From: Nick Brooke (100270.337@CompuServe.COM)
Date: Thu 25 Nov 1993 - 10:05:13 EET
> Nick, could you explain why you are certain of this. Where does > Dara Happan use of ten come from?
It's prominent in Greg's latest Dara Happan writings. Will that do?
On flexibility: good point about sevens being indivisible. But if your basic tactical unit is a 7x7 square, associated with another identical unit (per my 50x2x10 model), you can manoeuvre troops in bodies which are half the size of a clunky Dara Happan century. I was thinking of the Roman manipular tactics for shuffling troops in blocks rather than ranks/files. If you want a depth comparable to a thicker phalanx, start doubling up those squares.
Again, remember that the Roman legions could have beaten the crap out of the Lunars in a fair (no magic) fight. I can think of no evidence that "the Lunar formation is LESS flexible compared to the Dara Happan or Sun Domer formations", and I would be surprised if anyone thought it was ("More inflexible than the Dara Happans..." -- what an accusation!). Lighter, perhaps. Compare the counter factors for a Sun Dome Templar (with its special defensive factor) to those for the Lunar Phalanx.
> For those of us in the colonies:
> Is that a long 'e' sound, or short?
Obvious, really: "Tarshite" rhymes with "shite", or the joke wouldn't work.
> Do other people relate anti-Lunar and Cultic activities? What I mean is, > do you good people have Cultic policies against the Empire that could > actually become orders to Cult members? Maybe this is well documented > somewhere but I'd like to hear views and rationalisations. I think > it would not be too harsh to order Orlanth/Storm Bull Rune Levels > to aid opposition groups. These orders would come from High Priest > level, or some kind of council as appropriate.
Speaking personally, I don't "take orders" from my cult. I just try to do
the Orlanthi thing like it comes naturally. If a Storm Voice I know tells
me about Lunar atrocities, I get all worked up and unhappy and then I
behave badly next time they come to town. If someone I don't know does the
same, I wonder why his own family and clan aren't protecting or listening
to him -- he must have done something wrong. If he says, "My people were
wiped out by the Evil Empire", we don't really stand to gain by opposing
them. <g>
But then, I'm not a Rune Lord. Surely, Rune Lords' only justification for
existing is to take care of this kind of problem...
In a game without so much social context, "cult policies" would be a handy tool for overtly manipulating players. Though it'd be helpful to remember that these are usually the personal policies of the guy running your part of the cult, rather than burning ideological issues on which all are agreed.
There's a paragraph or four at the end of the Seven Mothers writeup in Cults of Prax that may be germane:
: LUNARS, CHAOS AND ENEMIES
:
: It has been stated that most of the cults dislike, hate or fear chaos,
: but that the Lunar religion includes the unthinkable things within its
: worship and thereby earns the enmity of the world. The effect of this
: needs consideration.
:
: Practicality is a major determinant in the resolution of all vague dis-
: putes unless instinct or emotion provides an override, and this is true
: in Glorantha whenever a person finds himself in a situation not made
: clear by his religion. Further factors, such as social demand, personal
: feeling, manipulative spirits or gods and so on also will affect any
: decision.
:
: It is impractical for living beings to carry hatred too far, especially
: if the object of hatred has proved its battle prowess, is dangerous only
: when provoked, and is nearby: so the rest of the world sees the Lunars.
: Disliked everywhere, they are everyone's official scapegoat. The Lunars
: accept this abuse and make their way despite it. Prepared for the worst
: at all times, they also are prepared to accept almost anyone who wishes
: to sample the Lunar way.
:
: Some circumstances, though, always will provoke recognition of the Lunars
: as chaos' agents by certain non-Lunar cults, and this is likely to force
: some action. Not all Lunars will be so recognised. Only members who have
: voluntarily used chaos or related powers will provoke the reaction. This
: includes priests who know a chaos-spell, anyone who has had it cast on
: them while initiates of the cult, or those who have worshipped some
: chaotic thing.
Nick adds: Like the Red Goddess?
Note that Divination isn't the answer. In the real world, the Pope is able to pontificate (appropriately) with explicit statements about acts that he and God find "intrinsically evil", while his local representative in Britain points out that as both stealing sweets and executing a campaign of genocide are "intrinsically evil", this is a poor guide to conduct. I imagine many Gloranthan priests will be skilled at the same kind of rationalisation.
> Please forgive my ignorance but what is Credo ?
To quote the blurb:
: CREDO -- The Game of Dueling Dogmas
: "Religion as you've never seen it!"
:
: CREDO is a card game which combines history with hilarity for two to
: five players. Players represent factions of the early Christian church,
: competing for flock, and contriving to have their doctrines accepted as
: the belief of the one true church.
:
: >>> HISTORICALLY ACCURATE! <<< [Nick sez: I like this bit!]
:
: + Convert the Heathen
:
: + Patronise, Persecute & Proselytize
:
: + Refute Foolish Faiths
:
: + Exile Opponents
:
: + Replace Unwise Emperors
:
: + Establish Your Credo!
The cover art shows a bunch of wild-eyed long-haired types arguing about substances -- about what you'd expect from a Californian games company. <g>
The latest price list from Chaosium shows it at US$ 14.95. I don't yet know the UK release date or price, though if I find out I'll be sure to tell you.
I will shut up now before Henk starts charging for advertising space. <g>
> In the EWF's wars against the Dara Happan Tripolis, they may well > have used Praxian mercenaries.
Big Question: do you mean the Pure Horse Tribe who inhabited all of Sacred Prax during the Second Age, or those animal nomad scum across the River in Vulture Country and the Wastelands? I don't really mind, as long as their army had some zebras in it...
X-RQ-ID: Extro
[The rules of the game]
Send submissions and followup to "RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM", they will automatically be included in a next issue.
Please include a Subject: line. Articles without it will be ignored, returned, or delayed.
Selected articles may also appear in a regular Digest. If you want to submit articles to the Digest only, contact the editor at RuneQuest-Digest-Editor@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM.
Send enquiries and Subscription Requests to the editor:
RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Henk Langeveld)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Fri 10 Oct 2003 - 01:32:29 EEST