Re: Berserking Revisited m2

From: Jarec Basham <jarec_at_...>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 11:32:23 -0000

> With all due respect, I'm getting the shivers as I read this. I'm
quite
> certain my impression is wrong, but I get a very strong sense of
enforced
> gloranthan correctnes. So I'll say this anyway. Don't be fooled:
There
> is not one true glorantha, and there is certainly not one true
humakt. And
> even if it is so I think that in what situations a humakt cultist
choses
> to use his berserker magice is much more dependent on his/her
personality
> than some abstract cultural stereotype.
>
> Why shouldn't you go berserk when fighting trollkin? If killing is
an holy
> activity why not do it in a holy trance? Killing, for them, is an
seremon
> why not do it in holy rapture.
>
> Your culture might treat you as a homcidal maniac, but that is the
price
> you pay for a devotion to Death. I don't think Humakt cares. You
have to
> be willing to kill and willing to die. The rest is cultural baggage.
> Baggage enforced by people with real swords and real blood feuds of
> course. But nothing more.
>
> Remember violence is always an option.
> And to make this counterpoint even stronger reconmend you read
Martin
> Laurie's Onslaught stories as an example of how humakt cultists
also _can_
> be. You can find the stories at Wesley Quadros' pages. Enjoy :)
>
> Ha en god dag!
> Frank Rafaelsen

Two problems with this.

>From a purely 'GAME' point of view it is quickly going to lead to
player issues if one character continually keeps attacking other characters. This can be impossible for a Narrator to resolve, even if you say it's just how my character is. I once had a Cyber Punk character who show another player character for good reason and that player decided never to play with us again.

Secondly if you get a reputation for being that good you will be a magnet for every other fighter trying to prove how hard they are and very quickly someone better will come along.

Either way character mortality will increase. From a fun game narrative perspective both circumstances are real downers.

I for one like the Elric type analogie. When hacking lowly peasants/trollkin the Humakti would barely register that they are even there the fight is so easy, little more than basic practice. When the fight gets tough then the stress will drive him berserk, whether emotionally or via magic, i.e. calling on Humakt/Arioch etc. I just don't see anyone going berserk without some form of emotional trigger. Humakti are 'mostly' out to prove how good they are. Things like Trollkin are kind of beneath their contempt, IMHO. I really liked Roderick's suggestion at Convulsion that Humakti carry out Ride by Crossbow attacks on other clans this kind of sums up their casual attitude to killing things.

As for Uroxi I kind of see them carving through Trollkin with a flagon of Ale in the other hand, basically just having a good laugh. Maybe trying to outscore their mates. If somebody called an Uroxi out then they would probably tell them to go back to their mother or throw insults. At least to start with.

But then this is just my Gloranthan vision.

Jarec