davecake

While I think Gustbran is assumed to be a craftsman himself now, that is really not why he is the god of smiths and potters. He is the god of the forge and the kiln. Lokarnos is the god of the wheel, and may once have been a god of chariots - but now he is mostly worshipped by people who haul goods for money, whether or not his mysteries pay much attention to his mercantile associations. But also professional dominated cults naturally evolve to become guilds and professional associations. It doesn’t matter if Gustbran is a smith himself, his cult is full of smiths who share their knowledge with other members. If every smith in town is a member, and shares divine worship, trying to keep control over their profession and keeping outsiders out of the business becomes pretty natural, and lets the priests of the cult get pretty tight control.

We know how Jolanti are made. And certain lesser imitation Jolanti too. But what about nilmergs? They appear biological, and quite similar to dwarves? Where do they come from? Are they, perhaps, what happens when an dwarven infant (whatever the process that got them to that point) is found to be not suitable for further processing? And what hellish process creates a gunpowder gobbler?

*Local Mostali begin screaming and freaking as their deeply suppressed memories of how dwarves are made surface* It’s not about the actual number of years, it’s when their apparent ages rises due the subtle aging that comes from heresy and falling from the way of Mostal. The Quality Controllers examine dwarves, and those that look a little bit too old may be assumed to be suspect, and marked for recycling? Rumors that some dwarves may resort to cosmetics, clothing that makes look younger, exercise classes, etc to keep looking youthful are surely just non-dwarves misunderstanding. Exposed to non-Mostali culture are at particular risk - perhaps some might have found them good markets for potions that are guaranteed to keep you looking youthful?

Now peas definitely do exist in Vralos, they even have a ‘grain’ goddess, but if they are common in Genertela that sounds suspiciously God Learnerish. so the best fish and chips might be in coastal Vralos. Or even Fonrit. but I bet you can get them in Nochet.

I thought the Pelorian Lions had black manes, and the Seshnelan (and Praxian, originally Pamaltelan) lions had golden manes though the Prosopedia implies Durbaddath has a golden mane. I would instead go for the more obvious connection that Carmania overlaps Peloria. The Lion Shahs and the Bull Shahs both are long after the original migration of the Westerners to Pelanda, and there is little reason to have brought lions with them given the Pendali lion people are traditional enemies of the Malkioni. Both the lion shahs and Bull shahs are drawing on parts of the story and imagery of Carmanos, who invoked the aid of the ancient Pelandan bull god Bisos to defeat the Spolites, and who hunted the Lion of Brass (a local lion, so Pelorian, and possibly some sort of incarnation or servant of Durbaddath) as a youth and wore its skin afterwards. I think the lion shahs were so called because they would try to imitate Carmanos by hunting a lion (as noble hunting parties still try to do in the Brass Mountains - guide pg 325) and would wear its skin if successful, and/or because the Durbaddath worshipping Lasadag Lions were their bodyguards. Just to confuse things, Safelster now seems to have two species of lions.

Just last night, I ran the sequence from the Coming Storm in which the players meet Argrath, and he conducts a great magic ritual. The overwhelming impression of my group was the was dangerous madman, though a smart and charismatic one. His big speeches in that are all marvellously demented, declaring he is Arkat returned, and telling to become the dragon and then cut off their own head and such things. He is also written with a lot of breathtaking arrogance, which my players picked up on - making a huge show of granting the group hospitality, while he is trespassing on their own clan lands, for example. I decided the ceremony obviously included a great deal of intoxicants, especially big Praxian hazia spliffs.

He is the patron god of that regiment, and their special magic c9mes from him. I vaguely recall that he is a different type of lion, and I think has a black mane? Also was the patron god of the lion shahs of Carmania I think?

An obscure fact about Kazkurtum - the artwork used for the image of Kazkurtum in The Fortunate Succession is based on Australian Indigenous rock art. It is both ancient, and part of a living culture, and I’ve seen the original. The original is not a malign entity. An important positive spirit and important ancestor called Namarrkon the lightning man. But to the Dara Happans, he would represent some terrifying things - he is also the spirit of a sort of grasshopper, with some features that are a bright electric blue (and comes out at the right time of year for summer storms). So that image has a grasshoppers head (an insect associated with Darkness), and is holding his long (electric blue) antennae that are also the lightning (Storm). Not shown in this image, but often in other images of Namarrkon, are the big flint axe stones he ties to his elbows, and clashes together to make the thunder. Also, his extremely impressive outsize genitals. Two more things to alarm Dara Happans. Did Greg know all this? Probably yes, you probably wouldn’t be familiar with image unless you visited the site, which I think he did after the trip to the first Melbourne RuneQuest Con. I think the choice of image was deliberate.

