From: Graeme A Lindsell (gal502@cscgpo.anu.edu.au)
Date: Tue 28 Sep 1993 - 20:02:27 EET
I write re chaos:
>>There is little pure evil that seeks to destroy the entire world.
Kiliki (Chris Cooke> writes:
>How does a Broo, who can breed with anything, seek to destroy the world? It
>seems to me he seeks rather to fill it with his own kind. Creation rather
>then destruction. Another example is the walking octopi, continual LIFE
>rather then destruction. It may be an end to life as we currently know it but
>so does the Lunar invasion.
Both the Broo and the Walkatpus are breaking _physical laws_, the Laws of Gloranthan reality, with their abilities. The walkatpus is lively because it is immune to Death: the Broo is breeding with those not of its kind. By their existance they are weakening reality.
>*SIGH* One more thing to buy just to get simple answers...
Well you won't be glad to hear where we got Chaos = World Destruction from: Cults of Terror (RQ2, long out of print) and Tales of the Reaching Moon No.7, The Chaos Feature (a fanzine). There may be some stuff in the older WF's as well, but I don't have access to those. I got this stuff through photocopies, though I'll order TOTRM 7 when it gets reprinted. "Cults of Dorastor" forshadowed in the Dorastor pack, may reprint much of CoT. (Note to Ken R: when might we expect to see CoD?)
>If chaos wins, there is chaos left. Broos, Walktopi, Jack-o-Bears, etc. I
>guess I still don't understand since this isn't "nothing" just not "our" thing
If Chaos had won the Gods War, the universe would have been totally obliterated. The Broos, Jack-o-Bears with it: they are just natural creatures which Chaos controls, they still have many features imposed upon them by Gloranthan laws ie form, reality, souls etc.
The Chaos Features are it's mechanism for breaking natural Laws on a small scale. Chaos doesn't seem to be able to destroy the world as easily since Time began, but many people think the Lunar Empire is it's best try since Gbaji.
>I will say - finding the basic information is TOUGH. no organized tables,
>lists of rules for the types of magic. the summary packet included in the
A very legitimate complaint: I had high hopes for better organization in RQ4. RQ3 is now nearly 10 years old, and is showing its age. A question for everyone: are there any other RPG's on the market which have had no new editions (even bug fixes) in 10 years?
Clay Luther (did I spell it right?) writes:
>rules, I think it is likely he is a member of a Pelorian sorcery-cult, perhaps
>the Seven Mothers or even the Red Goddess. I claim ignorance regarding the
>cults; I have not had anyone be from them in my games before and I am asking
>this question cold before I crack the books. Nevertheless, I was hoping for
There aren't any specific Pelorian sorcerer cults: the Seven Mothers uses Spirit Magic and the Red Goddess it's own. The Etyries cult writ-up mentions that they can be sorcerers. I think you have two Pelorian choices:
i) His family was from Carmania, where they do practice sorcery (a brand of Malkionism)
ii) "Unaligned Sorcery" (I can hear the hissing from the crowd): what this really means no-one knows. I feel that an "Unaligned Sorcerer" would be a member of the sorcerous equivalent of a spirit cult, that is he is part of a small group with their own beliefs. In Peloria, with its Romano-Greek influences, I would use various classic philosophies like the Stoics, Pythagoreans or Cynics. The only beliefs all these philosophies would have in common a)is hatred for all the others and b) respect for the Red Goddess (or they would have been supressed).
>My dilemma is: is it "realistic" to expect the player to forego using the
>flail and instead use his cult weapon, the spear? Will he suffer any
>prejudice from other cult members if he uses the flail?
He'll certainly meet the prejudices you list: see how Belvani (a RL) is treated for using shortswords. If he uses the flail when he's on his own he'll just be thought wierd, but if he uses it formation he will be disciplined.
Also remembber that blunt weapons are favoured by Trolls, including Zorak Zoran. Not the Yelmalion's best chums.
>What is the Storm Bull dogma regarding sorcery?
Fear and Loathing.
When Greg was in Australia he said that an Orlanthi would never let a sorcerer touch him, for fear of being Tapped. Other people have commented on this list that he has said that all non-sorcerous cultures hate sorcery.
On the other hand, Storm Bull may be a bit of an exception: "As long as he's not chaotic, fine by me".
Nick Brooke writes:
>Of course, since KoS also shows us Orlanthi myths where the other gods are
>associated with Orlanth before he sets out (or even advise him to set out),
>this theory has lost a lot of its force...
Yes, I noticed this the other day. I assume those other myths are the later ones, the Lightbringers Quest seems central to the conception of Orlanth.
>Voria cultists grow up, and become Ernalda cultists. Earth worshippers
>who are traumatised change to Babeester Gor or Maran Gor: they don't take
>their Bless Crops etc. spells with them.
Are there any other cults like the various female Earth cults who have this sort of progression? I can't see people changing amongst the Lightbringers or Seven Mothers. Just possibly an Orlanthi could become the more specialized Storm Bull chaos killer, but most other cults either don't accept changing roles (Humakt, Lhankor Mhy, Chalana Arroy) or have them internally ie Yelm. Maybe Wind Lords could become Storm Voices as they age.
I think this could be a mainly a problem for the Earth Goddesses that form female role-models.
>however, a world-realism problem; one that is admittedly made worse by
>reusable Rune Magic for initiates (one of my pet projects, now widely
>agreed to be a Good Thing), but one that is bad enough to require surgery
>in any case.
And I thought it was my pet project!
Speaking of which, I haven't seen too much on the subject for a while. Anyone got new ideas?
>Ken said:
> You may be sure that EVERYTHING I say is wrong, citizen.
Trust the Red Goddess. The Red Goddess is your friend. Stay Alert! Trust No-one! Keep Your Scimitar Handy!
Newton Hughes writes:
> Orlanth, as the
>king of the mundane world, closely resembles some peoples' idea of
>the devil. His enemies would interpret his Runes (Storm, Change,
>and Mastery) as Violence, Treachery, and Cunning.
I like this a lot. What other evil interpretations could people make of their enemies' runes?
Graeme Lindsell a.k.a gal502@huxley.anu.edu.au
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