm.Holland.Sun.COM>
Date: 30 Dec 93 15:47:44 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2712
In rec.games.frp.misc you write:
>My first letter went to wrong place,
>so i'm asking again.
>I have read some articles about heroquesting,
>some from books (for example, elder secrets),
>but there`s not that info i like to have,
>only pure rules and such.
>So, would somebody tell me something more
>correct about heroquesting,to this this
>newsgroup or direct to me.
>jla@cs.tut.fi
Several people have created their own rules
for heroquesting. I don't think that any
rules would capture the spirit of the game.
Think of it as a game within a game, where
the characters roleplay their gods' and
cult heroes' lives.
Beware, though, as the game is not without
risk...
--
Henk | Henk.Langeveld@Sun.COM - Disclaimer: I don't speak for Sun.
oK[] | My first law of computing: "NEVER make assumptions"
---------------------
From: okamoto@hpcc101.corp.hp.com (Jeff Okamoto)
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Thu, 30 Dec 1993, part 1
Message-ID: <9312301631.AA24527@hpcc101.corp.hp.com>
Date: 30 Dec 93 16:31:52 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2713
> From: nh0g+@andrew.cmu.edu (Nils Hammer)
> Subject: Illumination
>
> I suggest that anyone who has read thoroughly "knows" somewhere in the dark
> parts of their heart that ARKAT is actually Gbaji in disguise.
Although this will sound Lunarish, I see Arkat and Gbaji as two sides of the
same concept. By itself, Illumination is not "evil": it is a new way of
viewing the Universe, and also provides some special abilities (evading
spirits of retribution). What an Illuminated being chooses to do with that
ability makes that being "good" or "evil". If they choose the "Dark Side"
and become amoral, then they are Gbaji. If they choose the "Light Side"
and protect, then they are Arkat.
It is unfortunate that Gbaji the Deceiver's effects were much more obvious
and devastating than Arkat's more subtle efforts (he's the first HeroQuest
environmentalist). Thus Illumination has come to mean Chaos.
Jeff
---------------------
From: paul@phyast.pitt.edu (Paul Reilly)
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Thu, 23 Dec 1993, part 1
Message-ID: <9312302148.AA05427@minerva.phyast.pitt.edu>
Date: 30 Dec 93 21:48:28 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2714
Lots of stuff... I (Paul) will have to reply piecemeal to a lot of this
when I get time.
Sandy on Dryads: Good job, the 'woodland spirit' was one of the
improvements in feel in the transition to RQ3. We play that
a grove can have a nascent Dryad that has not yet manifested but can be
'summoned' into existence. And of course your ghost example is a good one.
Oops, have a ride home which is leaving now. Will get back on the weekend
(I hope.)
- Paul
---------------------
From: sandyp@idcube.idsoftware.com (Sandy Petersen)
Subject: re: RQ Digest
Message-ID: <9312302151.AA00546@idcube.idsoftware.com>
Date: 30 Dec 93 09:51:49 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2715
Tim Westlake begs:
> Does anyone have writeups of any of the cults of the 7 mothers?
Yes. There are at least sketchy writeups of all of them.
DANFIVE XARON: a cult of repentence and toil. A person accused of a
crime (or any person, for that matter) can escape punishment if he
makes it to this cult in time. Anyone is accepted, but the
requirements are extremely harsh, and punishments are both punitive
and swift. It's not really a battle cult, but sometimes the
militarily-skilled members of it are required to perform suicide
missions in wartime. Not a PC cult, really.
DEEZOLA: she is a healing/earth goddess type. Among other powers, she
has the preventative Heal spell mentioned in an earlier RQ Digest.
She also is the wielder of the reusable Resurrect that is available
to the Lunars; they and Chalana Arroy are the only deities with a
reusable Resurrect.
IRRIPPI ONTOR: his cult bears the same relationship to Lhankor Mhy
that Etyries bears to Issaries. A few shared spells, a few different
spells, the same basic cult outlook. They are similar enough that in
some places the two cults share temples (frex, the Pavis Lhankor Mhy
temple has an Irrippi Ontor contingent).
JAKALEEL THE WITCH: a darkness goddess with secretive and sinister
powers. Not common. Encourages sorcery.
SHE WHO WAITS: little is known of her. She probably has no cult, but
who knows? She might be a Lunar secret waiting to be sprung.
TEELO NORRI: she has a very vestigial cult, with mostly lay members.
Her few priestesses run the Lunar welfare system.
YANAFAL TARNILS: a cult very similar to Humakt, except without a
reusable Sever Spirit. Has geases, too, but many are different from
Humakt's. Follow many of Humakt's strictures, like fighting fair
duels, and other honorable stuff. Cult priests are called Scimitars.
Nils Hammer points out:
>I feel that the comment about "everyone knows" that Nysalor
>Illumination is fundamentally related to chaos shouldn't go without
>challenge. One of the best things about RQ is the variety of
>cultures, and the ambiguity about who is in the right
Well by golly, I'm challenging your statement. Sort of. I submit that
all major cultures and important philosophies in Glorantha that know
about Illumination believe that it is connected to chaos, from the
Lunars on down to the most barbaric Orlanthi. This doesn't mean
there's not hot debate about it. Frex, philosophers from three
important cultures might reason as follows:
ORLANTHI: Chaos is bad. Illumination is chaos. Ergo,
Illumination is bad.
LUNARS: There is no bad. Chaos is just a force like any
other, the most dangerous force to work with, but still just a force.
Illumination lets you see the true meaning of reality and its
relationship to chaos, and is therefore good.
KRALORI: Chaos is bad. However, Illumination, though OF
chaos, enables the evil within chaos to be neutralized and
dissipated. Hence, it is the secret goodness within the evil of
Chaos. (Of course, if we had no chaos, we wouldn't need
illumination.)
