From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest)
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Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Wed, 08 Jun 1994, part 3
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From: ROBERTSON@delphi.intel.com (Roderick Robertson, SC1-5, x52936)
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Tue, 07 Jun 1994, part 2
Message-ID: <6BD370A1E00A7D3D@delphi.intel.com>
Date: 7 Jun 94 16:58:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4417
James Wadsley asks:
>I haven't played RQ in ages ( left my players back in Australia ),
>but I read the daily now and then. There always seemed to be hints that
>the Orlanthi were going to put up some serious opposition to the
>Lunars, but everything I read seems to put all the cards in the Lunar
>hand. I just read a snippet about the Crimson Tears and I got to
>thinking that with the Crimson bat, Lunar magic and so on the Orlanthi
>might as well all migrate south. While I'm here, I might as well put
>in my vote for the Crimson Bat being obscene.
Glorantha has a way of dealing with things that get too successful.
(no, NOT Greg! Ahhhhh). King of Sartar (publ. Chaosium) explains "what
goes wrong" for the Lunars.
Sam (Scotland (or Andorra) Not Sartar (or Boldhome) writes:
>If Sartar is like Scotland then it is mostly sheep with a few cows. However,
>I suspect it may be like the limestone hills of the south of France. You
>certainly can't grow grapes up here! I'll need to find out which region I mean
>- full of very Sartarian looking mountains and spectacular ridges ala Starfire.
>I also like the idea of Sartar being made of limestone 'cos then you can have
>lots of nice caverns and the like..
Lots of sheep only since the Highland clearances you mean. C'mon
Sam, you must have seen those great shaggy Highland cattle. Used to be
the foremost export of Scotland. Of course, once the English decided
that Sheep don't rebell every 5 or 20 years...
>Well, Scotland is an incredibly rainy place. Though not "lush". It just
>doesn't get enough Sun to grow large amounts of fruit'n'veg etc. I suspect
>Sartar may have this problem, what with all those Cloud Callers. Quite how
>they *do* grow grapes is a mystery - A secret pact with Yelmic types?.."you
>supply the sun - we'll supply cheap wine. Oh, I forgot - you don't drink".
>And as for all those orchards - no way!..
How about the Rhine area of Germany? Produces sweet wine.
Unfortunately, I know nothing about the geography there, nor how long
its been a wine-producing region. Anyone?
>the ground's so steep a cow'd roll off
-Arf! Thats why haggises have one pair of legs longer than the other..
Haggis? it's everything a civilized person feeds to the dog. Liver,
lungs, intestines and oatmeal. Stuff it in a stomach, boil or steam
until it all runs together, and season to taste. :-P
>White Dwarf - Before it died the death of a thousand Warhammers published
>Stats'n'info on different kinds of horses - including Wingana and Rockwood
>Mountain pony - We used this a lot. I could dig it up if you fancy.
Roleplayer (The old Gurps rag) had a long article a while back about
horses, including advantages and disads based on horsey psychology.
>Surely domestic dogs act as they do due to the fact they have been bred by
>humans. Wouldn't this stand for cats? Wolves don't hunt radically differently
>than, say, lionesses. Do they? If a wolf can be bred to round up sheep then
>why not cats? Dogs, ptoo! Why not have lots'n'lots of different kinds of cats
>all to serve different purposes. Big, small, hunting, fishing, herding..
Oh, and domestic cats are models of loyalty and dedication? I think
not (having had many (20+) cats and dogs (~10) in my life). Big Cats and
dogs *do* have different hunting patterns. I'd go for most of the cat
types, but not Herding.
As far as someone else's question about using boys to herd, it takes
a heap of boys to do it. I lived out in the California hills (near
Yosemite); prime ranching country. When the neighbor's cows came
through the fence, we'd go out and herd them back. For five cows, it
would take at least five of us to get them moving in the right
direction without dogs. When me & my dog went out, we could do it by
ourselves. Now maybe it just was because I was getting better at it,
but somehow I think the dog helped too.
Also note that, at least in Scotland, the cattle and sheep tended
to scatter when startled, instead of staying in a clump. Independent
little brutes!
Sorry to have chopped up your article Sam, but it was a bunch of
stuff I had been meaning to comment on, all in one place.
