davecake

1) Gloranthan metals are not the same as terrestrial metals, as other have pointed out 2) game rules are always abstractions and oversimplifications, even in pretty simulationist games like RQ, so you can't always assume things like ENC is always directly proportional to weight (its an abstraction that combines weight and 'awkwardness'), or damage, that is stopped by APs, is a consistent and direct correlation to force. 3) even if the rules were perfect, real world materials science, design, etc is usually not as simple or linear as twice as much is always twice as good, often very far from it.

The Troll Gods book from the RQ3 Troll Good boxed set.

Argrath, being Argrath, is already a giant AND a dragon expert.

You are probably thinking of the Annilla cult writeup, though there isn't much. Of course when you take two thinks as mysterious as elder giants and dragons, what will really clear things up is the Blue Moon, right? It certainly does invite some speculation, right?

The issue with allied spirits is a real one, but I think the answer is roleplaying, rather than rules. A rune master and their allied spirits are both devoted servants of their god (allied spirits are generally initiates of the cult too), and giving POW to the allied spirit when it could be given to the god, or otherwise devoted to the gods purposes, is impious and sacrilegious unless there is a good reason, and the allied spirit will neither want it or accept it most of the time. But it might sometimes be acceptable, such as healing a spirit that has lost POW to Tapping or vampiric/Chaotic forces. And if the runemaster and their ally both are Illuminated, then all bets are off, why not make people worship your allied spirit for your magical benefit? Such cheesy tricks are par for the course for Illuminates... and Heroes.

But when you get Rune points, and don’t use them for magic that season, the god gets to use them for their own purposes. Think of it like fractional reserve banking 😄. It’s an agreement between god and man that benefits both. There are religions that have a different deal, generally in favour of the deity - Magasta, for example, who requires regular POW sacrifice of his active worshippers.

And those that see Chaos as not philosophically wrong, like the Lunars, see the idea of that potential, for new creation and for things to exist beyond the rules of this one, as a creative force that can transcend the limits of the world. But while it’s impossible to say if they are wrong at a philosophical level, at a practical level Chaos is horrific - it doesn’t belong in the world. The Kabbalistic concept of the qlippoth is one that’s worth considering. The Sephiroth are often compared to the Runes (that metaphor is used for the art on page 149 of the Guide, for example, though obviously the two systems do not neatly correspond), the qlippoth are the unholy and impure corruptions of those primal powers of creation. There is a sense in which the qlippoth sugggest an excess, a mold overfilled. ‘Evil’ can come about from not just things taken to extremes, but things that are lacking or out of balance - too little mercy, too little love, or when has appropriate love for family but does not balance it with love for mankind. Chaos is when things are at extremes or corrupted, not merely lacking. For the most part, Chaos is clearly unnatural, or it bubbles beneath the surface.

Pretty close to how I imagine the Vadeli, yes. It’s not just pushing the rules, it’s doing innovative things to use them in ways not quite intended. For example they work around not being permitted to act as ‘rulers’ by building a social hierarchy around maritime law, which is why their rulers are Admirals.

This was not true in the PDF I was looking at (which explicitly said they got the penalty) but it was clearly a mistake - I redownloaded it, and the new version had corrected the mistake and now says the opposite. I wish Chaosium made it easier to know you have the current version of the PDF besides download and comparison of the text. Some services let you know when the PDF is updated, that would be great.

Not Dwarven Maker spells - they usually take a point of POW to cast. Even if you only lose the POW on a successful cast, you still going to think twice about any form of relying on repeated long duration casting attempts if it means having to try to cast it days ahead of time in the hopes it will be needed. You only want to be casting a spell like that when you definitely need it.

Iron dwarves are sorcerers too, if fairly specialised ones without a wide range of spells. I think even for the iron dwarves, the extra 3-4 APS is usually a pretty convincing argument. Especially as, if it is a really important battle, Iron dwarves will want to cast magic on their iron armour itself, given that they can protect themselves from critical that way.

