Hello there,
I have some questions about what I believe is the very best RPG of all time, RQ Roleplaying in Glorantha.
1) Page 358, about spirit pacts: I undestand from the text that if you close such a pact, you get some benefits,but I have several doubts:
- The text says: "To find spirits to control, the shaman uses their fetch to inhabit their body while the shaman journeys into the Spirit World. As with Discorporation, the ritual to enter the Spirit World is complex, requiring an hour to complete". I am not clear about the meaning of this; is this a different process than the usual Discorporation (which is also to travel to the Spirit World) and astral travel? When it says "their body", does it mean that the fetch inhabits the body of the shaman while the shaman travels in spiritual form (same as Discorporation)? And also, In my group I have a case where the shaman already knows the spirit and wishes to negotiate with him for this pact, so I guess in this case this process (and thus the use of the table of page 359) is not required, correct?
- Concerning the benefits, it says that "the spirit serves the shaman as an extra set of eyes in the Spirit World", but my question (even if it is silly) is: how do you know what a spirit can actually see? Just the specific area where it was originally found? Or can the spirit be instructed to travel further in search of things, thus avoiding the shaman the need to travel himself to the Spirit World (an exploit the player may try to use).
- Also, it says that the spirit can be used as a resevoir of magic points for casting spells. Is this in all circumstances, i.e. the spirit works in the same way as the fetch, providing the shaman with its magic points at any time the shaman wishes when he casts a spell?
- It also says that he can be used in spirit combat. What does this mean: that the spirit can initiate spirit combat against any entity when the shaman orders it? If so, is this valid at any moment and place, regardless of the location of the spirit at that moment? Has the entity (the foe) to be together with the shaman for such an order to work? Or is it enough its location is known?
- These are the benefits listed in the rules, but is there another benefit that could apply? (I mean, can the GM create new ones)?
- Concerning the price, the rules state that "If contact is made with a non-hostile spirit, the shaman must bargain with it. The normal deal is for the shaman to give to the spirit 1 point of POW per 10 points of POW the spirit possesses". But I guess another price can be closed if the circumstances allow for it (for example, an extremely good relation with the spirit due to past history), correct?
2) If the stats of the shaman as POW and CHAR are temporarily increased by a spell, does this affect the spell limits or spirit control limits, or those things are only affected by the original stats of the shaman?
3) Concerning rune magic, the rules state that rune spells are cast in MR 1. Can this be delayed voluntarily by the caster if it benefits him to cast it in a later MR? Or can he do something else in MR 1 and if he has enough MR in the round, cast a rune spell after MR 1?
4) In combat, my players are always trying to take advantage of positioning (side or back attacks bonuses) every time they outnumber the enemy, and just because of their superior numbers, even if it is by a minimal margin; so they claim that just their superior numbers allow them to get the bonuses, even without a previous stealth approach. This is a tricky judgement call, as in reality this would not be that straightforward. What can I do? I resist to concede that they get the bonuses just because the enemy is outnumbered, without further tactical efforts. What do you think?
Many thanks for you assistance!