From: Guy_Robinson.sbd-e@rx.xerox.com
Date: Tue 18 Jan 1994 - 10:36:50 EET
While I wait, in hope, for a copy of RQIV to review I thought I'd review the
People have been stressing how hard it was to find a copy of RuneQuest 2
The Runes themselves are described in a chapter entitled Rune Magic. The
The Elemental Runes refelect one of the key strengths of RuneQuest, they
Runes in RQ2 as I was unable to reach a games shop last weekend (sigh)
so I fell this could be relevent to any RQIV reviews.
chapter starts off describing the Runes in a flexible, ambigious manner
from a number of viewpoints. This tone permiates this whole chapter.
reflect a cosmology not entirely enherited from the Greeks by Western
Europe. As a student I researched Alchemy to give a talk to a student
society and the Greek elemental decomposition I uncovered was Earth, Fire,
Water and Air. The RuneQuest elemental division was less common.
The Form Runes express the key forms within the Glorathan setting as in
their descriptions they cover the Aldryami, the status of Dragon and
the insidious nature of Chaos.
The Condition Runes are effectively the markers of Runic status and they
are described ina very terse but thought provoking manner. People might
be interested to know that magician independent of cult ties are mentioned.
The Power Runes are a excellent example of cultural ambiguity. Nearly every
Within the descriptions of the Runes lies evidence of cultural relativism
If you cross reference the Elemental Rune for the Moon with the Time Line
The Runes are described almost as the medium for expressing devine power
Rune bears an argument to why it was the first Rune! The Power Runes come
in matched, opposing pairs. There is no good, no evil, just contrast.
which is mainly based on Gods being strengthened by local whorship.
on page 7 of RuneQuest 2 you will see that the Red Goddess was born a
mortal before she obtained immortality and became the Moon goddess. Hence
the rules not that her Rune is too new and young to be recognised by many
outside the Lunar Empire and hence is not potent there.
in Glorantha. Rune Cults, the term used in this chapter, are dedicated to
the a God, any lesser associated Gods, and the Runes these Gods embody or
express. There is also an excellent description of how everyone gains in
a Rune Cult man and God alike, except prephaps for the lay members.
Mastering a Rune is a very allegorical affair: Shamans are tied to the
The Runes do tie up to the Common Magic, the instance of which described
The associated between Spirits and Runes is mentioned once but is scantly
Mind you this is RuneQuest and as I said as the begining the background is
Regards
Spirit Rune, Rune Lords have proved their right to the Mastery Rune and
Rune Priests have proved his affinity with the Magic Rune. The rules
hint at other ways of gaining access of the Mastery and Magic Runes
without development through a Rune Cult.
in RQ2 is described as Battle Magic. Certain kinds of Battle magic can
be associated with the Runes just as Rune Magic can be, Neither is
associated explicitly though.
exploited elsewhere. It is noted that Spirits can percieve Mindlinks and
Runic associations (page 40). This tends to support the some what
scandalous view that Gods and Rune Cults are merely a phemenomena
associated with the nature of Runes.
very pleasantly ambigious. A very rich environment for role playing indeed
as the range of prespectives possible only serve to enrich the game.
-- Guy Robinson --
0,,
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