Roderick
Robertson@Delphi.intel.com
---------------------
From: DevinC@aol.com
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Tue, 07 Jun 1994, part 2
Message-ID: <9406071509.tn926822@aol.com>
Date: 7 Jun 94 19:09:14 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4418
Devin Cutler here:
Harald Smith offers:
"Since the journal focused on
the quest through Balazar and the Elder Wilds (across Blank Lands in
the current terminology) it will not see the light of Yelm in any
other fashion."
Yes, please post it, either to the Daily or to me personally. I would love to
see anything you've done for Imther and Balazar.
" I will refrain from posting anything more on her
until the dust settles and I can get the cult writeup reworked."
Could I get a private copy of the current writeup?
Sam writes:
"White Dwarf - Before it died the death of a thousand Warhammers published
Stats'n'info on different kinds of horses - including Wingana and Rockwood
Mountain pony - We used this a lot. I could dig it up if you fancy."
OK, Others expressed interest in this, and since White Dwarf RQ is out of
print, I will risk copyright problems and reprint the relevant points of the
Horses article from Runerites. This article was authored by Graham Cobley
and Runerites was edited by Oliver Dickinson.
Horse Types:
ADARI (Far Point, Adari, and human-occupied areas in between) Cost: 4000L.
STR: 3d6+18; CON 2D4+10; SIZ: 3d6+12; POW: 3D6, DEX: 2D6+6. Highly favoured
by dwarf adventurers, due to their low height (most of their size is bulk)
and ability to adapt to harsh climates.
BREVAN (Native to Grazelands, also bred in Sartar) Cost 4500L. STR: 3D6+18;
CON 2D4+10; SIZ: 2d6+24; POW 3D6; DEX: 2D8+2. Grazelanders must buy this
horse, if they want a warhorse.
CHURIAN (Far Point) Cost 3500L. STR: 3D6+18; CON: 2D6+6; SIZ: 3D6+12; POW:
3D6; DEX: 2D6+3. Short, stubby-legged horse, not very fast; charging rate 21
(RQ2 rules).
DUNSTOP (LUnar Empire). As in RQ rules; the LUnar equivalent of the
standard-bred.
GRAZELANDER (Grazelands). STR: 4D6+12; CON: 2D6+6; SIZ: 4D6+6; POW: 3D6; DEX:
3D6. Small, hardy horse, given to barbarians only; charging rate 10 (RQ 2
rules).
JALDON'S HORSE (No Man's March, Better Place) Cost 3500L (free to
barbarians). STR: 3D6+18; CON: 2D6+6; SIZ: 4D4+10; POW: 3D6; DEX: 2D6+2.
Charging rate 10 (RQ2 rules).
KIANG DONKEY (Barbarian Town and area, e.g. Sounders River) Cost 3000L (free
to barbarians). STR: 4D6+12; CON: 2D6+6; SIZ: 2D6+12; POW: 3D6; DEX: 2D6+6.
Larger than modern donkey, fast for its size (Move 12) [RQ2 rules],
exceptional swimmer.
KLEPPER (any major city) Cost 10,000L. STR: 1D6+30; CON: 2D6+6; SIZ: 2D6+24;
POW: 3D6; DEX: 2D6+6. Riders must be SIZ 14+ and have 50%+ Riding ability to
get on! After a charge, the Klepper must carry on for 20m before stopping. A
veritable tank.
ROCKWOOD MOUNTAIN PONY (Rockwood Mountains) Cost 3750L. STR: 3D4+18; CON:
2D4+10; SIZ: 4D4+10; POW: 3D6; DEX: 3D6. Ridden by dwarf adventurers of these
mountains, also by many ducks; charging rate is 10 (RQ2 rules).
SARTARITE (Sartar, Dragon Pass generally) Cost 6000L. STR: 2D6+24; CON:
2D4+10; SIZ: 3D6+18; POW: 3D6; DEX: 3D6. A very good fighting horse.
STANDARD-BRED (any city). As in RQ rules; the result of much cross-breeding.
TARPAN or KONIK (Defenders Shore, Head Acres, River of Cradles). STR: 2D6+18;
CON: 3D4+6; SIZ: 2D6+12; POW: 3D6; DEX: 3D6. Barbarains only; same breed
called by different names; charging rate 10 (RQ2 rules).
