Pentallion

No sooner posted than Nymphia's player Thomas posts the final diary.

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Nymphia sitting at her writing desk in her private study slowly re-reads the missive she had recieved from Jar-Eel. "Come to the Capital, our new Emperor has been born."

It seemed like a life time ago that she and her compatriots fought the Red Emperor on the red moon. "Hmmm, I wonder what they are up to now?" 

"You should meet up with Clarice and Bertha on your way to the Capital." Razza says from Nymphia's right shoulder. " Im sure they would like to see you again as well."

"Screw them, let them all rot! You don't owe them a damn thing." Snarls Azzar from her left.

Sighing with resignation, Nymphia turns to address them both and than remembers, she is actually alone, and a deep feeling of loneliness and loss overcome her. The voices are not as strong as they were even a month ago, but she can still hear them. She has, however, stopped seeing her sister and brother. They were at first so real that she could hardly believe the truth, then they became phantoms darting out from the corners of her eyes and deep shadowy recesses.

Nymphia calls out to one of her retainers, " Ready a traveling pack and my equipment, I set for the Capital on the morrow."

The next morning, Nymphia and her entourage prepare for their journey.  Nymphia shrugs on her rainbow feathered cloak and calls out her steeds name three times, " Hellmane, Hellmane, Hellmane!"  A winged demon horse appears in a puff of putrid sulfuric smelling smoke.

"I'll always be with you." Razza whispers into Nymphia's ear as she settles into her saddle and sets off to meet her new Emperor.

 

For those who were curious what the great secret that some of the players knew I give you the finale of our campaign.  This would have worked wonderfully if they'd kept making diaries, but sadly, they never took much to the diaries.  Anyways, in the end, they fought the Dart Wars on the moon and finally located the Red Emperor.  He had divined that Nymphia was to be his doom and so he made sure to kill her her as soon as possible.  While Azibo and his spider kept the Full Moon Corps bodyguards at bay, the rest rushed the emperor.  Jon Rain and Cedi, however, had agreed with their murderous god to kill Nymphia, however, when she fell, they turned on the Emperor instead.

For reasons that will become clear below, having dealt with Nymphia, the Emperor then turned on the others, whom he greatly outclassed.  They soon realized they were doomed unless Nymphia stood back up again because she had the spear that would ignore all magical defenses and if she hit with it, it would be 15 minutes before that person could cast spells again.  And all the players except the one who played Nymphia and Razza knew the secret:  there was no Razza.  She was a split personality inside Nymphia's head the entire campaign and her player didn't know it.  Nymphia believed in Razza so much that she could literally resurrect herself, believing her "sister" had done it.  This is why the trolls all thought the Jakaleel witch was holy.

So the Red Emperor didn't realize he'd just turned his back on her to his great peril.
 

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The Death of the Red Emperor

The Red Emperor stood exultant in victory as Nymphia rose from the dead behind him. Far away, the Great Sister danced and weaved as she performed Hon-Eels rites, her glowing red dagger tracing runes across the night sky. Nymphia struck with her spear, it's blade ignoring all magical defenses striking the Red Emperor from behind and annihilating his ties to magic
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At that moment the Great Sisters blade came down in a slashing motion and severed the Red Emperor's connection to the moon.

Phargentes whirled on Nymphia, prepared to strike his attacker down. His eyes registered shock at the sight of his attacker. Then widened as he realized his Goddess had forsaken him.

The illusion of the grand palace vanished. Everyone suddenly found themselves standing on the rocky face of the Red Moon.

Phargentes began to rise from the ground. Flailing helplessly, he cried out in horror, "No! This cannot be happening!" His surviving bodyguards all began rising around him. Terrified, they all fell off the face of the moon. Screaming they plunged to their deaths, falling to Glorantha below like little red drops of blood.

It is later said that upon the death of Phargentes, the Red Moon wept glowing red tears. (Guide to Glorantha pg 318)

With the Red Emperor's death, all illusion was shattered and Truth struck Nymphia like a physical blow, driving her to her knees. She saw clearly for the first time in years...

