Antalon

Hello Bil, It is helpful this is running to the end of October. Hopefully I can find time to submit something, around preparing for my actual games!

Thanks Loz. I need to absorb this.

I am preparing a Lyonesse game, and am really struggling with Sandestin magic. My increasingly frustrated issues with Sandestin magic are down to: 1) confusion of terms, in which I cannot understand whether “Sandestin Abilities” are directly equal to (that is, synonymous with) “Spells”; 2) there is no guidance as to the number of ‘spells’ (or is it ‘Sandestin Abilities’) that fall under a specific Axiom; 3) whether the Axiom further limits the Abilities (or spells?), either the circumstances of use or the effects they have, or things they may effect. On point 1, page 309 states magic is invoked by spells, page 345 states that the Invocation skill “concerns a limited subset of Sandestin invocations, or as they are commonly referred to by the uninitiated, spells” [note a further term ‘Sandestin invocations’]; page 346 says “each Sandestin spell is linked to one of more explicit axioms…”; then page 350 in the ability traits section “All sandestin abilities are defined by several traits which control how each spell functions.”. Finally, page 377 list spells in the saga, and does seem to relate these directly to a single (or combined) Sandestin ability. I tentatively conclude that Sandestin Abilities are therefore synonymous with Spells (yet spells really seem the outcomes of the Sandestin Coercion ability). On point 2) I see no guidance at all. Nothing. The starting spells for new magicians suggests a maximum of 5 ‘spells’ could be known. But would an Axiom have more Abilities available than this? For some Axiom I am struggling to come up with 3-4 Abilities, let alone 6+. Point 3), to take one Axiom, “Cyclomancy: Enhancing things that have a circular motion,such as wheels or even planets in an orbit.”. First, very few Abilities relate directly. Second, should Abilities be limited to objects/ things with a circular motion? Third, should the Abilities themselves be made to have a ‘circular motion’ effect. For example, the ability Dynamism, is it limited to only affecting wheels etc, or, would it impose a circular motion in its effect, and would this limit what it can effect (because a circular motion is not feasible). The absence of any worked examples gives nothing to extrapolate on. It is hugely frustrating. And, I think this not just a matter of GM judgement: I do not have sufficient clarity from reading the rules to make judgements, unless I redesign substantially! So, if at all possible, a definitive view on: 1) is the term Spell synonymous with Sandestin Ability? 2) What is the number (or range) of ‘spells’ in an Axiom? 3) How does an Axiom affect (or guide) the choice of suitable Sandestin Ability, and does the Axiom otherwise limit the specific use of any particular Sandestin Ability? Can this be explained via an example? Some detailed treatment of these issues would be appreciated, and if I am missing something obvious I’d be very happy to be corrected!

Thanks Loz, a reasonable interest on this from the Discord server. If the ‘it’ is the recipient, that helps. I don’t see anything in the spell description that links degeneration to the condition that the target must be injured first however? Just degeneration to the point of permanent death once out of range. The description didn’t suggest to me that the spell heals someone either, just returns them to life, fully healed, when dead. An errata would be great. Until then, I am tempted to interpret the spell that degeneration sets in once out of range, reflected by an erosion of HPs. So my example of a 7 intensity spell (taking 4 days to reform and heal if dying in Range of the soul jar), would mean that 25% of HPs are lost from each location per day if out of range. And higher intensity spell causes more rapid degeneration.

Reading this again, the word ‘it’, does seem to refer to the recipient. But ‘suffering damage in reverse’ still throws me!

It makes more sense if ‘it’ refers to soul jar rather than the sorcerer. For example, if an Intensity 7 Hide Life spell is in place, the recipient would reform in 4 days, fully healed (assume 28 days divide by 7 intensity). But, if travelling more than Range distance from the soul jar, the jar deteriorates within 4 days (losing 25% of its HPs a day perhaps?). in this case, more powerful intensity spells cause quicker damage? Sort of makes sense if the magical energy is greater (Intensity 12 reforms in 2 days, 8 hours; the soul jar takes 56 hours to crumble?).

I’m trying to understand the spell’s effects of Hide Life. The spell states “It takes the body a period of one month divided by the Intensity of the spell to fully reform and heal. Conversely, if the recipient ventures further away from its soul jar than the Range of the spell, it begins to degenerate, suffering damage in reverse”. I do not understand the meaning of “damage in reverse”. How much, how often? Help appreciated!

