From: Sandy Petersen (sandyp@idgecko.idsoftware.com)
Date: Wed 03 Jan 1996 - 20:03:38 EET
I am posting my current Saint rules for two reasons
1) They're not included in my regular Sorcery rules that
lots of you have requested.
2) I'm not totally happy with them, and would like some
feedback.
Please send said feedback, if any, directly to me at
sandyp@idsoftware.com
I am especially interested in:
A) opinions about the overall rules and how they work.
B) suggestions for new saints.
C) fine-tuning of the point values and results of the
various Saintly invocation (if you think 8 POW is too much for
Daly's Blessing, tell me so).
*************************************************
copyright 1996, Sandy Petersen
NOTE: I do not believe that these rules describe saint worship for
all Malkioni. I do not believe that all Malkioni accept all Saints,
though I feel that the Saints included here are recognized by at
least the major sects. I suspect that Aeolians and Stygians, at
least, worship Saints as sub-cults instead of in this manner. I do
believe that most Malkioni are reasonably willing to accept Saints
discovered by other sects, so long as those Saints don't violate
some tenet of one's own sect.
SAINTS
To gain a saint as a Patron, you must spend a certain
amount of POW. This can be sacrificed over a period of time, and
need not be done all at once. Once the saint is a Patron, you can
invoke him at will and receive his blessing. It costs 1 POW each
time a saint is invoked. The Blessing normally occurs on SR 1 of the
round of invocation. A Saint's Blessing can normally not be
dispelled magically.
A person can have more than one saint as a Patron, and can
invoke more than one simultaneously. For instance, a sorcerer who
had both Conwy and Joslyn as patrons could invoke both at once, to
render a huge spell permanent!
Arkat's Blessing (8 POW): The skin and clothing of all illuminated
beings within 100 meters of the supplicant turn translucent white,
including the supplicant himself. This effect lasts until the next
sunrise. In order to gain Arkat as a patron, you must be
illuminated.
Conwy's Blessing (3 POW): Invoked only when a Permanent sorcery
spell is cast. This turns the spell into an enchantment -- it no
longer requires maintenance, and cannot be dispelled. When Conwy is
invoked, a rune-carved object must be selected as the spell's
source. If this object is destroyed, the spell is destroyed. The
object can be of any size, but must be within the spell's area of
effect. Only an individual who has access to Permanence can gain
Conwy as a patron.
Daly's Blessing (8 POW): Invoked only when a sorcery spell is cast.
The affected spell takes no Presence to maintain (if temporal), but
cannot be maintained for more than one day. Only an Journeyman can
invoke Daly.
Elleish's Blessing (4 POW): As a general rule, permits a woman to
ignore gender-specific caste restrictions. The exact effects of
Elleish's invocation varies from sect to sect. In addition to the
spiritual influence of Elleish's blessing, Malkioni recognize its
legal and moral force, though they may begrudge it. Only a woman may
gain Elleish as a patron.
Carmanian: Elleish is unknown amongst the Carmanians. Women
who wish freedom normally join Lunar sects.
Castle Coast: Permits a woman to switch from Menena to the
caste of her choice. She can switch back to Menena by invoking
Elleish again. Future invocations permit her to switch back and
forth between Menena and the cast she chose when first invoking
Elleish.
Hrestoli: Permits a woman to retain her own caste, rather
than assume her husband's (if his caste is higher).
Rokari: Permits the invoker to change from Menena to her
father's or husband's caste. Elleish can be re-invoked to change
castes again (especially if she remarries), or to permit the woman
to reassume Menena.
Sedalpists: Permits the invoker to be appointed to
positions of responsibility or power. Also enables a Peasant or
Knight woman to be raised to the High Caste of Rule by proper
election.
Syanoran (Junora): Permits the invoker to switch castes
from her caste of birth to Warrior or Lord. A re-invocation switches
her back. Future invocations permit her to switch between the cast
she chose when first invoking Elleish and her native caste.
Valkarism: Permits the invoker to A) marry beneath her
caste; B) have as many spouses as a male of her caste -- plural
husbands may have no other wives; C) free her husband, if a
polygamist, from the need to divvy up his income equally among his
wives; or (D) permits a Singer woman to carry weapons. Each such use
of Elleish requires a separate invocation.
