Re: [hw] TR Queries

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 13:08:39 -0800


> Overall I have to say Thunder Rebels is what I've wanted for a long
> time. Hopefully it sets a standard that other Players Guides will be
> able to live up to.

So do I :-)

> A couple of things though remain as niggles:
> Everyone worships Orlanth through one of his sons. Not fully sure I
> understand this one. Seems a bit Catholic really - Our protecting Lord
> is unapproachable, but through his son/saint you amy petition for his
> intervention.
>
> Have I got the wrong end of the stick?

I think you do.

Many of the subcults are not sons, but manifestations of O. Orlanth has always been "too big" to worship directly, even in the days of RQ (there was *always* the O. Adventurous/O. Thunderous/O. Rex split). What the TR version does is allow the hero to focus on a specific "face" of the god - whether Raiding, or Loving, or Flying or whatever. Orlanth is in all those things, but he sometimes "split himself off" to become the God of Flying (Called Hedkoranth) or the god of Seduction (Nisskiss), etc. Some of these bits have developed a seperate existance, some are acknowledged to be merely a "face" or "part" of Orlanth. Of course, some subcults are dedicated to gods that joined Orlanth's Hero Bad (the Thunder brothers) from elsewhere.

(I'm probably mangling the explanation here)

You can worship "Orlanth Adventurous" without going through any subcult, but it's not as effective.

> How is this manifest in characters lives and activities? Does Erik
> Twosword, who used to think he worshiped Orlanth Adventurous say that
> he worships Destor, who followed Orlanth's example, or he worships
> Orlanth in the manner first discovered by Destor? Which is to say, is
> Destor himself worshipped as a deity, does he have myths of his own,
> or is he just the one that found a set of important rituals.

All the subcults have their own myths, rites, etc that were not so much "discovered" by the god, but he did them first, so they emulate him (whether the god is a face of Orlanth or a singular entity is really a question for the Priests...)

> Next Question: Entertainers are a female profession? I find that
> surprising - the male Eurmal archetype always seemed a strong one.
> Anyone know why it's wrong?
> Skald's on the other hand being male only makes perfect sense, though
> calling for a storyline about a woman called to be a poet.

It's a split between the "High" and "Low" entertainers. men are "high" entertainers and so are taught those skills, while women are "low" enetrtainers and are taught *those* ones. persoanlly I didn't like the split along gender lines.

> Next question: Runes
> I notice that the runes associated with some affinities, particularly
> to do with subcults of Ernalda the Healer seem a bit variable. For
> example EtH's Heal People and Heal Relationships affinities are both
> associated with the Harmony Rune. Belveren has Heal People feats
> associated with the Crossed Earth rune, as does Bevara. Enferalda has
> her Heal People feats back with Harmony.

Not my part of the job, that would be up to Layout.

> Final question:
> Where's the Thrall keyword? It seems to be the only one of the
> eighteen professions not given a keyword. While a Thrall may not be
> job for a Hero I am quite certain that a character could have risen
> from Thralldom to become a hero. Beat Pot Alwerin springs to mind,
> even if he is on the other side.

"Thrall" isn't an occupation, it's a situation. You can be a farming or fishing or stickpicking or whatever thrall (not a Warrior, though - can't be given weapons). You may have been captured in a raid, and so know the Close Combat abilities of a normal Heortling. Children born oif thralls aren't automatically thralls themselves (check page 41). Ypou'll note that we also don't have "Carl", "Cottar" or "Noble" keywords - these are all situations that can change...

RR

RR

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