davecake

Yes. There are 17 of them because it was a necessary number to make the magic work - one for each of the Doraddi Witnesses. But not all of them were equally important heroquesters - some were of distinctly lesser importance and influence so their cult has survived only as more or less a Guild patron deity, and probably that only by virtue of the support of the rest of the cult. Some only got a role at all due to internal politics of the original conspirators (Alakhainas, for example). Some of them forged a new civic identity only mildly related to their original cognate role, and so are more important. There clearly was process after the heroquest where the different leaders contended for power and influence in the empire they were jointly building by conquest. Some played a major role in the heroquest and became magically more important, or may have risen in importance with later notable leaders. Part of it is that translating roles from a society of mostly animist relatively un-hierarchical mostly plains nomads to a civilised, urban, very hierarchical, mostly theists means some roles don't translate. For example - Dama is not a major member of the Necklace of Pamalt, but his role as God of the Dead makes him important to animists - he deals with ghosts and helps talk to the ancestors etc and I think becomes a patron of activities including both oral history (stories of the dead) and of some activities done at night, including some social ones (the history becomes the songs, and then dances, and so becomes part of the social fabric if not with much social power, as well as being magically important). That translates in Fonrit to his cognate, Udayankos, just being a patron of music - which isn't, as an activity or profession, given a lot of social power, though individuals may be highly regarded, and it doesn't need a priesthood or magic to sustain itself, certainly not a god of rigid centralised rulership, so we find his priesthood oddly noted for the arts of falconry and leopard training because they failed to control music as a profession. The cult clearly failed to make itself an important power of the hierarchy (I suspect they associated themselves with a traditional style of music that failed to be popular outside temple rites) and now is important only because its one of the 17 so must be incorporated in all the large format rites. The god Keraun is a beloved goddess in Kothar especially - the typhoons in Dark season and Storm season are mostly really unpleasant across the marshes where only goblins etc live, and are a welcomed source of water across the Kothar plains. She is the primary benevolent weather deity to them (in contrast with Sikkanos, the deity of bad weather - who would be a Vadrudi like Gagarth or Ygg in Genertela). But in Fonrit the Keraun typhoons are destructive and dangerous. And her cognate role, Lallamainu, has to symbolically represent the North, and so the Veldang, and she is given a role that Garangordos has designed to be unpopular and unimportant. But by luck she seizes on becoming patron of what seems a very minor trade - perfume, one with very little role at all in the Doraddi plains, associated with trade to the North (for the Doraddi meaning elves and jungle inhabitants*, rather than coastal trade). They are able to translate it into a very profitable trade - and so what to the Doraddi is a mostly benevolent and practical weather deity, becomes in Fonrit pretty much just a trade guild deity. * this trade to the jungles to the North is later supplanted by the Kresh providing many of the same goods but fresh and locally available.

We've had the occasional player that couldn't make the game in person play via Skype etc, and one player self isolated (due to what is likely a cold) last night, we are now using Slack (which has a nice like die roll app we use. We are planning to do that more if we have to, up to running our whole regular game via Slack/webex/Zoom etc and maybe something like Roll20. I'd like to know if anyone has suggestions other than the apps mentioned above. I know Roll20 has RQ support, don't know about alternatives. For those that did turn up, we have got everyone hand sanitising as they turn up, using individual bowls not sharing snacks, etc. We expect that my house will be isolated at some point, and I'm the GM and host, as my wife is an emergency medicine doctor and so at significant risk. We'll soldier on somehow.

More exhuming ancient Simon Bray content from the digest Simon Bray said, in 1997:

I'm quoting Simon Bray, from over 20 years ago, so thank Simon, I'm just good at searching archives.

Probably anyone can initiate to Ompalam who owns a slave, or at least Ompalam has magic that can only be cast on your slaves (or slaves of your slave, probably), so there is little point in the kaddam slaves worshipping him, other than as forced to by their masters.

