From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest)
Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily)
Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Mon, 08 Aug 1994, part 1
Sender: Henk.Langeveld@Holland.Sun.COM
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X-RQ-ID: 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.
More details on the RuneQuest Daily and Digest can be found
after the last message in this digest.
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From: rowe@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU (Eric Rowe)
Subject: RQ Adventures
Message-ID: <199408070827.BAA09241@soda.CSUA.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 6 Aug 94 18:27:15 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5509
I believe John Castelluci can now be reached at grendel@mercury.sfsu.edu
(someone asked)
eric
ps Registration for RQ Con 2 starts monday!
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From: DevinC@aol.com
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Sun, 07 Aug 1994, part 1
Message-ID: <9408070442.tn739418@aol.com>
Date: 7 Aug 94 08:42:45 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5510
Devin Cutler here:
David Dunham writes:
"I find the term "adventurer" most useful in the rulebooks. The game _is_
about adventure, even if you're playing Orlanthi farmers, and the
terminology makes more sense than the generic "character.""
I prefer it also. PC sounds weird. Its hould simply be noted somewhere that
the term adventurer is a convenience used to describe the PCs...not a
profession.
Steve writes:
"In the FR, he has nothing to fear
as the absolute worst he can encounter is a Wraith with POW 4d6 - and
offensively he has 16 MPs, defensively 26 MPs (with Spirit Screen 5). In
addition he can use his POW to modify the encounter roll away from nasties.
So what the Shaman wants to do is gather POW spirits. Having got one, he
returns with it (in his Fetch). He can then conduct a Ritual Enchantment
to create an MP Matrix using up all the POW of the POW spirit to do so (and
contributing nothing himself). The shaman is thus able to create MP
Matrixes at no cost to himself except for time!"
First, I'd rule that the encounter tables in the GM book are guidelines, and
that certainly more powerful things can occasionally be encountered therein.
At the VERy least, the discorporate form of an enemy shaman, as powerful or
more powerful than the PC should be findable their. I imagine, in RQ3,
shamans contact and fight each other all the time.
Second, I'd rule that no binding enchantment nor any Control by Shamans of
ANY spirit can compel it to give POW. That is its very essence, and no spirit
would be able to give its very mystical essence to someone. Simply force the
shaman to create such items out of his own POW and you have a limiting factor
that works quite well thank you.
"Once he's sacrificed for a divine ritual spellonce , renewing
is easy. Then he starts armouring himself, stengthening himself and binding
POW spirits!"
Even with the POW costs, rituals must be limited. I have proposed various
methods for limiting armouring and strengthening enchantments. My rules are:
For each multiple of POW of armouring ench in a given location that is
greater than the location's base hp, the cost doubles. Thus, a person with 4
point arms can cast 4 POW of arm ench on the arm. The next 4 points of arm
ench cost 2 POW each (or 8 POW total) , the next four cost 4 POW each. A
rationale for this effect can be easily manufactured, and it sets a point of
diminishing returns rather than an arbitrary limit, letting the players
decide what is an optimal level of armouring.
Strengthening ench works similarly. For every multiple of hp added over base
hp, the cost of subsequent strengthening ench doubles.
WARNING...DEATILS ABOUT STRANGERS IN PRAX FOLLOWS
BTW, I just finished playing the Barran stuff from Strangers in Prax...great
sceanrios. I liked the intial looks of puzzlement when the PC saw Barran saw
down the Churner's masts (hmm, that's odd...I've got a bad feeling about
this), but it was really great down int he hold when Barran yelled....Hold on
boyos, we're a goin in!!.
Regards,
Devin Cutler
devinc@aol.com
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From: CHEN190@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (Peter Metcalfe, CAPE Canty)
Subject: Dreams of the Blue Wizard
Message-ID: <01HFN51XT70IECX2HI@csc.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: 8 Aug 94 09:37:41 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5511
---------------------
From: CHEN190@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (Peter Metcalfe, CAPE Canty)
Subject: dreams of the Blue Wizard
Message-ID: <01HFN5D3P1ZMECX23S@csc.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: 8 Aug 94 10:51:54 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5512
Steve Harmsworth: Freebie Enchantments.
========================================
Steve, the solution is quite simple. Simply say that the Power spirit cannot
provide POW for enchantments, it can only provide MP's for spells. Since it
has zero intellect, it cannot understand any order for a task which it does not
naturally perform. Magic spirits may be forced to do so, but they would have
to know the enchantment ritualbeing autonomous entities after all. Since most
Magic Spirit would avoid knowing the enchantment rituals, your shaman if he
wants a freebie has to go up into the Inner World! Intellect spirits INT cannot
be used to cast spells so you shouldn't have any problems with them. Certain
forms of chaotic magic might overcome these limits but your shaman wants to be
Mr Clean...
The Great False Gods debate!
============================
At last, someone steps into the areana to debate with the Blue Wizard. Sandy's
reluctance to do so is understandable as he may let slip the forbidden secret,
but that's another story.
Joerg said
>Not necessarily. The God Learners of Umathela just chose a number of false
>gods and imposed them on an unsuspecting poplace.