I think exerting undue influence on the Seven Mothers cult, and other Lunar religions, is one of the most popular hobbies among the Lunar upper classes.

To expand on these earlier observations: the followers of the Blue Moon know the secret of potatoes. To anyone who tries to discover the secret that they wish to discourage, they helpfully suggest it’s important to eat the leaves. Once, apparently the empire distributed potato read through the Seven Mothers temples. Now, they distribute corn bread. Clearly, a policy changed, and in the time of Hon-Eel or after. As Hon-Eel is the grain goddess of Maize, this change literally makes Hon-Eel greater. So we have a motive. The red goddess incarnate displaces the mysterious schemes of her blue former self. One of such complexities are the schemes of the highest Lunar theological conspiracies made. Or perhaps the blue moon has voluntarily withdrawn one of her gifts from Peloria now that it is no longer needed, and her sister has cooperated to allow it to happen. If they are indeed the sacred plant of the Blue Moon, the God Learners might have discovered them in Pamaltela, from the Veldang. I can imagine the God Learners displaying this wondrous discovery to a jaded Emperor of Earth and Sea to justify the God Learners Pamaltelan adventures. To imperial indifference - after all, has not the empire shown that grain goddesses can be interchanged as needed, thus rendering food supply from agriculture a solved problem? A conspiracy so high level and secretive in its manipulations, it’s even got to Jeff.

A good observation A diaspora is a spread beyond the homeland. Traditional Mostali are in their homelands - Nida, Greatway, Slon. But most of the Mostali you are likely to properly interact with - at Dwarf Run, the Flintnail dwarves of Pavis, etc - are at least heretics, often apostate, and far from a true dwarven homeland. You could consider they are the diaspora.

Remember Mostali manufacturing and production of things isn’t like mundane purely physical manufacturing, or like science s we understand it, it is very magical, and particularly alchemical. They want things that are rich sources of some particular set of Runic and alchemical properties, or raw ingredients to create it. Particular relics of magical creatures, or things associated with a rune strongly. And remember that Mostali have made all sorts of adaptions over the centuries, learning new alchemy (black powder, antidotes to poisons, and also poisons, new servant races, magical potions ), alliances with others ( that are highly ritualized usually, and often require special objects as part of that ritual). They want alchemical ingredients like particular poisons, body parts of magical things, objects they believe they need for various ritual purposes, such as to demonstrate their power over particular subject peoples, or conquered spirits (or imagined power, maybe centuries out of date), weird things required for some necessary World Machine repair (such controlling a powerful unruly spirit, such as of some magical disaster, or restoring such a spirit to health if it is believed to be broken or injured), or to make some tool necessary for World Machine repair (a net for catching Passion Spirits, for example). Because damage to the world machine is not necessarily Mostali in origin, what is required to fix it may not be either - maybe they need some moon rock, or Tanian water ash, or similar exotic material. Or fragments of dead gods. Stories of dwarves creations in Norse mythology are good inspiration - the magical chain that bound Ferris wolf, for example, was made by dwarves, and made from mountain roots, the beards of women, the sound of cats’ paws, the breath of fishes, birds’ saliva, and the sinews of bears.