While true, remember the dwarves are THE great Stasis rune culture, much more so than the Law rune. And that the same magical fact that makes Brithini society the way it is (immortality if you adhere to the narrow letter of the caste rules) that is also the foundation of Vadeli society, they just have a very different attitude - not noted for their socially conservative nature, rather anything that isn’t forbidden must therefore be permitted is the Vadeli attitude, and they use Lawful sorcery just as freely and effectively as the Mostali or Brithini, frequently to do Disorderly things like deception and murder. its helpful to think of the magical effect of Brithini and Vadeli caste laws as something like a lifelong magical ritual that grants an ongoing benefit, or as similar to mystic austerities or gifts and geases. Brithini then use it cautiously to guide their culture, Vadeli treat it like power-gaming PCs and have long since found all the loopholes.

Only said by people who would fail their Runic Philosophy exam... Law in this sense isn’t human law, it’s natural law, and nature is quite frequently Disorderly. Especially natural phenomena beloved of gods like Orlanth (storms) or Lodril. As far as human law goes, if the fundamental principles underlying your legal philosophy are ‘ no one can make you do anything’ and ‘violence is always an option’ and ‘there is always another way’* then your law is hardly hostile to Disorder, rather it assumes it will happen and just tries to tidy up the mess. Many cultures, but especially the Orlanthi, don’t necessarily associate the law with direct opposition to Disorder. * yes, even this last principle, usually interpreted as Ernalda offering alternatives to violence, also means that pragmatism and good outcomes are rated more by the Orlanthi than consistency and Yelmic ideas of inflexible Justice. Yelmic culture sees Ernaldan efforts to resolve feuds with weregelds and such as people being able to buy their way out of the appropriate punishment for their crimes. Offering weregeld for a slain Imperial citizen like a Lunar officer is like being offered a bribe for someone to get away with murder, to a Yelmic noble. Yelmic culture of course, thinks Stasis and Harmony are far better than Disorder and flexible Change.

I was really surprised to see characters like Leika or Asborn in the Adventure book wearing unenchanted iron armor, with huge casting penalties (Leika is a Rune Lord who can cast a lot of defensive magic too - I don’t think she is wanting the magic defenses if it interferes with her own casting), and I think it might be an error - the AP of their armour indicates it in enchanted. Unenchanted iron seems a really interesting option for armoured warriors that are themselves poor spell casters with poor intrinsic magic defenses (Brithini Horali for example) but even then 50% extra AP probably seems more inviting, at least for armor and shields.

Dwarves are known to trade for iron, both enchanted and unenchanted. This happens quite often in some places - in Dragon Pass, this most happens with the Cold Hard Iron Tribute arrangement with the Cinsina Tribe. The terms of trade are ruinous, usually required deeds and service ranging from extraordinary through heroic, occasionally near suicidal and refused, but still considered worth it by the Cinsina, particularly the Red Cow clan, who desperately need iron weapons because they live next to the Telmori. (Coming Storm page 62) Over the years they have accumulated more iron than any tribe in Sartar. But the vagaries of fortune have meant they’ve traded some, given it as dowries or tribute or bribes/gifts, lost some in battle, and quite a bit has ended up with other tribes. Sometimes they’ve needed the help of other just to put together the tribute at all. My impression is that the ‘Cold Hard’ iron is enchanted, and we know it is delivered fully worked into weapons - if not it can be enchanted. My suspicion is the the dwarves also mark such weapons with serial numbers or consignment marks or similar, and keep track of its origins - while they might resent non-Mostali having iron weapons a little, they also know it’s a result of a formally contracted trade, so they won’t try to reclaim it unless the deal is broken. Besides, humans might use it to kill elves or trolls, which is cool. Iron axe heads or spear shafts are the most common - because the amount of metal is smaller, you get a far better deal than a sword or mace, and axe heads are very familiar to dwarves.

I think Asrelia mostly uses tally sticks to keep track of debts, which they can administer without any beard assistance if necessary. But this makes the free transfer of debts between temples complicated, so there is always a fee and it’s really the province of Issaries etc. Asrelia is very into accumulating and dealing with wealth, but moving it around over distances is really the business of others. But their ability to preserve large quantities of perishable goods indefinitely effectively lets them arbitrage over time instead of space, which is a big deal (futures trading etc!). Plus now they have the greatest sea port in the world.