Yes. I think direct initiation to the various deities of the Glorious Ones is restricted by occupation (though that occupation can include 'priest' or 'temple slave' which is much the same thing) and occupations correspond to class. Garangordos is the god worshipped by masarins, and is the god of rulership. Most of the Glorious Ones are deities of a few specific occupations, and are essentially guilds with religious monopolies, most of the yad (slaves who may own slaves) class. Abdamedric the Warrior god is a main god of the slave soldier class. The kaddam class, the lowest rank of slaves that form the bulk of the population, are mostly blueskins and while they are forced to worship the Garangordites they are not generally allowed membership. The kaddam slaves instead worship all manner of other gods, including The Hungry Goddess, Ernamola the millet goddess, etc.

Um-Oradin is an invention of Simon Bray, from way back in 1997, and I don't think has ever occurred in official material, but his material was widely used by fans. I'm sure Simon will be happy to see some of his really old Fonrit stuff re-appearing. I think it may have made its way into some Mongoose era stuff as well, with some variations (like a 'Scalding Hail' spell). Usually Baraku is regarded as the Pamaltelan analogue of Orlanth, but Orlanth and Fonrit are both complex, he can have two names, or sub-cults and such. Whatever you call him, Orlanth as a Pirate god worshipped in Sarro the home of the pirate king and Jann of Thieves sounds good. Sea spouts in Heortling myth are the children of Magasta and Brastalos, so Baras would be Brastalos - while not associated with Orlanth in Genertela, she is part of the Air tribe, so could easily be associated elsewhere. She is only written up as an associated god of Magasta, but that's all you need, as she grants him a waterspout spell. Keruan is a variant or typo for Keraun, best known as an air goddess of the Doraddi - she is regarded as benevolent by them, but thats because the storms that will lash the Fonrit coast as typhoons give rise to desirable inland rains by the time they hit the Kothar plains.

I think you are confusing ‘biggest empire’ with ‘most awesome empire’. The difference is clear in New Pelorian. The God Learner empire is clearly aesthetically and spiritually inferior, with an intellectual climate that clouds true wisdom. And surely the mighty Lunar army would have proved themselves superior.

The dead seem to lose all desires and will to do anything on their own initiative, so I would say no - or at least it doesn't happen in the normal course of things. In some way or another, it requires contact with the world of life. Except for heroquesters causing change in the underworld, magicians summoning the dead into this world, and things like that. In other words, if the GM wants it to happen for a plot, maybe, but otherwise assume no. It could probably happen if some very determined Ancestor Worshipper used a lot of magic (for example, Incarnated an ancestor into a different body, and then did it), for example. A good example is in an adventure in the old Sartar: Kingdom of Heroes book for HeroQuest. Your spirit enters the Underworld. It begins a long trek towards the Courts of Silence, hopefully surviving the underworld horrors like Gagarth or Darkness spirits (with the help of their deities spirits and magic, probably) and must deal with the Bridge over the river of swords, which they may fall into if they are oathbreakers, and other trials. During the journey they lose free will and a sense of desire - they simply feel the need to continue on the journey. Eventually they arrive at the Courts of Silence, where Daka Fal judges them, and sends them off to the appropriate afterlife. After this point they cannot be resurrected (only a great heroquest can bring them back).

Jar-Eel was the Lunar Kwizatch Haderatch, the creation of a multi-generational magical breeding program. She was never a typical PC for a second.

While personally disappointed, I appreciate that decisions like this are made with a great deal of careful thought, and I appreciate Chaosium having concern for its attendees, and for public health. My wife, who works in emergency medicine and is spending a lot of her time on Covid-19 planning, I'm sure will thank you for your decision and applaud your caution. Lets make 2021 even greater with a year to plan!

In an old RQ3 game, I had a green elf PC that qualified for Wood Lord on character creation (15 years of previous experience, = +75 to Elf Bow, etc). I took this same tack - sure you qualify, but first you need to be tested on a mission. I let them become one fairly shortly thereafter, though.