Gerlant's Blessing (3 POW): A bladed weapon in the caster's hand
becomes a Fireblade. From then on, whenever the supplicant draws
that blade, it is a Fireblade. If the weapon is destroyed, the
Blessing is lost. Only a member of an arms-bearing caste may invoke
Gerlant.
Hrestol's Blessing (3 POW): When invoked, the supplicant's POW
doubles, and remains thus for a full day. At the end of the day, POW
drops back to normal, but MPs may remain higher than the user's
POW.
Joslyn's Blessing (6 POW): Invoked only while casting a sorcery
spell. The user's INT is added to the spell's Intensity at no
additional MP cost. Only an Adept may invoke Joslyn.
Malkion's Blessing (1 POW): Malkion can be invoked for one of two
purposes. (1) once a year, during Sacred Time, the supplicant can
name a sorcerous Art., which he then acquires the use of. (2) When
casting a spell at any time, Malkion is invoked to reduce the
spell's MP cost to 0. The spell goes off at the caster's DEX SR.
Most sects restrict the use of Malkion for the first purpose, as
follows:
Carmanian: Only Wizards may acquire Arts.
Castle Coast: A Peasant may only acquire the Art of Intensity.
Hrestoli: A Farmer may not acquire Arts. A Knight may do so
to learn Intensity. Rokari: A Farmer or Knight may only learn
Intensity. A Lord may learn Intensity plus one other non-basic Art
of his choice (only). The non-basic Arts are Ease, Hold, Permanence,
and Speed.
Sedalpists: A Peasant may only acquire the Art of
Intensity. A Knight may only acquire the Arts of Intensity,
Multispell, and Range.
Syanoran: Only Clergy and Lords may learn Arts.
Valkarism: Work Folk may learn no Arts. Other castes may
learn all Arts.
Neuteboom's Blessing (6 POW): Invoked only while casting a sorcery
spell. The user's INT is added to the casting's Multispell at no
additional MP cost. The spell takes no Presence to maintain (if
temporal) but cannot be maintained for more than a day, unless it
was made Permanent. Only an Adept may invoke Neuteboom.
Nomia's Blessing (5 POW): The user's mind is expanded. For the next
week, all research & experience checks automatically succeed, plus
the amount of increase is always the maximum possible (this last
also applies to training). Thus, if the user does research in Mace
Attack, and invokes Nomia's Blessing, not only does he automatically
increase, he gets 4 full points.
Ouxey's Blessing (4 POW): Invoked only when a spell is cast using
the Art of Hold. It enables the user to Hold that spell in mind
even if he already has a Held spell. Any number of spells can be
Held, each requiring a separate invocation. Once the spell is cast,
the user can re-Hold the extra spell without re-invoking Ouxey, but
only if it is the exact same spell.
Example: Thraxon decides that he wants an Intensity 2,
Range 1, Hold 2 Hinder to benefit from Ouxey's Blessing. Later that
week he casts it in a fight. He still can fill the "slot" left
open, but only with another Intensity 2, Range 1, Hold 2 Hinder.
Paslac's Blessing (5 POW): The armor points of a chosen piece of
metal, which may be a tool, weapon, or piece of armor, is doubled
(it must be touched by the invoker). Paslac can be called upon again
to transfer his blessing to a different piece of armor, but only a
single piece at a time can be affected per given supplicant. Only an
individual capable of bearing arms and armor may invoke Paslac.
Raceen's Blessing (2 POW): Invoked only when a sorcery spell is
cast. The spell's Range is multiplied by the user's INT. Only an
individual with access to Range may gain Raceen as a patron.
Talor's Blessing (6 POW): Talor may only be invoked just before or
during a battle. His supplicant experiences joy while fighting. For
the duration, the supplicant is immune to fatigue loss,
incapacitation, shock, unconsciousness, or the effects of
exhaustion. He fails CON rolls only on a roll of 96-00. In addition,
when first invoked, the supplicant can expend 1 or more magic
points. For each MP expended, all his skills are increased by 2
percentiles. Only an individual capable of bearing arms and armor
may invoke Talor.
Valkaro's Blessing (6 POW): Until next nightfall, the devotee has
great force of mind. He automatically succeeds in any INT roll,
including Concentration rolls. He automatically succeeds in sorcery
spell casting and manipulation, with no die roll necessary, and no
critical successes possible.