I prefer to think the the Jrusteli being the first to systematically worship
the False Gods in time imported the cults to Umathela and Fonrit. I do believe
the Theyalans of Umatheala worship Orlanth, they being cheap labour from
slontos or wherever. It is just that Orlanth with his Cult of Freedom would be
a subversive influence in the Ompalami worshipping cities of Fonrit, at worst
he would be thought of as Sikkanos. The Fonritians desiring a air god to
achieve the cosmic balance chose Worlath for being more easily slotted into the
Ompalami social order.
>At least some of these myths were made retrospectively; or they identified two
>different myths as 'being one really'.
The God Learners wouldn't have adopted such a view in their quest for the
monomyth. I would in some cases (like where was Arkat born: Trolls say Restone
caves wheras Westerners say Brithos), but the sources are based on Western and
God Learner documents which would attempt to find the ultimate truth. I do not
think that the God Learners would attempt to prove they were the only source of
civilization in the world invented the False God mythos to prove every god of
note was driven from the western lands. IMO they would leave the birthplaces
of the Gods they encountered where they were and leave the Kingdom of logic
unsullied by these fripperies. (but it is a good theory mind you).
>[of Ehilm], Yes, IMO, the Ralian God of the Sun.
Your idea of the wizard who discovered Solar powers is what I would belive was
the case with Ehilm. He refused to share his secrets and was expelled from
Brithos with the upshot that brithini can't cast fireballs. IMO he was a
blazing orb to the Galanini in much the same way as Elmal was to the Orlanthi
or Kargzant (golden bow?) to the Horse nomads during the Grey Age but not the
real sun, Yelm. I am still trying to suss out the Gods wall in the GRAoY as I
only had it three weeks. Ehilm is mentioned in Elder Secrets as also
partcipating in the False Gods Reveolt. Alas, I don't have breakout #34 >:-(
To your false god lists I would add Zistor (who seems to be the essense of a
false god of Mostal; where this leaves Urtiam I'm not sure as Acos is mentioned
in bertalors document. He's probably a dim memory from the days of the Kingdom
of Logic. I would also place Nakala, Lodril, Umath, Sramak and Gata in this
catergory). Uleria as a false god could explain why her HHD is in disorder week
and not fertility week. Very Good, Joe!
The mention of false gods lacking 'effective magic' before 901 ST is to my mind
one of the barriers that I can't seem to grasp. Greg's hiding something here.
Perhaps it's the forbidden secret?
One final Flase God that I forgot to mention is the Devil who is mentioned in
G:CotHW in the western lands and in the Arkat Writeup in Troll Gods as being
the brother of Zzabur. I'm pretty certain that this is neither Wakboth nor
Kajaboor, but another westerner heretic who was expelled by Malkion. Perhaps
the western court has a whole chaos tribe of false gods as well.
Who is this Only Old One Bloke anyway?
======================================
The Only Old One could have been a troll demigod who ruled Kethaela for his
father. He would have sent Charmilla as his representative to the first
council prefering to remain secure in the obsidian council. Xiola Umbar would
have been the acceptable face of Trolls whereas Argan Argar was a ruling God of
Kethaela in much the same way as Basko was the ruling God of Bliss in
Ignorance. Later when Xiola Umbar lost her power and Zorak Zoran came to fore
in the second council, the Only Old One may have been engaging in adventures
(military) to expand his power in Wenelia. For that he developed the
mercantile face of Argan Argar as a means of softening up the opposition.
>(On Issaries) Into Prax, Pent, northern and western Peloria? into Seshnela?
> I doubt it.
I would have said Ralios, Southern Peloria (which in the early years of the Red
Moon was barbarian not solar). The Serpent Kings pratcied paganism so I
imagine Issaries was worshipped there.
Malkioni Power Politics
=======================
I used to think that if anybody violated their caste strictures or refused to
obey the talar, they would break their brithini compact and die by old age
automatically. For support of this theory, there is the spell forbidden by
Uriosto in G:CotHW and the effects of what happens when it is cast. I must say
on the reverse side of the coin that in the Glorantha book of G:CotHW Arkat was
reprimanded and finally excommunicated for an interest in magic.
I treat the whole thing as being an issue like the Nidan decamony deals with
apostacy and heresy. They condemn the latter despite its practioners remaining
immortal but they do not bother to condemn the former because the apostates
grow old and die thus disproving their actions. For the Brithini, the Talar
run a very xenophobic closed society so they are able to keep the social order
static. Thus nobody seeks to undermine the caste strictures.
The only people who could undermine the Brithini Way of Life are the Vadeli
whose merchants, sailors and warriors practice magic and are immortal. As to
why the Vadeli remain immortal is something I've been thinking about for the
past six motnhs or so and I haven't got a satisfactory answer.