Mostali are Mostali in culture culture, which is weird and not very human at all. But those Gold Mostali assigned to deal with outsiders such as humans (and other races seldom meet any others) do adopt some customs, including speech and clothing, that mimic local cultures. Of course, this is just done as a superficial utilitarian thing to make their work easier - in reality they are Mostali to the core. This may cross over to some extent to any Mostali expected to deal with non-Mostali at all - eg Iron Mostali might make armor styles superficially similar to local human heavy infantry, as this is believed to be more intimidating and clearly indicate their threatening nature, and might learn some phrases that they believe to be useful such as intimidating battle cries and demands to surrender, often rote learned from (maybe centuries out of date) observation of local human armies. So Mostali encountered in the East Isles might seem Polynesian, in Teshnos Mongolian, elsewhere Irish or Scottish, or like dwarves from Viking stories (with the understanding that accents and turns of phrase are just metaphorical attempts to convey Gloranthan equivalents). The dwarves of Jords Eye that trade with the King of Imther will wear court dress from the time when the trade agreement was made. Of course, heretic Mostali can depart from this, with many castes possibly interacting with humans enough to imitate them among other castes (and without the orthodox Gold caste training/obsession with preserving Mostali cultural purity), and apostate dwarves, like the followers of Flintnail, having, by definition, already failed at maintaining pure Mostali culture. The dwarves of Paris actually have begun to adopt many aspects of the local human culture - though in many cases by that they mean the Paris cults cultural practices that are, themselves, centuries outdated relics of the practices of the EWF. Think of Freemasonic rituals, with lots of symbolic robes and weirdness that is no longer understood, at least for formal occasions. But also having learned to use appropriate local materials as needed (eg Fintnail dwarves will make many working garments and light armor out of Praxian herd beast leather, while Orthodox Mostali would not). And similarly for other dwarves that depart from the orthodox Mostali way - even when they really do adopt some human practices, it’s still often centuries out of date, they worked out what it should be once, and often pay little attention from then on unless there is a very good reason to change. Unintentionally, frequently, as they barely understand the human concept of gender, and actually try to blank from their mind any real understanding of its sexual basis. Mostali lingerie would be hilarious - they would be trying to imitate what they think human lingerie is, and is for, as most Mostali fear and loathe and deny the very concept of sex and sexual attraction, including sexual dimorphism (they claim not to even notice it). Think bearded male Gold dwarves wearing lingerie to private one on one meetings, as this is observed human behaviour. And ignoring any sexual implications - until they absolutely cannot, at which point they react as if suffering Call of Cthulhu style SAN loss, such as catatonia IMO the process of becoming a Diamond Dwarf is a magical process of trying to magically become a substitute True Mostali, at least in body. True Mostali have inorganic, made not born, bodies - though their bodies are also from the time before such inorganic material was made dead with the Death of Stone (metals are essentially sub-types of stone), so their bodies are not dead and inert, but can change their bodies freely into useful forms such as tools. Diamond Dwarves, though very deeply secret and sacred magical processes, transform to transform themselves into a limited copy of a True Mostali. They do change in other ways, such as losing the ability to ability to sexually reproduce, which in any case disgusts them deeply, and having no need to eat (but acquiring energy in other ways as needed). And a True Mostali is similar physically to a Diamond Dwarf, though also of Demi-godlike magical nature, such they are capable of performing magic that took Diamond Dwarves centuries to learn to perform flawlessly. (This not a surgical change! That’s a perversion from those vile God Learner weirdos! It’s a magical/alchemical change of their whole being! It involves many alchemical stages of purification, and other alchemical transformations, that require flawless performance of many complex and dangerous rituals. Solve et Coagula!)

*sound of hollow laughter from my players* The militia member who is described as being hired as a scout, and seems to actually be pictured tracking (at least, I hope that is what he doing smelling dung) (Kicking Horses) is given no tracking ability at all. No, you have to be the other Impala rider, who is hired specifically as a tracker, to have tracking ability, which is apparently a completely unrelated activity to scouting. Who is described as a Sage, the title for a Rune Priest of Lhankor Mhy, which he does not qualify for, his title should be Apprentice. (And who does not have Human Lore) Just two of many inconsistencies in the militia stats, with lots of them missing skills you’d expect them to have (such as cultural or sometimes professional standards), or incorrect skill bonuses. For example, Kicking Horses also can’t speak Praxian. if there is ever an update, a proof read of the militia stats would be good. I’m sure my players would contribute.

The Winter Ruins were a prison for the forces of winter during the Gods War (apparently Genert imprisoned them to please ‘the Sun Gods daughter’), until the Dark Eater destroyed it, freeing the forces of Winter. Some say Thunder Bird was involved in freeing them. Most of the winter gods are jerks, who then aided their kinsman Ragnaglar in his fight with Storm Bull. Note the White Princess, Inora, is the only friendly spirit of Winter, and generally much loved - by bringing snow and cooling things down, she makes the dry plains much more liveable. While she left the Winyer Ruins long ago, perhaps one of the minor snow goddesses that serve her is stuck there for some reason, or she has been made to return there somehow. I must admit, Inora just makes me want to have a beautiful snow and ice wielding princess singing about how she should “let it snow, let it snowwww…” Now there are scattered blocks of translucent whit stone that remain ice cold, and probably some angry darkness/cold spirits, though even for the heart of winter Prax seems a bit warm for hollri. Frost spirits (variant darkness elementals, Bestiary pg 180) seem likely though. The Winter Ruins themselves are not part of the Magic draining Dead Place, just surrounded by it. Allegedly the ruins kept Storm Bulls shoulder from touching the ground there, so it was not drained. I’ve never heard of any vampires, but the Winter Ruins are supposed to be largely deserted so anyone could set up shop there, I guess. And in my Glorantha they have a festival there, in summer, they travel through the inhospitable Dead Place and then stay there for a week dancing and singing in praise of Inora, and build a giant wooden effigy and then burn it and dance around it to commemorate when Oakfed defeated winter by burning all the redwoods. Of course, this is mostly shamanic types, so there is lots of weirdness and drugs.

No, turns out Pavis: GTA says alkali. Must have got the joke from that, not the other way round.

That does make sense. Though I’ve been making it more alkali flats than salt flats, this is mostly because I am familiar with that landscape, and because I have a running joke about the annual festival at the Winter Ruins featuring a big burning wooden man.

