Spells, Gods, Sprits, Zebras ....

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From: Thom Baguley (T.S.Baguley@open.ac.uk)
Date: Thu 07 Oct 1993 - 20:27:18 EET


I wanted to reply to quite a few points raised recently ...

PROTECTIVE CIRCLE
>If I wanted to be really rune-wacky about the form of the circle, I
>could define the hemisphere as a geodesic dome, made up of
>thousands of triangular Law Runes, of course.

Why not ... ? If they are small enough there would be no practical difference and it would be more fun.

SPIRITS and POW

I'm not keen on the current spirit plane and POW gain rules. I would prefer it if POW gain were restricted to the following (these are very rough ideas):

  1. reducing a spirit's MP to zero. This allows you to either steal a spell or attempt to steal POW (as per POW gain rules i.e. 5% for a spirit) or possess/bind a victim (as appropriate). If the latter option is taken the gain is immediate and the POW comes from the spirit. I wouldn't allow bound spirits or mundane plane entities (i.e. people) to lose POW this way. I would probably also argue that they couldn't do this frequently without physical strain (no more than once a week without losing CON?).
  2. Overcoming a stronger opponent in MP vs. MP resistance (excluding spirit combat).

The first has the advantage of preventing players from getting POW gain rolls from learning spells (under RQIV they would still improve in Sprit Combat skill though). It may also remove the need for POW fading on the Spirit Plane.

SPIRIT MOVEMENT I am also tempted to ignore the POW = movement rule on the spirit plane (is that the current rule? I'm not sure) ... why shouldn't a small fast spirit be able to `run' away from a big slow one. I'm sure Vrok spirits think they are faster than turtle spirits.

ZEBRA RIDER vs. STORM BULL

I think my Games Workshop RQ III rules have an `opportunity' attack listed. If someone runs past you and you have a free attack you get to hit them on the strike rank they run past (I believe). Unless you have a long weapon hitting the rider may be tricky. If you dodge the lance this may prejudice your attack to the rider (-25% ?). Of course a true berserk might dodge under the horse and hamstring it as it went over him or her.

WHAT IS A GOD? Someone asked what a God was. Three things that may define a god:

  1. large POW
  2. entities that receive (lots of) worship
  3. entities involved in and bound by the compromise

As always there are possible exceptions (the Red Goddess?) that will continue to entertain scholars (c.f. MINARATH PURPLE's WHY THE RED GODDESS IS NOT REALLY A DEITY). Does this mean there were no Gods before time?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN INITIATE DIES? According to various write-ups Issaries guides lightbringers to the placed promised them by their god. Orlanth will fetch his worshippers from far flungs lands. Storm Bull will even go to the edge of the Cosmos. There can't be many big spirits capable of `bushwacking' these guys ... Note also that Thanatari, Bloody Tusk and other ritual spirit takers have to trap the spirit in the body (presumably to prevent it reaching the spirit plane where among other things initiates will have some protection).

THANATARI RITUALS ... which starts me off on a tangent. I just reread the very gross Thanatar writeup. I wanted to check how Thanatari heads regained special cult divine magic (answer: when the priest worships at a shrine they get their spells back too). I noticed that several Thanatari in AH publications have Humakti and other Rune Level heads. How? Humakti Rune Lords DI on 1D10. If their power is over 11 they automatically succeed. I know Humakti wouldn't teleport out, but I believe they might be able to prevent the ritual in several ways (use your imagination). Besides Humakt must really hate Thanatari rituals. The same goes for other Rune Levels with 1D10 DI. One explanation I have is that the Humakti was rendered unconscious or captured using Control/Dominate Human (or similar). Personally I allow unconscious/controlled characters to DI (but not everyone would). Another explanation is that you can't DI on holy sites not sacred to your God (not a rule I've ever had to decide on). Alternatively, the Thanatari may be able to prevent DI attempts in some way (maybe a heroquest power). Am I missing something ...? My solution ... ignore Rune Level heads or keep rolling 1D10 subtract the result from the head's POW until it goes below 11 (assumes that the npc DI'd but failed to fight his or her way out). The former is better if you don't want an npc to have reusable Sever Spirit.

HEROQUESTS To Nick - we do seem to be broadly in agreement on this (strange). Those who object to commonplace or everyday heroquests should look at KoS (even if Greg is wrong). Myths are the foundation of everyday Gloranthan life (IMVeryHO). That's why heroquesting alters the mundane world. (... and I was joking about the big rock).

I wanted to say more but have run out of time (and please note that this was written sans rulebook).

Thom
From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer) To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest) Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Fri, 08 Oct 1993, part 2 Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily) Sender: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM Precedence: junk

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