[Glorantha] ILH2

Roger <r.f.mccarthy_at_gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Like Mikko I was also disappointed by the relative lack of playable material
> in ILH2 compared to ILH1.
>
> True it does have keywords galore but I suspect relatively few will be
> immediately useful to new players.
>
> Worse several of the keywords that are likely to see a lot of use completely
> contradict official HQ material published only a couple of years ago.
>

I noticed that. I would play it that the previously published versions are legitimate subcults - albeit ones that might be looked down on as a bit provincial by heartland Lunars.

>
>
> I also found the account of illumination frustratingly vague from a game
> mechanics POV (OK it's 'mysticism' and not easily reducible to keywords but
> even so I am not sure I am any wiser than before on how to play an
> illuminate).
>
I have to disagree here, not only did I like this in itself but it *so* perfectly fit with my one experience of playing an illuminated character (in RQ) as having a sort of moral bi-polar disorder that it could not help but feel right to me.

The honest answer here is that the fun is in trying to play such a character and see how the rules affect your play in an actual game. Looking at these rules I think they would be fun to play, which is all I want really. The fact that the results of illumination are likely to be different for each character and each game is a plus point IMO.

What is not stated anywhere in ILH2 but would be a fun element to retain in a game are the old Nysalor riddlers and how they would work. They could still awaken a person's 7th soul through a riddling session but I would think that almost all non-Lunars so affected would initially be occluded. Naturally the riddlers would point out that those who survive the experience always have the opportunity to confront the all and gain Illumination later on. Nysalor cults are mentioned - as a rather degenerate lot - if they go round occluding people that would certainly help explain their poor reputation.

--
Nic