I've placed a very abridged version of this review on Lulu, where I recently purchased the hard-back book, and Aeon Games website. Monster Island is a stand-alone, setting agnostic, campaign guide and bestiary for the Mythras roleplaying game. A jungle and mist-wreathed island, the setting is distinctly sword and sorcery, with clear and welcome inspiration from the weirdness of Clark Ashton Smith, a hint of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Fritz Leiber and other classic lost-world adventure stories, and the films of Ray Harryhausen. Monster Island was originally published for RuneQuest 6 by the Design Mechanism, and now for its descendent, the Mythras D100 role play system. Because it is a D100 system, Monster Island is easily adaptable to similar games. The richness of this supplement cannot be over-exaggerated, it offers years of game play, and a bounteous source of inspiration from every paragraph. It inspired me to write the first adventure module for Monster Island, a Bird in the Hand. The book comprises eight chapters, of which the last, on flora and fauna takes up roughly a third of the page count. This delivers on its first, core purpose: a bestiary of strange and deadly creatures from world-myth, the ancient past and, I suspect, the author’s evil imagination! None of the creatures or plants are ‘generic’, it is a rich and weirdly diverse range. However, Monster Island offers much more than a simple ‘monster manual’. Monster Island is a sandbox setting for campaign play, with ready-made materials for the Games Master. Three distinct cultures are offered, of which human colonists are intended as the main playable culture, but nothing restricts playing either of the two native, non-human, cultures. The cultures themselves are distinct, with unique customs, goals and magic; and supported by a sample settlement for each culture, including Port Grimsand, a Leiber-inspired town with a hint of piratical charm, but hints of Lovecraftian darkness! Magic in Monster Island draws on the core Mythras rules, but offers a master-class in how to customise magic to suit a particular setting. This alone is worth the price of admission! Given the Mythras is a toolkit-based game system, Monster Island provides an ‘ready to play’ set-up for culture and magic. As a sandbox for sword and sorcery, Monster Island provides a chapter on campaigns, with advice for running Mythras to fit the genre, and a chapter of strange items and substances to be found on the Island, including a range of nasty diseases and poisons, as well as treasures and magic items. For me, the richest, most creative, and inspiring chapter is on places of interest, detailing 13 adventure locations, with 15 further locations in summary paragraph. Each location touch on different aspects of the sword and sorcery genre with lost temples, tombs, imprisoned demons and strange magics, and hints of science-fantasy. The detailed location provides a springboard for further adventure ideas, and campaign play. Monster Island also lends itself very well to a more pulp-inspired game, suiting two-fisted adventurers from the 1930s, as much as swaggering sword-wielders or roguish thieves. So, what can be improved, or what doesn’t quite work? There is nothing in Monster Island that is poorly designed or developed. The writing, and setting, offers just the ‘right’ level of detail, enough to inspire but not constrain the imagination; whilst giving enough to kick-off a game with relatively little preparation. Almost errata free, some very slight adjustments to animism are needed to properly update from RuneQuest 6 to Mythras. As a complete campaign setting, it is nevertheless easy to pick apart, selectively adopting parts of the supplement for use in any other Mythras game; but Monster Island comes into its own if run as a whole, it is the setting that keeps on giving! Monster Island can, and should, be developed further! Additional guidance on character creation to fit Monster Island would be helpful, albeit the setting is purposefully agnostic to fit any Games Master’s campaign world. More art, floor plans and maps would also be very welcome. My main, and only, gripe is the hex-map, with needs a grid-reference or numbered hexes: it would be wonderful to see a map with richer detail, showing the geography and climatic zones of the jungle. Monster Island is a beast of a book, buy it. Now!

Acrobatics and Evade suggest you need room to manoeuvre, without crashing into objects or companions. Parry may be more feasible in the tight confines of a melee in a shieldwall or dungeon. Also, acrobatics is a professional skill. It requires dedication (XP) to get really good, so perhaps suits certain warrior traditions or cults better than others. Antalon.

RQ2 is a classic. But, RQ6 has benefited from years of play testing, and has been designed to deliberately address some of the problems in RQ2, like endless rounds of attack-parry exchanges. I'll just reiterate my concern that Chaosium should not lose the RQ6 system, or tie it narrowly to a single setting, in their reorganisation. It's current form, as a world-neutral rule book works very very well. You just can't find this depth of game in many other places.

I'm very keen to hear more about DMs plans? Although I've backed RQ2, RQ6 remains my go to system (feels a bit like meeting up with an old girlfriend behind the wife's back!). I'm still hoping to see RQ6 (whatever it is called) fully embraced and supported by Chaosium, with DM continuing successful. The Shores of Korantia for example is an excellent setting, very worthy of support. Antalon

Loz, apologies. Post edited to address your point, you appreciate I was not intending any offence I hope! Antalon.

Hello all, my first post here. Previously posting on the DM forums. Antalon