I would allow it, myself. As a shaman, they are still bound by all the restrictions of a High Healer, but as long as they spend their time healing their choice of methods is up to them, and a shaman in Chalana Arrow presumably spends much of their time summoning fighting disease spirits and summoning healing spirits. It's unusual, as I don't know of any shamanic tradition that is normally associated with Chalana Arrow, but it's not forbidden, and CA has a tradition of embracing any method of healing it can find. It is really unusual. You'd want to run it by the GM and work it into your backstory. But in the tradition of player agency and the 13th Age in Glorantha idea of One Unique Thing, it seems like it could lead to an interesting character, one that is unique to be on a path to renown and maybe Hero-dom. My main qualm is I wouldn't want them in a campaign in which the planned themes and action didn't give them enough of a spotlight - it practically yells out for a mighty struggle with a powerful Mallia disease shaman or similar, or other struggle with Chaos that calls out for warrior companions. And as for Munchindom - they've chosen to play a CA healer. Munchindom isn't ever really my concern with CAs. They are still bound by every CA rule, plus some random taboos besides, so no combat skills or offensive or harmful magic sure slows down their munchkinry to the point I don't think it would be egregious. But there is plenty there for them to make it worth their trouble - a shamanic Spell Barrage power for multiple Sleep spells a round, for example! And so much potential for POW from fighting disease spirits that you might have to put a rule in to limit it, otherwise their fetch might grow VERY fast. I would make them do a lot of shaman things 'the hard way' as they have little guidance compared to a shaman fitting in to an established tradition. Almost no friendly spirits except Healing Spirits, very little access to divine magic through shamanic means, few friendly Great Spirits for shamanic abilities, etc.

Well, a lot of real world religions really try very hard to, declaring certain practices heretical and so forth. And the distinction between the two is not all that rigid in Glorantha, with shamans who are also priests, and religions with Rune lords but also shamans, etc. A lot of cults straddle the gap a bit. Notable that two of the major non-human races are very much blended - both Kygor Litor and Aldrya have shamans fully integrated into their religion along with much more traditional theist practices, and probably don't treat the distinction as a meaningful one as a religion.

I think that was true before the Lunars. Now things are a bit stranger. But there is very heavy pressure on the eldest sons and daughters, as it’s the connection to the families sources of power. Of those about 90% are probably more like nymphs or genius loci that are included in worship, or famous ancestors, and get only local worship. And a fair percentage of what remains are probably minor goddesses in the Earth pantheon worshipped only as minor sub-cults, subordinate cults etc. I once counted, in Hero Wars material, over 30 sub-cults etc of Ernalda alone. In other places, they don’t bother distinguishing, in Esrolia they do. Which isn’t to downplay the richness and strength of Esrolia. It’s still a cultural crossroads full of all sorts on interesting stuff.

Revealed Mythologies is essential, really, as is the Guide. RM has the information about the mythology of Garangordos and Glorious Ones, which is the foundation of Fonrit. None of the other material is essential. There are a few other snippets here and there ( a few pages in Men of the Sea for Hero Wars, for example) but really, those two sources have almost everything. There were plans for a Fonrit product for HeroQuest, but I do not believe it is anywhere near completion. I have plenty of ideas of my own - especially about the horrors of the Forest of Disease nearby in Laskal. There are loads of great plot ideas in Fonrit. I think a campaign around the themes of freedom and slavery would be great. I particularly liked- The pirate king and Jann of Thieves Jeren Darow ruling over Sarro a once great city now half ruined and full of ghouls - that’s a glorious antagonist and setting for adventure. Vontabu the gone but never forgotten nation of freed slaves - a nice thematic motivator and historical plot hook. The Pure Doctrine Freedomists, excellent foils - purist Doraddi types trying to reverse all the evils of Fonrit, but too dogmatic and rigid to be good allies. It would be a great area for people to explore via the Johnstown Compendium.

I don’t think they are at all. The Kolat tradition deals with a lot more than just the Umbroli/Air spirits, there are many spirit cults they regularly deal with, but ancestors appears to not be their thing.