Kallyr is bit too recent to be fully dramatised (in the campaign start date of 1625 the really tragic bits haven’t happened yet), same with Bryan too. But songs and plays about the lineage of Sartar are common. And almost all tragedies, obviously. Groups of travelling players seem like a great idea. Some will be Donandar magicians, some mostly innocent artists, some thieves or con men on the side ( a Trickster or two perhaps), some even ogres or worse. ( in the West, certain sorcerer thieves are often travelling entertainers I think - the Telendarian tradition of magic, forever tainted by its association with the Vadeli, and forced underground by Talor).

And so Orlaront goes to hang out with that Argrath guy in Pavis, and immediately starts work on building a base of draconic magic friendly allies in Pavis who can extract EWF secrets from the Rubble, starts the Sun County civil war in the process. Now Argrath feels he has the magical secrets that have been shown to be the only thing useful against the Empire.... but in order to use them he is going to have to get Kallyr out of the way... Kallyr is such a great tragic figure, close to getting everything right, but just when she should be seeing her plans come to fruition instead we’ll intentioned bad choices and missteps see her brought down by those more ruthless, cynical and adaptable.

The problem with leaving your money with Chalana Arroy is returning to the temple where you stashed your loot and discovering that they have charitably donated it to those who needed it more than you did. Victims of illness who were starving, etc. Don’t worry, you get the full amount as healing credit against your future needs!

Magic, and as people have said, javelins to disrupt the line. Phalanxes are vulnerable to missiles. Which is why Yelmalio teaches Lightwall. I think Humakti might also try to hack at the pikes as they advance, trying to break them. Which why Yelmalio teaches Repair. Orlanthi will generally try to go for a flanking manoeuvre emphasising mobility. Which is why a Yelmalio force is never pure phalangites. But it’s still the best tactic.

Yes. But most of the time, as few deserve a truly hideous hell, he sends you off to your gods... who then judge you in their own way. Eg Heortlings don’t generally head off to a deeper Hell or an unending Limbo unless they are truly awful and probably Chaotic, and no god will claim their soul - almost always they head off to the Orlanthi gods who then decide if they are heroes of honor who deserve a seat at Orlanth and Ernaldas table, or low churls who scrabble for scraps outside the hall. Daka Fal usually is not judging your conduct but the magical connections you made and which after life you belong in. And most of the time, he is just telling you what you already believe to be true (there is a reason his face is a mirror).

Yes. Daka Fal is also Grandfather Mortal though, who of course was mortal, so is he is dead now, so the first Mortal and the Judge of the Dead are the same being. He doesn't actually judge the dead much, just redirects them on to where they should go. In general, most myths seem to say the Horned Man came after the invention of mortality - there was no need for him until the living and dead were separate.

Not in mine, I guess. I don’t think they have any defined role in the cult. Eiritha seems so focussed on physical world processes I guess.

I didn’t know there was ever much more than that written up. I think it’s mostly just talking to rock spirits with a minority of full shamans.

Shamans of Daka Fal or Waha can still join/start Spirit Cults. Some are even common (Waha shamans joining Oakfed, for example). Daka Fal shamans may belong to a whole lineage that deals with particular spirits. But their Power is already split between the needs of their cult, and maintaining their fetch and shamanic powers - they will have a lot less power for spirit cults. Kygor Litor shamans and Aldrya shamans are a different story - they have restrictions on what sort of spirits they can bind to their fetch (and both only normally spirit travel to the Underworld). So they can't join just any spirit cult either. But they both have a lot of great rune magic, and a few other options open to them. Kygor Litor shaman-priestesses can get spirits from Ancestor Worship (their ancestor is Korasting not Daka Fal, but not very rules different) and access to many Darkness powers via Dehore or Subere. Aldrya shamans have fewer options but they can still join Flamal (and use many plant spirits). But even Jakaleel shamans can still join other spirit cults if they want (though they are probably more inclined to reach out to other paths in the Lunar way instead). Golden Bow shamans aren't restricted to Solar spirits (but Fire elementals are great). And so on. Personally, I hold with Kolat as a shamanic cult itself, that offers its own shamanic path, but that doesn't mean it doesn't act as a spirit cult as well. Same with the Earth Witch.