Rune Metals

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From: argrath@aol.com
Date: Sun 08 May 1994 - 03:27:16 EEST


Here is something I wrote three years ago, and recently updated. It might prove useful to some people. 

                           METAL NOTES
                           Martin Crim

There are some problems with the metal rules. For one thing, published sources keep changing the storm gods' and lunars' associated metals. In RQ II, the storm gods had tin and the lunars had silver. In Gods of Glorantha, the storm gods had silver and the lunars had no associated metal. In Elder Secrets, the storm gods have bronze, and the lunars are undefined. Elder Secrets probably makes the most sense, but then why does it give Orlanth and the lunar cults Enchant Silver?

     Maybe the Moon rune should have an entirely new metal, as befits its status as the sixth element. It is dangerous to forget that Gloranthan metals' english names are just analogues, but for simplicity's sake, we could call the lunar metal selenium. It would be extremely rare, extracted from moon-rocks or the minerals of the blue moon plateau. Its properties would be a secret of the lunar empire. Since earth's selenium is photoelectric, glorantha's might be photo-magical.

     On the other hand, silver has been identified too strongly with the lunars to entirely sever the connection. The province under the moon is called Silver Shadow, for one thing.

     Another problem with Elder Secrets is that it does not give Lodril Enchant Aluminum (called lo-metal, for Lodril's metal). It does give him Enchant Tin (Dayzatar's metal), which "is not often enchanted." I suggest that Lodril get Enchant Aluminum instead of, or in addition to, Enchant Tin. After all, one of Lodril's sub-cults is Gustbran, the smith. Gustbran worshiped independently should get at least Enchant Iron and Enchant Aluminum.

     Why does Lhankor Mhy get Enchant Iron? Does this make sense to anybody?

     For any cult to have gotten Enchant Iron, a hero of that cult must have gained the secrets of iron from the dwarfs or from some other possessor of iron. Then that hero must have accomplished a second great deed to gain the secret power of passing the first secret along.

     The list on page 36 of Elder Secrets' Secrets Book excludes a large number of cults. The following list fills in some of those excluded, and clearly indicates which cults lack Enchant
[Metal]. I haven't done all cults; even MY bullheadedness has
limits.

GODS AND GOD-ANALOGUES:
Aleshmara: none
Ancestor Worship: none
Annilla: Enchant Lead
Aranea: Enchant Lead
Barntar: none
Black Fang: none
Black Sun: Enchant Lead
Bolongo: none
Brastalos: Enchant Quicksilver
Caladra & Aurelion: Enchant Copper, Enchant Gold, Enchant Iron Calyz: Enchant Aluminum, Enchant Copper Chalana Arroy: none
Daka Fal: none
Danfive Xaron: Enchant Iron
Dayzatar: Enchant Tin
Deezola: Enchant Copper
Dendara: Enchant Copper
Donandar: none
Dormal: Enchant Quicksilver
Eiritha: none
Elmal: Enchant Iron
Etyries: Enchant Silver
Eurmal: none
Flamal: none
Furalor: Enchant Iron
Gagarth: Enchant Iron
Gbaji: none
Geo: none
Godunya: Enchant Iron (Godunya magic)
Golden Bow: Enchant Gold
Gorakiki: none
Grain Goddess: none
Gustbran: Enchant Iron, Enchant Aluminum Heler: Enchant Quicksilver
Himile: Enchant Lead
Hon-eel: Enchant Copper
Horned God: usually none
Hungry Ghosts: none
Hwarin Dalthippa: Enchant Iron
Hyalor: Enchant Gold
Hykim: none
Immanent Mastery, Path of: none
Inora: none
Irrippi Ontor: none
Issaries: none
Jakaleel: Enchant Lead
Jmijie: none
Kalikos: Enchant Gold
Krarsht: none
Lightfore: Enchant Gold
Lokarnos: Enchant Gold
Lorion: Enchant Quicksilver
Mahome: none
Mastakos: none
Molanni: none
Oakfed: none
Odayla: none
Ourania: Enchant Gold, Enchant Tin
Pamalt: Enchant Copper
Pavis: Enchant Iron
Polaris: Enchant Gold, Enchant Iron
Praxian Spirit Cults: none
Solf: as per Lodril
Somash: as per Yelm
Spirit Cults: usually none (if any is given, it is the only divine spell that spirit gives)
Teelo Norri: none
Telmor: none
Third Eye Blue: Enchant Iron (sorcery)
Valind: Enchant Iron
Voria: none
Waha: none
Xentha: Enchant Lead
Xiola Umbar: Enchant Lead
Yanafal Tarnils: Enchant Iron
Yara Aranis: Enchant Iron
Zola Fel: Enchant Quicksilver
Zong: none

MALKIONI SECTS AND SAINTS (all sorcerous, and wizard caste only): Brithini: all Enchant [Metal] spells
Stygians: by saint or cult
Vadeli: all Enchant [Metal] spells
All else: available through saint's shrines (usually a matrix in an altar)

Saint Arkat: Enchant Iron, Enchant Lead Saint Dormal: Enchant Quicksilver 

Saint Gerlant: Enchant Iron
Saint Hrestol: Enchant Iron
Saint Malkion: Enchant Iron

Saint Paslac: Enchant Gold, Enchant Iron Saint Talor: Enchant Iron
Saint Valkaro: Enchant Quicksilver
Saint Xemela: Enchant Copper

EVIL CULTS:
Bagog: none
Cacodemon: none
Crimson Bat: Enchant Iron
Gark: none
Ikadz: none
Krarsht: none
Malia: Enchant Lead
Ompalam: Enchant Iron
Pocharngo: none
Seseine: none
Thanatar: Tien: Enchant Tarnished Silver, Atyar: none Thed: none
Vivamort: Enchant Iron, Enchant Lead (sorcerous)

[end]

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