WINGANNA (any large city) Cost 8000L. STR: 2D6+24; CON: 2D4+10; SIZ: 2D6+24;
POW: 3D6; DEX: 2D4+10. Riders must be SIZ 10+ and have 60%+ Riding ability.
An exceptional fighter, much sought-after.
Horse Breeds Notes:
1. Where a horse or pony is specified as barbarain only, this means that any
barbarian from the area concerned will ride one (if not an animal nomad,
obviously).
2. All the animals move at 12 (RQ2 rules), but their charging rate varies as
shown (to model the obvious point that a Winganna can easily beat a donkey in
a race).
3. The prices cited asre for warhorses; the Klepper, Sartarite and Winganna
can only be bought as warhorses, but the other breeds will provide cavalry
and riding animals, at respectively 30% and 2% of the price of the warhose;
Cults sometimes give Runelords money for a warhorse; I suggest this is 5000L,
the price of a standard=bred, and that the Runelord finds the extra cost for,
e.g., a Klepper.
4. Areas and places where available are cited after each breed name.
5. For the excellent fighting breeds (Klepper, Sartarite, Winganna), their
attacking chance with all modes will be natural bonus +5%, or 25%, whicever
is higher. All other breeds are purchased with attacks at 25%.
Devin's Notes:
1. Remember, all stats and everything else is RQ2. The stats may not be
comparable to RQ3 (e.g. CON scores).
2. Costs are out of line with RQ3
3. My apologies to Graham or Oliver if I've stepped on any toes by
reproducing the article, but it was agood one and is extremely hard to find!
Sam also writes:
"I am also looking for ideas about; the Cinder Pits, Tarndisi's Grove,
Larnste's
Table etc.."
I have written up some info about these places (short snippets, actually). I
will post these to the Daily.
"I have been writing up my Sartar Campaign. Anyone want a copy? A fair bit of
the background has been filched but the characters and adventures are all
original (well, with a few apoligies to Goscini & Uderzo)."
Yes, I'd love a copy!
Regards,
Devin Cutler
devinc@aol.com
---------------------
From: DevinC@aol.com
Subject: Re: Sartarite Location tidbits
Message-ID: <9406071510.tn926861@aol.com>
Date: 7 Jun 94 19:10:08 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4419
Devin Cutler here:
Sam asked for info on various locations around Sartar. These tidbits are
entirely unofficial and in use for my own campaign:
Black Altar: This altar is a large piece of obsidian shaped as a perfect
cube, and measuring 3m by 3m by 3m. Its surface is perfectly flat and smooth,
with no faults, except for runes of every type, which are carved in random
patterns over every face. They are presumably carved over the bottom face as
well, but the cube resist any and all attampts to move it or to dig under it,
and many a persistant Lhankor Mhy has been slain by freak collapses and
strange diseases when he attempted to undermine the structure.
What is known is the following, and these are commonly known to all within
the area:
1) Soul Sight, Mystic Vision, and Second Sight show an aura around the Cube
of a Power greater than any spirit so far tested.
2) The cube exists on the spirit plane, and cannot be discorporated into.
3) The cube will accept Magic Points, but to no effect
4) No Divination to any deities will provide information
Burntedge: This small village lies about 1.5 km from the Cinder Pits. Its 125
residents are mostly farmers, working the fields near the pit, which are
fertile from the ash blown from the pits by Orlanth. The villagers worship
Lodril, attending the shrine at the Cinder Pits, and a few also worship
Orlanth and Ernalda, although they must travel to Clearwine to worship.
Cinder Pits: This place is a vast depression between 5m and 10m deep filled
with ashes, cinder, and slag. Occasional bits of raw glass can also be found
here. This place is the cite of a battle between Lodril and a Chaos being who
is now forgotten, and it is here that Lodril's fiery spear struck. The cliff
face above the pit is shear (the spear clove through the rock) and glass
coated to a depth of about 3m-5m.
Nothing grows within the pit, and the ash is so dry that any water touching
the cinder is immediately absorbed. No one knows how deep the pit goes, but
the pit is a fine source of sand, ash, and cinder for metallurgy and glass
making. Some persons have speculated that gods' blood (i.e. crystals) may be
present here, and this view is especially held amongst Lodril worshippers,
for it is unthinkable to them that their god could have struck such a mighty
blow and missed his target. In any event, the Lhankor Mhy point out that none
have yet been found and any crystals that were found would likely be flawed
and/or chaos-tainted. A Shrine to Lodril is here, tended by a single Priest.