Indeed. My campaign features a Sword of Humakt who has a honourable, but nonetheless bitter, rivalry with both Count Julan and Radak the Iron Centurion. They can definitely recognise him by distinctive gear - he has previously taken Julans shield and Radaks helm as trophies of battle, and uses them himself (albeit repainted etc to remove Lunar insignia), so they will recognise those.... He just smacked down Radak for a second time, too, though had to immediately retreat without a chance to plunder.

Clarified by Chaosium. Shield 1 + Extension 4 is not made more powerful for dispelling purposes. https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/catalogue/publishers/chaosium/runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-players-book-print/cha4028-runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-qa-by-chapter/cha4028-runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-chapter-14-rune-magic/

The Kygor Litor tradition is a hybrid one. You have to become a priestess first, then a shaman. They are restricted in their shamanic abilities - they must always bind only darkness spirits to their fetch, though this includes spirits of dead trolls.

They reject half their gods nature and power. Like an Orlanthi strong in the Stasis Rune, or Ernaldan strong in the Death Rune. And even though Trickster has no hierarchy to punish them, it’s likely to come crashing down on them. But there is no spirit of retribution or anything, so it may be nothing worse than the things that normally happen to Tricksters.

I think the Heortling Orlanthi find it a bit unnecessary (they already have clan rites for the ancestors), and maybe even a little suspicious (are the interests of your bloodline not shared with the clan? Do you want to maintain traditions from before you joined the clan? And what is all this shaman stuff?) but it could certainly be something that is compatible with Orlanthi culture and fully accepted - its not the current way of doing things. I definitely think that this is how many cultures in Glorantha operate, that Ancestor Worship is just a fully compatible thing with most other worship. Kralorela even do it as mostly urban dwellers, and shamans who help mediate with the Ancestors are a recognised profession. Ancestors can worry about stuff like the state of the long running family business, or relationships with other families. In the Doraddi lands of Pamaltela, its very common, and there is a bit more to it too because each lineage is associated with a species of plant, so it includes dealing with plant magic a little. Also includes some of the dealing with complex rules about who you can marry. Mostly just meeting them via Axis Mundi at clan gatherings, and then summoning/Incarnating them for more personal meetings, but yeah.

I said in a different thread - there are other reasons to dislike Sword/Axe Trance besides whether it is overpowered. There are very few spells that are designed that way - you can pump as many magic points as you want in for an arbitrarily huge effect - and the only other major one that springs to mind is Heal Wound, which is self limiting (there are a few other odd ones too, like Lock, that seem very specific). So there are questions like how that works for penetration of magic defences, or for dispelling, that are awkward and annoying as well as it leading to all sorts of ridiculous discussions about 2000% skill attacks. So considering whether it wouldn't be much easier to just say it always doubles Skill (which puts it in line with Arrow Trance and Berserker), and takes no magic points, and be done. So many rules problems go away with a wave of the hand (and they remain uniquely powerful spells for their ability to increase melee attack and parry both). (and as an aside - one of the most core mechanics the whole sorcery system is designed around is that spells that increase their effect with magic points have a strict limit to the number of magic points you can apply - it seems like a good principle}

No, some Tricksters are very smart, and some have a keen feel for psychological manipulation, and the long con. Messing with peoples heads is second nature. No, it just takes an Illuminated Trickster to keep up being good for any protracted period of time without giving in to temptation, even when it's part of their plan. The urge to act out is too strong. But plenty of them try to be good, it is the Trickster nature that they fail. (as an aside, I don't think we need special rules for Tricksters, either - most of them have very high Disorder Runes (and Hate(Authority) passion in RQG), and long term planning and good behaviour is in conflict with that for Tricksters, and their high Illusion usually means they are habitual liars too)

Glorantha Bestiary, page 27. Not really - the discussion is here https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/catalogue/publishers/chaosium/runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-players-book-print/cha4028-runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-qa-by-chapter/cha4028-runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-chapter-14-rune-magic/ but it's pretty vague there. There is what looks to be updated spell description for it, which does differ a little from the Arrow Trance text but is largely the same, in the Preview of the Red Book of Magic, but I don't think its appropriate to post full text here without Chaosium permission. It doesn't have the line about movement (which would need to be rephrased), but whether that will last until publication I don't know.