Let me heartily recommend the Lifethief by Beer With Teeth on the Jonstown Compendium. No link to them, just a satisfied customer. This has lots of information about the unpleasantness of the Dead Place, and a scenario against a very nasty danger, too. in fact, the only thing I wish they had added to it is information about the Father of Independents. My players got a serious butt kicking from the Lifethief, and now only want to take it on with allies - but no allies want to enter the Dead Place, so they might end up trying to convince their friendly shamans (who definitely aren’t currently going into the Dead Place) to create a spirit cult of the Father of Independents. It seems one fairly natural way to resolve the scenario.

There is, of course, a wide suspicion that this is, to a significant extent, exactly what happened. Suitably vague divine ancestry lets the borders between Lhankor Mhy and Tadenit be mythically blurred, sorcery is ‘cleansed’ of its enemy associations through exploring appropriate myths and dedicated heroquesting, LM has cult strictures set such that one can remain a Sage and also easily follow Zzaburi caste rules, and so on. And a Zzaburi can now just claim to be a funny foreign Sage. Issaries also we already know to be connected to the Seshnegi nobility. And has that cool Spell Trading thing, Path Watch is an awesome HeroQuest spell too, and the cult is known to carefully collect maps of the underworld. They don’t even seem to be forbidden to use sorcery. Handy. And then there was a little bit of snap back in the wake of the God Learners fall. Now some Lhankor Mhy prefer to work their sorcery exclusively in Theyalan script (via the Alien Combination Machine, which is SO obviously a God Learner artifact) to shield themselves from associations, both historical and magical, with the perfidious God Learning meldeks that everyone and everything seems to want to kill. Which does rather restrict their sorcery access for the most part. But you keep those forbidden books tucked away in the library just in case. A 17th century Lhankor Mhy who wishes to go delving into God Learner magical secrets probably just needs to learn Western and get access to the secret library catalog (providing it’s the right library - Nochet, for example, which was altogether suspiciously close to the Clanking City/God Forgot). Claiming LM is the (child? Brother?) of Mostal probably comes in handy for stealing their magical secrets too.

IMG the potato is linked with the blue moon (as it has always been said to be). So it is known to the Veldang. Their sense of agriculture is somewhat undeveloped, as is that of the blue moon trolls. So while it has the potential to be transformative, it is not. Her followers took it to many places across the face of Glorantha in the Gods Age, including Mernita. But it was despised by Solar gods, and the nutritional values of this (outwardly poisonous!) plant are mostly obscure, and the knowledge that it is potentially a hugely transformative crop is one of the many secrets of Annilla that she refuses to share with the lovers of the Sun (including the Grain Goddesses, and thus almost everyone). it is comparatively less good as a crop for multiple reasons, but one of them is that the Blue Moon was able to bless it as ‘her’ crop, and this was part of the foundation of the Artmali Empire, but she lost that power with her downfall. And as an underground crop, the Bless Crops spells of solar deities do not work on it.

King of Sartar is a lot more than just Argraths Saga etc. The report on the Orlanthi is still one of the better sources for many things about Orlanthi society - I hope this will change soon, but it remains the case. So it’s well worth reading for almost everyone interested in running an Orlanthi based game. And similarly regarding the Grazers, except there are fewer updated sources, making it probably still the best we have. As for the history, and the future legends too - I agree with @Nick Brooke, it’s marvellously full of ambiguity and potential. Don’t treat the ambiguity as a puzzle that must be solved for you to ‘understand’ KOS, embrace it as a smorgasbord of inspirational possibilities and ideas.

Maybe Ralzakark is such a Hero? Or the Cleansed One?

Keeping an extremely low profile, like most Vivamort cultists? There are a few interesting questions - like if Vivamort recruits exclusively pale-skinned beautiful women, where does he recruit them from? And does Delecti keep captives in the marsh to supply them, or must they hunt in the surroundings of the marsh? But there is no indication they don’t follow a fairly minor variation of the standard vampire cult. Though they certainly have multiple unique tricks up their rotting sleeves. The magical Blackthorn trees that expand the marsh are created by vampirising dryads, and I expect it opens up some ways to drain magic points from the marsh, too. And regardless of whether you think Delecti is a necromancer hero of the Vivamort cult with vampire followers, or a vampire necromancer hero of the Vivamort cult with vampire followers, he clearly knows a lot of necromancy beyond the level of the vast majority of vampires.

More likely Delecti created the Upland Marsh to protect himself from the True Golden Horde. And draconic vengeance. And later vengeful nonhumans.

Many of the more powerful undead creation spells do require POW. As do enchantments, and much potent sorcery (including mastering Runes). Conveniently for Delecti and friends, thanks to Vivamort and the wonders of Vampiric sorcery, it doesn’t need to be the sorcerers own POW.