Larnste's Table: Larnste was the god of travel and change, the originator of
the Mobility Rune, and although no longer worshipped, this structure remains.
It is a huge table, actually a square slab of stone with a top that is
slightly wider than its base. The stone is of a strange marble that shimmers
with hues that seem to dance and shift wildly depending upon the angle of
view, the time of day, etc. The whole radiates an aura.
The table will accept Magic Points, although these go to Larnste, who is now
beyond reach. Anyone who stays atop the table during all of Sacred Time,
however, and sacrifices 3 POW and all but one Magic Point on the final hour
of the final day, will be contacted by Larnste and allowed to become a
devotee of Change. This procedure has rarely occured, since devotees must
keep the origin of their powers an absolute secret. Suffice to say that it
only happens by accident or by those lucky enough to stumble upon the secret.
Note that if even a single Pow is sacrificed during Sacred Time on the proper
day, the marble will begin to pulsate.
Also, when on the table during Sacred Time, the world outside becomes hazy
and indistinct, but goes completely black on the last hour of the last day.
Devotees of Larnste gain the following abilities:
1) Shapechange (per the Trickster Runespell) once per week for each
additional POW sacrificed at this Table. Each form changed into must be
sacrificed as well. Thus if a person has sacrificed 4 points of Pow, he could
pick 4 forms 1 per week or 2 forms twice per week. Such decisions must be
made upon sacrifice, and become permanent.
2) Movement speed is doubled without increasing fatigue use.
3) Teleport (per the spell) once per week
4) Immunity to Glue Spells, Webs, Nets, Grappling, Slow
spells, Holdfast, Binding Spells, etc.
5) May automatically Bless Graves as per Ty Kora Tek
Tarndisi's Grove: This collection of trees is the last remnant of a huge
forest which once covered this area during the Green Age. The Forest was
defoliated over the ages, but an elf friend and hero named Tarndisi used
great magicks to preserve this grove. There is a temple to Aldrya here, and
although it has only a few adherents, it qualifies as a major temple through
Tarndisi's magick. As such, its status has allowed it to flourish and survive
despite constant Troll raids from tribes like Sazdorf. Many dryads and pixies
haunt the area, along with some elves, totalling almost 250 initiates. The
bulk of the worshippers are wandering elves and wood spirits. Because of
Tarndisi's friendship, the elves here are friendly to humans, and this is one
of the few spots known where humans are accepted into the cult of Aldrya if
they are completely sincere. Failure to qualify still means death.
Major Temple to Aldrya
Shrine to Flamal teaches Bear Fruit
Shrine to Voria teaches all spells
Shrine to Tarndisi/Horned Man teaches Ward Troll (double
strength Warding vs Trolls)
Tink: This smallish village is important simply because it is outside the
boundaries of all kingdoms, yet retains a strategic place between them. Tink
has been conquered and/or owned by the Sartarites, the Tarshites, the Lunars,
and the Wintertop Rebels. The town itself is certainly built upon the ruins
of an ancient EWF city, but these ruins have been scoured and combed long
ago. The city is now remarkable as a main stop for travelers attempting to
reach the Dragon's Eye, and as the dwelling place of an ancient spirit from
the EWF who used to dwell in the city that was before Tink.
This spirit possessed a body, and now offers lore and advice to worthies who
approach him seeking knowledge of the EWF and/or Dragons and things Draconic.
It is known that dragonewts pass through the village and often visit the
spirit.
The village itself is squalid and rundown, and has a reputation for being an
open town, with no rules and no law enforcement. Murders and fights are
hourly occurrences, and he who has the most protection usually prevails in
this place. As such, Tink is mostly filled with nervous travelers,
adventurers down on their luck, rogues, murderers, etc.
A saying is common amongst Sartarites:
"I wouldn't give a Tink for that!"
Which means that something is worth nothing.
Shrine to Lanbril teaches Divination Block
Occasionally, a brave Issaries merchant will set up a Market here
Trade-Think: This small village is entirely dedicated to a group of scholars
who seek to plumb the depths of Dragon Lore.The scholars found that this was
the closest point to Dragon's Eye that the Inhuman King would let them settle
(the dragonewts never said anything, they just kept attacking each preceding
settlement, which was then moved a bit further away from the Dragon's Eye.