Waertag's Blessing (4 POW): The user gains the ability to survive
underwater. Once he resurfaces for air, Waertag's blessing ends.
Xemela's Blessing (9 POW): The invocation has two parts. In the
first part, the supplicant's skin turns night-black, and he or she
has one minute to touch other beings. When he or she has touched
every being that he or she wishes to affect, or the minute is up,
the the second half of the invocation takes place. At this moment,
all the beings touched have all damage and other physical harm
cured. However, the supplicant takes this damage upon himself or
herself, as follows:
For each hit location healed, the supplicant takes 1 point
of damage in the corresponding location.
For every person healed of general hit point loss, the
supplicant takes 1 point of general hit point damage.
For each disease cured (and the effects healed), the
supplicant loses 1 point off the appropriate stat (i.e., curing 8
points of Brain Fever costs 1 INT).
Other losses can generally be figured out by comparing to
this general effect. Thus, a person Tapped is cured by losing 1
point of the appropriate stat. Only points lost below the
character's normal trait level can be restored -- if your initial
POW was 10, and you'd worked it up to 15, and then had it tapped to
8, Xemela's Blessing would only restore you to 10.
If a hit location is completely destroyed, this blessing
has no effect -- Regeneration must be used instead. This blessing
cannot raise anyone from the dead, nor can it remove the taint of
chaos. This blessing will not expel a passion spirit or disease
spirit, but it will heal all damage done by such a spirit to date.
Even if the total damage taken by the supplicant slays him
or her, the complete effect still works. Hence, one ploy is to "use
up" Xemela supplicants in a battle, by having each touch a hundred
or more wounded individuals before invoking the second half of the
invocation. The supplicant dies instantly in a tatter of bloody
shreds (and, most sects agree, rises directly to heaven), but all
the soldiers are cured and ready to return to battle.
Unique Saints
Valkarist
Saint-Mama Theya of the Dawn: The Wizard church venerates
three aspects of St. Theya, the one-time goddess who guards the
Gates of Dawn. In her aspect as St. Theya of the Dawn, she can be
obtained as a patron saint by sacrificing 8 POW. Invoking her
creates an unmoving circle of light 10m in diameter per MP spent
when the invocation occurs. The light is rosy-golden as at dawn. It
is true daylight, so creatures who dislike daylight, such as
chon-chons and trollkin, have problems with it. Also, creatures
which undergo certain effects at dawn (such as ghouls) suffer said
effects upon first entering the circle. This effect also operates on
other magic effects as if it were dawn. The circle of dawnlight
lasts until dawn. Yes, this means that if one circle is up, and a
second, overlapping circle is invoked, the first circle is
cancelled.
Saint-Mama Theya of the Reaching Voice: may be gained as a
patron for 8 POW. Allows the invoker to link to a target within
view. The linked individuals can share MP and hit points freely, by
mutual consent only. If one is injured, the wound, or part of the
wound, can be shifted (again, by mutual consent) to the other. The
wound must retain the same hit location. If the linked individual is
a creature with a different hit location table, the damage appears
on his body in whatever region is the nearest equivalent (use the
hit location table's 1d20 list if in doubt). This effect ends at
dawn.
Saint-Mama Theya of the Inexorable Fate: may be gained as a
patron for 8 POW. Allows the invoker to link to a target within
view. That target can not die so long as the invoker is alive. If
the target is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he goes unconscious
and inert, but retains a hold on life. A Sever Spirit or similar
effect does disunite the target's soul from its body, but that (now
untenanted) body keeps breathing and living, though immobile. On the
other hand, if the invoker is killed, the target drops dead on the
spot, regardless of damage or hit points. Only divine intervention
can save him. He can, of course, be resurrected. The effect lasts
until one of the two participants dies, or until dawn, whichever
comes first.
------------------------------
End of Glorantha Digest V2 #308
*******************************
RuneQuest is a trademark of Avalon Hill, and Glorantha is a trademark
of Chaosium. With the exception of previously copyrighted material,
unless specified otherwise all text in this digest is copyright by the
author or authors, with rights granted to copy for personal use, to
excerpt in reviews and replies, and to archive unchanged for
electronic retrieval.
Send electronic mail to Majordomo@hops.wharton.upenn.edu with "help"
in the body of the message for subscription information on this and
other mailing lists.
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Fri 13 Jun 2003 - 16:28:35 EEST