From: Martin Laurie (102541.3423@CompuServe.COM)
Date: Wed 12 Mar 1997 - 21:00:18 EET
>>Sandy Petersen:
>>If you correctly complete the Hill of Gold heroquest, you are then
>>immortal.
David Hall:
>"Onslaught strode up the hill, a maniacal grin on his face, his bloody
>teeth dripping with gore, and dead bodies heaped behind him. Inora had
>proven to be a poor foe, now it was time to meet Yelm and gain immortality.
>Then, no one could stop him..."
Ah David, you should write this stuff more often, you have a talent for it and
would have a fan!
Peter Metcalfe
>To correctly complete the HoG quest (Yelmalio style), one has to *lose*
>every battle. This would be a miracle given Onslaught's published stats.
>Even if you bound him hand and foot and fitted him with mouthguards,
>he'd still win...
Which, as you point out, is losing for the Hill of Gold Quest. In a sense
Onslaught has already got the powers of that kind of immortality and he did it
via Humakti routes. A Yelmie goes on the Hill of Gold and gets pounded but a
Humakti would have to have their own methods for gaining this kind of quest - in
fact their geas system is like a small version of it. The difference is that
you are unlikely to be killed by your geases but you also get less power than
the HoG quest.
As for stats, its my opinion that the stats of a heroquester are largely
irrelevant - its their strength of soul, will and mythic power over their
environment that determine victory. Onslaught would be tested by Humakt as
thoroughly as any weaker Sword.
_______________
Solo Humakti:
I have to say that playing solo Humakti is not boring or mythically wrong as
Humakt was very much a loner mythically. He wasn't seen being protected by his
many people seem to think.
Huscarls and his initiates very often and he wandered Glorantha fighting damn
near everything and in that regard I think the ultimate form of Humakt warrior
_is_ the loner.
However, most Humakti follow the standard route because its some much easier -
they have lost some of their kin status, perhaps a little of their desire for
procreation and have gained geases but basically they remain pretty much linked
to their role of Huscarl, clansman and warrior of their folk.
There is some speculation for the reason why Humakt exists in Orlanthi society
and I think that there is an effort by some to portray Humakt as being pretty
much useless and in effect pointless.
However the role of Humakt will remain solid because Humakti in Orlanthi society
are the warrior caste. Sure, Orlanthi are warriors and they are often Huscarls
but as dedicated warriors they have less of an edge and as a sepciality cult
they offer a young man the chance to be a prestigious Huscarl to the clan chief
or the tribal king which means wealth, status and a roof over you head (plus
beer and women too). This is doubly inviting because many sons of young cottars
may find the existence farming to be a chore and may seek higher adventure -
many will see the king wintering with the clan and see his guards eating well,
swapping tall tales and looking damn heroic in their armour and shining swords.
Orlanthi are weaned on heroism and Humakti are grim but fascinating and I think
this is a motivation often overlooked in the nature of the cult when considering
recruitment among the Orlanthi.
However, the lone Humakti is probably the ideal - a man who is kinless, wanders
the world looking for war, is skilled, potent and of dangerous disposition.
Such men are extremely rare and most don't se tout on this path, in fact
mythically, they would be like Humakt, forced on that path by events and as they
follow Humakt, they grow more like their god with every adventure.
Now the problem is, how do you play this in clan society - the answer is, you
can't.
A clan based game cannot function with awandering Humakti, of course not, in
fact the clan is composed of people who would see a wandering Humakti as being
crazy folk - who'd be mad enough to wander around without kin?!? is their
attitude but thats not to say such a campaign isn't possible and isn't good
roleplaying because I find thats entirely subjective to the referee running the
game.
I have played solo Humakti and roleplayed the whole time, I've played kin based
games and enjoy them too but it can all be cheesy and crap if the ref is no
good, no matter how hard the players try. The same follows for the solo
Humakti.
What it boils down to is that Humakt is a speciality cult but with a
considerable spectrum of component warriors, ranging from the stead owning old
Humakti clansman to the young loner, looking for a ring-giver to keep his blade
wet in war and plunder.
I portray Onslaught as the ultimate loner Humakti.
Martin Laurie
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