Eventually, the dragonewts stopped attacking when the current location was
reached). With the scholars came their families, and then a few others to
tend to their needs. Later, as trade was established with the dragonewts,
daring merchants came to treat with the lizardmen. Now, the town is used as a
place to speak with or trade with dragonewts, and they are known to come here
often, although entirely on their own whim, it seems. Currently, a dragonewt
named Kumico permanently resides here and often delivers messages or sets up
parleys with the Dragon's Eye. Some citizens of Tradethink belive that Kumico
is actually a human who somehow became a dragonewt, although this is not
confirmed.
Minor Temple to Lhankor Mhy
Minor Temple to Issaries
Shrine to Ernalda teaches Bless Crops
The town is officially outside the realm of Sartar, and is ruled by a council
of scholars and traders elected by the resident Lhankor Mhy and Issaries
Initiates.
All of these places come from various sources, including the map of Sartar
from Apple Lane, the TOTRM maps, etc.
Regards,
Devin Cutler
devinc@aol.com
---------------------
From: gadbois@cs.utexas.edu (David Gadbois)
Subject: Re: Newspeak
Message-ID: <19940607194537.3.GADBOIS@CLIO.MCC.COM>
Date: 7 Jun 94 09:45:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4420
From: 100270.337@CompuServe.COM (Nick Brooke)
Date: 7 Jun 94 01:49:02 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4401
Lunar calligraphy is beautiful: think of Arabic manuscripts; all
those cursive flourishes, compared to the rigidity of a primitive
(all-capital) alphabet...
I thought the Lunars had movable-type printing presses. That would seem
to necessitate some blocky script. There could be several resolutions
to this quandry:
o The script is cursive, and the type slugs have tails at standard
points on the vertical edges to facilitate connections. Sort of like
old-fashioned "cursive" typewriters. Of course, if you have lots of
Danfive Xaron cultists to do typesetting for the state-run presses, I
suppose you could just have zillions of different slug types.
o There are two scripts, one cursive for handwriting and one block-form
for printing.
o The printing technology is actually xerographic, using a bound fire
elemental as the fuser. Arbitrary patterns can be "programmed" into the
elemental with a sufficiently hairy Command spell. Or perhaps they
teach the critter to speak something like PostScript first in order to
simplify page descriptions.
o The Lunars use Form/Set Bronze as a sort of linotype machine. Come to
think of it, why isn't Gloranthan art considerably more sophisticated
than it is usually portrayed? The implications of having arbitrary long
duration Form/Set Stone spells in sculpting are pretty profound.
--David Gadbois
---------------------
From: jdegon@vega.iii.com (Jim DeGon)
Subject: Gonn Orta = Genert
Message-ID: <9406072004.AA05600@enrico>
Date: 7 Jun 94 06:04:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4421
Has anyone ever wondered if there is a connection between Gonn Orta the
giant of the Rockwoods and Genert the giant god of Prax?
KOS refers to Genert as a giant. I'm not sure if any myths specify
exactly which chaos beast took him down. Is is possible that say,
Kajabor or whoever defeated him and stripped him of his domain and
godhood while allowing him to remain embodied as a giant? Gonn Orta
would certainly never admit to having been beaten and chased out of his
inheritance. He is reputed to be the largest giant, right?
Jim DeGon
---------------------
From: 100102.3001@CompuServe.COM (Peter J. Whitelaw)
Subject: Harald's Journal.
Message-ID: <940607201658_100102.3001_BHJ34-1@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 7 Jun 94 20:16:59 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 4422
Harald,
I enjoyed reading your campaign overview and certainly agree that a Heroic
campaign is more likely to evolve from the 'microcosmic'.
>Incidentally, if anyone is interested in seeing a
>posting out of this journal let me know
Yes please.
*****
Regarding the passing of the much missed RuneRites in WD:
I also seem to recall seeing some tables in one Runerites column for randomly
determining how PC's feel from time to time, i.e. catching colds and the like.
Not a matter that is often given much thought I would think, but it added a
little fun to some sessions when we were using it...
'If you want to go off gallivanting about after Broos then be my guest but count
me out. I've got a headache. Now, sod off and let me get back to sleep.'
All the best,
Peter :-%