> > Any item listed in the character writeup should be given a rating,
> > even if it seems like a mundane. (My character Nallindia's boat
> > "Snapper" wasn't magical in my original conception, but it sort of
> > turned that way in play, which probably encouraged me to put points
> > into it.)
>
>This is, IMO, one of particularly tasty things about Hero Wars, it
>lets you essentially make your own magic items by building abilities
>into them (either at the start or in play).
It was sort of a rules artifact -- I just figured she had a boat, but it got written down. The Narrator seemed to think that because it was written down it was magical, and it sort of took off from there.
Another Bryan
>I have always liked the idea of a favorite magical item or weapon
>growing in power along with its owner.
And if you don't like that idea, you can say that Snapper wasn't growing in power, but Nallindia was learning more of its secrets and becoming better attuned with it.
I ran across another fine character description, from Sallust's "Conspiracy of Catiline" (a primary source for a dangerous rebellion near the end of the Roman Republic):
Lucius Catiline was of noble birth. He had a powerful intellect and great physical strength, but a vicious and depraved nature. He could endure hunger, cold, and want of sleep to an incredible extent. His mind was daring, crafty, and versatile, capable of any pretence and dissimulation. A man of flaming passions, he was as covetous of other men's possessions as he was prodigal of his own; an eloquent speaker, but lacking in wisdom. His monstrous ambition hankered continuously after things extravagant, impossible, beyond his reach.
This is only 86 words (I deleted one sentence that seemed irrelevant in Hero Wars terms since it explained how he used these abilities in his youth without adding any new abilities). He does have a few more flaws than the typical HW character, but then Sallust didn't think much of him. Chances are the 14 words left would be used for political connections or the fact that he had been elected praetor or governed Africa. Roman is the default culture; Noble is a keyword. The adjectives suggest which abilities are above starting values.
David Dunham <mailto:dunham_at_...>
Glorantha/HW/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html>
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
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