From: Burton Choinski (burt@ptltd.com)
Date: Fri 12 Nov 1993 - 16:56:36 EET
Hi guys! Long time away (but lurking and reading :)
My players LOVE ducks...as long as everyone plays a duck at the same time. A lone duck surrounded by humans is tougher.
We get lots of humor mileage out of them. Afterall, Ducks ARE the master race in Glorantha (as they see it), they are just in a slump. :)
%% >> I agree that a fully fleshed out encyclopaedia for each and any
%% >> lexicalic information about Glorantha would be great. Unlikely to
%% >> happen, though. Maybe a fully indexed abstract, similar to those of
%% >> scientific magazines, would be feasible either as book or as database,
%% >> with short abstracts of the information in the source, and a literature
%% >> reference for those who want to read the full text and have access to a
%% >> copy.
%%
%% This is a lovely dream. I hope something like it could be done, but the scope
%% of the project... ug! Maybe if we each pick a topic...
Well, I have a new group stating up in Ralios. One is a Noble with titled lands, so they have a strong motivation to stay in the general area. As a result I will have to be fleshing out the Galin/Basolmi area. I'm willing to donate my notes to the cause, if a net.glorantha.tome is ever put together.
Colin Watson, on Magic
%% >And there is the cost for permanent effects of magic. I doubt a mere
%% >mortal's soul would give enough material for 1 ENC of any substance
%% >while being burned off totally.
%%
%% I feel otherwise. To be game-mechanicky: I reckon 1 point of permanent POW
%% sacrificed should, in theory, suffice to create 1 point of SIZ or thereabouts.
%% There might be some variation, but I think that this is the correct order of
%% magnitude. Consider the yield of the Tap spell... it leads me to suspect
%% that spirit may even be worth more than base substance.
%% (But this could just be a game-balance thing ;-)
I think in my tweakings of my Sorcery stuff (and I did see the version posted here, just haven't gotten to looking it over in detail yet), I figured 1 POW=1 ENC of solids or 1 SIZ of liquids or 1 m^3 of gasses or ethreal (darkness, light) substances.
%% >Then I'd call it "Summon (substance)". The substance provided would be
%% >taken away somewhere else along the fibre.
%%
%% BTW I think a generic Summon(substance) spell is a potential can-of-worms;
%% Summon(Gold) Summon(Diamond) etc. you can see the problem...
%% I'd restrict it to creating pure elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water etc.
%% This way you don't destroy the economics of your campaign.
%% (I also think, in this case, it would be best to lay down the specific
%% effects for each spell rather than just have a general "1 enc per intensity"
%% rule or whatever.)
I think in my notes I limited such summons (and I think the word "summon" should only apply to spirits or creatures -- something else should denote this process for inanimate material...perhaps "gather") to runic elements. Thus, Summon (or Gather) Cold, Heat, etc.
Actually, that is an interesting concept. Summon Infinity. Each intensity may be applied to area (1 cubic meter) or effect. Every point of effects slows the passage of time down by (1+point) times. Thus, 9 points of effect has everything in the area aging at 1/10th rate.
Summon Fertility. More aplicable to single creatures. A wizard might be petioned by a Lord to do this on his wife to give him a son. Duration should be long enough to cover the time frame.
Summon Beast? Perhaps it reduces one's mental state to that of an animal, running on instinct and emotions. Summon Man is an obvious counter. Summon Man alone clears the thoughts of base animal instincts and emotions. I can see the Brithani sinking lots of time into this one. Probably carve the runes for it into their skulls. :)
Summon Plant? I have NO idea how useful this might be. Perhaps you become more in tune with the natural world (I envision this to be like the Elf Sense, which I see like the "Emfol" ability in Alan Dean Foster's _Midworld_.)
Summon Stasis. Reduces the energy available. You get sluggish. Feel Tired. Summon Mobility is the counter. Alone, it gives you that "caffine rush". :)
Summon Fate. THIS I can see as an excellent base for curses. With a good duration on in (or combined with an Enchant and POW to make it permanent), You place the "fate" of the poor soul into the spell. Every point of intensity adds to the fate. For example, Joe Wizard gets really tweaked at some thug that tried to rob him at knifepoint. So he decides that he who uses the blade will be "fated" to die by the blade. In any point where this sap is defending himself from blade attacks, subtract 5% per intensity from his defense roll. Obscure fates should cause situations to happen where they might not normally. If someone is fated to drown in the bath have him make Dex rolls every 3-4 days (unless he states he does not bathe, in which case his friends may want to get masks. :)
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