From: simon.phipp@walshwestern.com
Date: Fri 13 Dec 1996 - 21:31:54 EET
> From: "Timothy Byrd" <tbyrd@microsim.com>
>
> OK, now that I'm done venting, I have a question for everyone. In
> your game, if the players were going to clean up Dorastor, how could
> they go about it?
In my game, they did this. Each of the PCs had several aims in a
campaign, ranging from killing Chaos, through Freeing an Angel to
finding Gbaji's Adamant Claws. Each of the PCs were aided by the
Vampires in the Tower of Lead who wanted to destabilise Dorastor for
their own ends.
In short, the PCs started at the bottom, in huge war-wagons taking on
Ogres, Broos and Scorpionmen, moved up to attacking Shamans and
HeroQuestors, began to attack Chaos Heroes and Demons and ended up
killing Ralzakark, freeing a Son of Thed, finding Gbaji's Claws,
making personal enemies of Cacodemon and a few other minor deities
and having a wonderful time.
This was achieved through careful planning, individual heroics, a lot
of luck and the fact that the Vampires were feeding them information
and assistance all the time.
One thing they soon learned was that alone they could never succeed
aloneand that you are only as strong as your allies. This meant that this
party consisting of Zorak Zorani, Orlanthi, Uroxi and, later on, a
Yelmalion Hero, made alliances with the Red Emperor, Jar-Eel, the
Vampires, Ralzakark, the Poison Thorn Elves, The Hellwood Elves, the
cult of Krarsht (one Orlanthi High Priest managed to open a Krarsht
Temple on the Moon - to weaken the Lunars) and various assorted Chaos
Heroes.
In my opinion, to clean out Dorastor, you either have to mount a
campaign such as Arkat did, where he mounted all-out war upon the
people and finished up with a battle between heroes, or you have to
weaken it from within, playing each faction off aginst the other. The
second approach will not clean up Dorastor but will weaken the
organized Chaos, leaving loads more disorganised Chaos to eat people.
In my (sadly defunct) campaign, Dorastor is now far more dangerous
and nasty than it ever was, simply because the powers keeping it in
check, for whatever personal reasons, are dispersed and weakened, if
not dead. The party have succeeded in increasing Chaos by fighting
it.
Propoganda
========
"Rumour has a Thousand Tongues". At least, she does in my campaign,
and every one wags and wags. Basically, the Lunars have different
methods to spread rumours and propoganda.
Amongst Dara Happans, things are posted and read aloud in market
places, or the religious heirachy are informed and preach the truth
from the temples.
Amongst the Orlanthi, Heralds and bards spread rumours through their
recitals. Word of mouth from traders is also important.
Amongst the Praxians, the truth is spread by the Twin Stars and other
Lunar cults, also by conversations with the Antelope Lancers and
Sable Riders.
Amongst the Pentians, the Red Caravan spreads the good word, as do
the Char Un and other traders.
The Lunar Empire has a whole range of Dream Senders who spread Lunar
Truths to the sleeping populace.
The Lunars use the best method to spread the truth in each area they
have power, influence or ambition, like any strong organisation.
Healing
=====
John H. Schmidt comments
> I figure this type of healing [maggots eating pus from wounds] would be the
> preferred method of non-magical healing for the Xiola Umbar cult, but would
> a Chalana Arroy healer use "darkest" remedies to assist in healing.
Of course. The White Ladies will always use new techniques to heal
the sick, except Chaotic ones. The cult of Arroin, I feel, could well
embrace this healing method, amongst many others.
Becoming Someone Else
=================
In my campaign, there are Flesh Mostali who are Humans living the
Mostali way. They get to work hard, serve the Machine, learn some
poxy little spells and, if necessary, fight for the dwarves. They are
completely dedicated as they believe that their essence will be
reformed when they die and they will be reborn into a Dwarven Caste.
They are, of course wrong, and the Mostali know it (Mostali simply
return to the World machine when they die and their "souls" dissolve
to become energey to be used again, unless they are heretics who have
left the Mostali Way).
I think that nobody can be physically changed to become an elf, or
other Aldryami, however anyone can join the cult of Aldrya and serve
the forest as long as they become vegetarians and do not hurt the
plant peoples. (Interesting that human worshippers of Aldrya must
only eat Aldrya's Children).
People cannot physically become Ogres, even if they join the
Cacodemon Cult (unless they gain the Chaotic Feature "Become an
Ogre"). This is because Ogres are the True Human kind, all other
human kinds are inferior and it is impossible for that which is
inferior to become equal. (By human kinds, I mean those descended
from Grandfather Mortal).
Graham Wren writes:
> Even Mostali were mostly human, but there was no way any
> stinking human would ever learn that!
Wrong, I am afraid. The Mostali, even Dwarves, are not descended from
Grandfather Mortal, do not even have a sniff of the Man Rune and are
in no way, shape or form, human.
> I was fortunate that my players never felt the urge to play anything but
> huamns and ducks. I don't fully understand the attraction of playing
> most odd races, and I am stunned that anyone would want to play a spawn
> of Chaos! I think you are not making your chaotic races horrible
> enough, if someone would consider a broo as an appealling race to play!
So, you never cheered on Darth Vader or the Kurgan or felt that Rob
Roy deserved to get sliced up in the recent film? Strange chap.
Playing Chaos is a welcome release and allows the more unusual sides
of our natures to surface. Anyway, Chaos is not as bad as it is
painted.
Rune Masters
==========
Peter maranci writes:
> Unfortunately each role precludes the other. According to the
>RQIII Cults Book, "A candidate for Rune Lord may not be a shaman, a
>sorcerer, or priest." (page 19).
>
> Nor can he become a priest *after* becoming a Rune Lord: "A Rune
>Lord may not subsequently become a priest of any cult." (page 19).
>
Unless, of course, they can - Mistress Race Trolls can do whatever
they damn well like, worshippers of various Stygian heresies can be
both Rune Lord and Sorcerers, a shaman could easily become a Rune
Lord of Pavis, for instance, if he wanted to. Arkat was a Rune
Lord/Priest/Sorcerer and probably Shaman, Sheng Seleris was certainly
a Rune Lord/Priest/Shaman, Pikat Yaraboom was a Shaman/Priest.
These rules are simply game mechanics for the RQ3 Rules set. In
Glorantha, things are infinitely more flexible as is stated in Gods
of Glorantha, if memory serves.
> It is therefore impossible to become a Rune Master. Q.E.D.
>
> Looking at the Orlanth Adventurous writeup in _Cults of Prax_ for
>RQII, however, I see that "Rune Lords are urged to become Priests as well,
>when they meet proper requirements."
RQ2 had different ideas about Priests and Rune Lords - again, more
Game Mchanics. Each cult had Rune Lords and Priests, with Associate
Priests filling the RQ3 role of Acolyte.
Whatever you feel is best, follow that. I like PCs with different
abilities and will never stand in the way of people becoming
Shaman/Priest/Rune Lord/Sorcerers, if they can justify the path to
greathood.
Anyway, what is the point of becoming a Rune Master, other than
prestige? If you want it for HeroQuesting, I feel that control of the
powers of the Cults is far more important than a nebulous control of
the Runes themselves.
Simon Phipp
Back in the land of the living
------------------------------
End of Glorantha Digest V4 #18
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