Re: Scorpionmen

From: David Cake <dave_at_-EFmhwgn8t1O5gs5o3WLifOyz2nayWohmlBU2Nmrrj-NEEO4RAXHNziqhH5To7SsOQxm-ZC>
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:33:31 +0800

On 28/03/2012, at 12:33 AM, Trotsky wrote:

> Tim wrote:

>>
>> The illustrations in the Avalon Hill "Snakepipe Hollow" that I
>> happened to be looking at the other night showed 6 legs, with the
>> (human) arms being Scorpion claws.
>>
>> Maybe the human Torso and Scorpion body merge "below" the first pair
>> of Scorpion legs, which is why they only have 3 pairs?

	Exactly so. Scorpions have 8 limbs, 6 legs and 2 claws. Scorpion-men have 8 limbs, 6 legs and 2 arms. 
	Magic (and Chaos being what it is, presumably sometimes just random chance) can change the arms into claws. 
	Other magic can change an arm into a long bony spike good for jabbing. I'm presuming this is just random chaos nuttiness, though perhaps someone who knows more than my about scorpion biology might know more. 

>>
>>

> Apparently so, although this being Chaos, logic may not have much to do 
> with it. For that matter, the number may well be variable - something 
> that's less problematic in a system that doesn't have hit locations!

	In RQ2 and RQ3, Bagog had magic to add extra legs. I see no reason this should have changed. It makes little sense from a biology point of view, but its chaos, why should it. I presume scorpion men in Glorantha still have such magic (and chaos being what it is, some scorpion men probably just have extra legs for no particular reason). 
	I note that neither the RQ2 or RQ3 version of the spell gives any guidance as to how to handle the hit location issue. I wonder if anyone ever cast the thing? It was actually moderately useful in RQ3 - the legs both added to movement (dubiously). In RQ2, as far as I can tell the spell was pretty much entirely pointless. 

	Cheers

		Dave