So long: The Blue Wizard of Nikosdros
c/o P.Metcalfe@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
---------------------
From: mabeyke@batman.b11.ingr.com (boris)
Subject: Shamans and Enchantment
Message-ID: <199408071453.AA19828@batman.b11.ingr.com>
Date: 7 Aug 94 14:53:16 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5513
Hi all. Boris here, with just a quick note to:
Steve@viridian.demon.co.uk (Steve Harmsworth)
> So what the Shaman wants to do is gather POW spirits. Having got one, he
> returns with it (in his Fetch). He can then conduct a Ritual Enchantment
> to create an MP Matrix using up all the POW of the POW spirit to do so (and
> contributing nothing himself). The shaman is thus able to create MP
> Matrixes at no cost to himself except for time!
I know of nowhere in the rules where it states that one can use POW from
another creature to make enchantments. I would allow some chaotic types
(e.g. vampires) to do this, but allowing this as a general ability
disrupts the balace of the world, as you have discovered. If that shaman
wants to enchant things, make him cough up his own POW. Of course he
can stick those POW spirits in bindings and use their MPs. But that is
*much* less unbalancing.
Hope this helps.
----
Boris
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From: jacobus@sonata.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Subject: American disestablishmentarian
Message-ID: <9408071509.AA00214@sonata.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 7 Aug 94 05:09:38 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5514
Urk?
How can one be a disestablishmentarian in the USA? There is no established
church in this country and there hasn't been for more than a hundred years.
---------------------
From: jacobus@sonata.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Subject: Mudsharks
Message-ID: <9408071523.AA00264@sonata.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 7 Aug 94 05:23:30 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5515
I just can't help it, but whenever I hear the word "mudshark" I think of
Chevy Chase in a shark suit.
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From: PMichaels@aol.com
Subject: Sex Slang
Message-ID: <9408071247.tn745137@aol.com>
Date: 7 Aug 94 16:47:07 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5516
Peter Metcalfe "talks dirty" and says:
>Uleria and Umatum are used by Dara happans as slang for sex organs.
I disagree. I see Umatum as the "outsider" Dara Happan Trickster
(Murderer and Distroyer aspects). I see Rakenveg as the "native" Dara
Happan Trickster (Seducer, Sexual Insatiate*, and Fright aspects). We
know he is called both the "Hare Man" and the "Carrot Man." Thus, I
think it more likely that the sex organs are referred to as one's "hare,"
"bunny," or "rabbit" (if female) or one's "carrot" (if male). Slang for
sexual
intercourse would include "feeding the rabbit," "stuffing the bunny," etc...
"Playing 'hide the carrot'" can refer to a number of sexual practices. I
also think Dara Happan women (secretly) refer to men with a short
refractory period as "carrot lovers," while men who father many children
are (secretly) called "rabbit lovers."
*Sexual Insatiate is a "new" aspect of Trickster I made up, found in
Peloria (Dara Happa) and Esrolia. The spell provided at a shrine to this
aspect is Sexual Prowess.
Sexual Prowess / 1 point / ranged / temporal / stackable / reusable
This spell will cause a male's penis to become very engorged and erect.
This erection cannot be decreased or "lost" until the spell ends or is
dispelled. This effect is not painful. Once the spell is no longer in effect
, normal body responses return.
Peace,
Peter (Michaels)
---------------------
From: jcw7@postoffice.mail.cornell.edu (Joseph Christopher Wehman)
Subject: Gods/Death/Rebirth/Compromise
Message-ID: <199408071737.NAA03339@postoffice.mail.cornell.edu>
Date: 7 Aug 94 06:36:12 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5517
As someone relatively new to the whole Glorantha myths, I have few
questions regarding the Gods and the Compromise.
First off, if a god is slain before the Compromise(lets avoid the Time
questions for now) and is reborn say in present day Glorantha 1620-1625
S.T. would they be bound to the Compromise? Also, would that depend on
whether they were worshiped at all during Time? I will take an example.
Basmol, the Lion King, as far as the stories that I have read so far, was
supposed to have been slain/wounded/diseased before the LBQ and the
Compromise. He is still worshiped today by Basmoli hsunchen people. I was
reading that someone has (in their campaign) had Basmol ressurected. So
would he be bound by the Compromise?
Another example would be Genert. I realize that these are more 'what if'
questions than anything but I am looking for some feedback.
Also, is the Red Goddess truly bound by the Compromise or does it just seem
that she isn't?
Ian "I'm in a DX punishment Legion now" Lothran
"The Lunars have done so much for my home in Sartar"(in a mechanical voice)
---------------------
From: vladt@interaccess.com (Kevin Rose)
Subject: Steve's gross shaman
Message-ID:
Date: 7 Aug 94 07:44:07 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 5518
Steve Harmsworth:
Uh, you can't do that because you have to use your own POW to build
enchanments. In addition, there is no way that a shaman can affect the
POW of one of his spirits (Other than infecting it with soul waste). You
can use the MPs freely, but you cannot touch the spirits POW.
I'm not certain about the encounters tables, as I never ran a shaman.
But the rules say you can onlm modify the roll by your fetches POW, not
yours. And as he has a 31% chance of getting attacked every day by some
random spirit, this can keep him busy, especially as he cannot modify the
roll here.
Kevin Rose