[Glorantha] The Block

In message <000901c6c9f6$17f68ed0$05000aac@eagles> "Gerard Crowe" writes:
>Hi,
>
>This has undoubtedly been asked before but I've recently returned to RQ
>following the release of MRQ and have a question regarding the Block.
>
>It is a piece of the original Spike, immeasurably powerful and
>infinitely valuable, yes? And at it's base is a Storm Bull camp,
>designed to prevent people pitching up and chipping chunks off it, in
>case the Devil should be freed again (this is all from memory, can't
>remember where I read it though, could be wildly wrong).

It's in RQII Cults of Prax among other places.

>Anyway, I know that the first thing my players will ask when I describe
>it to them is "So why don't the Lunars take control of it?" After all,
>that much Truestone in the hands of the Lunars would increase their
>power immeasurably, wouldn't it?

I'm sure there is a Lunar who plans to do exactly that. Her (or his) problem is getting the resources to do it. First you need a regiment of reliable troops to beat the Storm Bulls and provide a garrison so they don't return. Then you've got to find a way of breaking significant amounts off and taking it away. And if you do the chances are one of the Associations will muscle in and take all the profit.

Equally there are other Lunars who accept that the devil or some other chaos monstrosity could be freed and don't want to take the risk. Remember at least half the inability of the Lunar Empire to do things is internal politics which prevent it making coherent decisions. After all they invade Prax to get access to a seaport at Corflu and then find it's such a dump and so difficult to access that it's not worth having.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/