Re: combat; hsunchen vs beast-men

From: David Dunham (dunham@pensee.com)
Date: Fri 29 Aug 1997 - 07:19:07 EEST


Ian Thomson asked

> How do people handle RQ combat?
> Let me know your variations.
> I love the detail but really like to cut down on game mechanics in
> favour of playability.
> So I use a version of the Stormbringer combat system

There are variants based on both Pendragon (*much* simpler) and Elric on my
Web site... The PenDragon Pass rules are printed in Enclosure 1 (available
from Reaching Moon Megacorp sources).

Peter Hindman asked

> Can anyone point me to references on the distinctions between beast-men
> and hsunchen?

I'm not sure there's a real reference. Hsunchen are just humans with
extreme totemic connections: they can turn into their totem animal.
Beast-men don't transform; they're always a cross between man and beast.
Many were created by the EWF. I believe true beast-men worship Arachne
Solara.

> I suppose the big question, mythically/ecologically speaking, is why
> Glorantha contains both types of beings in more or less the same regions
> and ecologies. They're clearly related (Bagog offers spells to gain a
> scorpion's carapace and claws) but not the same (Bagog doesn't offer
> Become Scorpion).

I'd say they're clearly not related, unless spells of that nature come from
the Beast rune. But, hsunchen aren't beasts. (Sorry, Thomas -- I hereby
note your dissenting, but incorrect, vote.)

> are dragonewts really just a kind of dragon hsunchen (probably not)?

I'm sure they're not; dragonewt transformations are completely different.

I have a bit more hsunchen info at
<http://www.pensee.com/dunham/ralios/hsunchen.html>.

David Dunham <mailto:dunham@pensee.com>
Glorantha/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html>
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein

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