Some points:
- Dormal opened the oceans in 1580 - that is about 35-40 years ago
depending on your now. Sailing is an experimental activity. Although
Dormal's ritual shows people how the basics of how to to open the
oceans, I doubt that it is as refined as more established rituals. It
has been stated that the Haraglans use their own version of Dormal's
prayers - indeed I expect that all the different sailing cultures
have variations (even misapplied worhip) of the ritual.
- The closing will end in 1624 (search the Glorantha Digest if you
missed this) but people will only discover by accident. At this point
the whole ritual is supersticion.
- We know that each ship has a statue to Dormal - this is I think is
the only common element in al the rituals.
- Encourage the heroes to define their own rituals or borrow from
and discover others, some elements may actually help, some may be
worthless supersticion ("Are you sure blowing on the conch was what
Dormal told us to do..."). Why not make up the ritual with the
players then decide what is 'right' and has a value and what is
useless supersticion and what might even hinder - give the heroes the
chance to discover more elements with time.
- Resistance: There is some suggestion that this should be easy say
14. Personally I think that the resistance is far higher. Overcoming
the Closing is a rare and momentous activity - setting out to sea a
dangerous activity -perhpas not the 10W3 of the other side but at
least a 10W and maybe a 10W2. Heroes and not everyday people travel
the ocean. Sailors are Jason and the Argonauts figures. However
wiping out your heroes, because they fail the roll may not endear you
to them as a narrator. The closing effects can be simply to turn the
ship around or an attack by sea monsters or similar - heroes should
certainly have a chance to escape doom and try again.
Ian Cooper
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