These statements aren't meant to be authoritative in any way,
they're just off the top of my head.
John Hughes mentions:
> ... the immortal "Blad-ger, My Axe."
Apparently I'll never live that down.
---------------------
From: carlf@panix.com (Carl Fink)
Subject: AH releases
Message-ID: <199312311008.AA11306@panix2.panix.com>
Date: 31 Dec 93 00:08:13 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2716
fkiesche3@aol.com writes:
R>Anybody know what the next Avalon Hill release will be? Cults of D? Glorantha
>overvew? RQ IV (ha!)
A "Glorantha overview" has already been released. I think the next
release will be _Strangers in Prax_.
---------------------
From: jjm@zycor.lgc.com (johnjmedway)
Subject: Yara Aranis and the Lunar cause
Message-ID: <9401021826.AA12170@hp0.zycor.lgc.com>
Date: 2 Jan 94 18:26:06 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2717
>> Date: Mon, 20 Dec 93 00:10:33 +0100
>> Subject: Volume 10, no 5: Paul Honigmann update (includes quiz)
>>
>> ...
>> LUNAR CULT OF YARA ARANIS
>> ...
>> I suggest that YA is much more involved with horses than the other two
>> war cults of the Empire. (Come to think of it, I always think of the Lunars as
>> being like the Romans, who were mainly infantry.) Horses are neccessary for
>> maneuverability on the plains of Pent, and mobility is a neccessary element
>> of strategy against the Pentans. This is a bit of a contradiction within the
>> cult, as one of Yara's titles is Horse Eater, but so what.
Perhaps they have adopted Sables? Maybe they also specialize in some form
of mobility/transportation spells to offset the Pentans mobility.
>> However, the cult has been very successful against the Pentans, so it must
>> have some key advantage(s). I imagine the main one is metal armour. However,
>> too much will restrict maneuverability so it's only usually on torso and head.
>> Similarly, tempered scimitars will be a far superior weapon to wooden spears
>> and crude axes, etc in the Pentan armoury.
Lances and bows of the Pentans would provide a great advantage, unless the Y.A.
use them as well. If the Pentans don't use shields, though, they would really
take it on the chin from other cavalry, especially medium cavalry.
>> YARA'S BREATH (Throw Horse, etc): Spirit magic, 2 points
>> This spell acts a bit like a Demoralise on a horse. The user must succeed
>> in a POW vs POW roll against the horse. Success means the horse becomes uneasy
>> and the rider must make a Ride roll each round to control it. The origin of
With the Pentans rather high riding abilities, this isn't worth 2MP. If it
reduced the rider's chance of success, ( maybe with stacked MP ) then it would
be more worthwhile.
>> TWOSWORD (Doubledge, Yara's Talons etc) - variable:
>> This is like Bladesharp, but it works on two scimitars simultaneously.
>> ...
Kinda neat idea, but I want to make sure I got this straight:
2mp = TwoSword-1 = Both swords at better attack +5% ( bladesharp ) and +1 damage
4mp = TwoSword-2 = Both swords at better attack +10% ( bladesharp ) and +2 damage
...
What about more than two swords, such as after the caster uses Arm of the Godess
to grow another one ( or two, or ... )?
>> I've been toying with a full write-up of the Cult of YA recently. Anyone
>> want to see an unofficial Cult description?
Sure!
>> MYTHOLOGICAL ENGINEERING AND THE WHITE MOON
>> ...
>> Wars are being fought. You can see why the Yelm pantheon is friendly with the
>> Lunars - if Orlanth is tamed, the Golden Age will return. Contrariwise, most
>> other gods revel in the freedom and power they have out of Yelm's control: so
Also the Lunars may well have messed with the Dara Happan Yelmites
mythology, hence their acceptance of the Lunars.
>> crypto-capitalist Storm cultist oppression.
Hopefully future publications will help out the Lunar cause. Poor sods,
bad press from day one, and it's only gotten worse.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
| john_medway@zycor.lgc.com | Landmark Graphics Corp | 512.292.2325 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
From: malcolm109@aol.com
Subject: Manirian Map Index
Message-ID: <9401021744.tn05096@aol.com>
Date: 2 Jan 94 22:44:39 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 2718
As I was reading my copy of A Rough Guide to Boldhome in
preparation for Runequest-Con, I became a little frustrated
with the "Getting There" section. It describes two routes
from the Lunar Empire to Boldhome, and in the text it names a
number of obscure but interesting sounding place names. I
immediately checked the maps provided, but I couldn't find
all of the place names. I then went to my RQ materials, and
while looking through a number of maps I eventually found all
the place names. I discovered in this search that I have 17
different maps of the Maniria/Dragon Pass/Sartar region! And
almost all of these maps list some unique features not found
on other maps.
So I created a project for myself. I listed the place names
from each map, and arranged them in alphabetical order. After
the names, I listed the map[s] in which that name occurred.
Now when I come across a Manirian place name in some
Gloranthan text I can just check my handy Manirian Map Index
and find which maps if any that place appears on.
If anyone is interested in seeing this I can post it to the digest.
It contains a whopping 466 names!
---------------------
X-RQ-ID: out.going/rq-daily/Extro
[The rules of the game]
Send submissions and followup to "RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM",
they will automatically be included in a next issue.
Please include a Subject: line. Articles without it will be ignored,
returned, or delayed.
Selected articles may also appear in a regular Digest. If you
want to submit articles to the Digest only, contact the editor at
RuneQuest-Digest-Editor@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM.
Send enquiries and Subscription Requests to the editor:
RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Henk Langeveld)