She remembered her first taste of battle against the nomads in what seemed so very long ago. How she'd reveled in the slaughter. The horror on the faces of the priestesses of Deezola as she returned triumphant, steeped in blood and gore.

The words of the high priestess, Arronia, "Violence is not always the answer. Deezola teaches mercy. She unites, not destroys whenever possible. I know there is a gentleness within you, Nymphia. A voice that tells you when to stay your hand, when to show mercy. Listen to that voice inside you sister. Let it quell the violence that wells up in you. I want you to take a year in seclusion, under a vow of silence and reflect upon your actions."

But the quiet solitude that was supposed to heal her had only done more harm. She had tried to find peace and only found frustration. "Listen to that voice inside you sister" But her solitude became a prison. She began to hurt herself just to release the violence that was within her.

The priestesses realized her condition was beyond their abilities to mend and so she was sent to the Jakaleel priestesses. The shame of it overwhelmed her and she slashed her own wrists.

And then the miracle occurred. She rose from the dead.

"My sister brought me back," she told the witches, who proclaimed her touched by their goddess.

She saw it all so clearly now, as the Emperor plunged to his doom. She had told all around her that it had been her sister Razza, that had resurrected her that day.

But Nymphia now knew the truth. She had no sister.

The gentle voice of Razza had always been her own voice. The cuts upon her sisters arms that she'd taken upon herself had never been Razza's wounds. She had been begun cutting herself during her enforced solitude. She had made the voice within her real in her own mind. She had created Razza and in the end, her belief in Razza had become so great she had resurrected herself.

"I know there is gentleness inside you. Listen to that voice sister"

And so with all illusions dispelled, Deezola united her. Razza and Nymphia were One once again.

 

Irfanview is the free tool I use.

Which makes him clever, not stupid.  Orlanth would approve.

It's easier than you'd think Psullie.  You'll be making awesome sets in no time.

So...two weeks, not more than two weeks.  (joke that's probably going over everyone's heads)

That's how we do it.  We use Roll20 and have Discord for sound.  Here's what it looks like.  And some of the cool stuff you can do.

Never had one played in Glorantha or Vikings, but a Myrrhyn was played in Stormbringer.  Always liked her name.  She was an assassin called Desolation Angel.

So does Chaosium have any plans for Androgeus in the upcoming Hero Wars?  Will Androgeus have participated in any significant events in the intervening years leading up to 1627?

1 hour ago, David Scott said:

@Joerg the "die hard Orlanthi that think she causes autism." is a reference to this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine_controversy

Joerg's just being the Lhankor Mhy to my Eurmal

3 hours ago, davecake said:

Even if you are granted immunity, you are a carrier. It's kind like saying a Ponzi scheme isn't bad, because it works for those inside the scheme. Or waging aggressive continual war on your neighbors isn't bad, as long as you treat them nicely if they surrender. Pretty nihilist, really.

but hey, maybe you are right. There are certainly people in Glorantha who claim you can interact with Malia in non-Chaotic ways. Some of them might even be right. But the majority of her worshippers (especially broo) accept immunity in the spirit of  'I'm alright, so who cares if you die hideously?'

You missed the part where if EVERYONE joined with Malia, then nobody would die horrible deaths.  she's the inoculation.  I guess there will always be die hard Orlanthi that think she causes autism.

7 hours ago, MOB said:

"the dykes of Esrolia will save the Holy Country".)

So many unPC ways to make a joke there.....

17 hours ago, David Scott said:

I would disagree that he was Stasis. Given his cyclical reincarnation, I like to suggest the idea that he was starting to wane, his balance of his magical bases were slender. It only needed a few upsets and he would implode. The world was moving on and new forces that he couldn't include were appearing. Jar-eel unbalanced him, Harrek was the big destabiliser - both wanted his power sources for their own reasons. Belintar likely knew this was going to happen. He knew it couldn't continue. In the grand tradition of story and TV tropes, he likely prepared and escape route that lets him come back in the next age.

Im sure he knew this was coming. Ultimately the Holy Country is flooded when the sea rises after the trolls block Magasta's pool. Belintar couldn't save the land so he bowed out. Like Ragnarok, I'd like to think Belintar is a born new god in the Fourth Age to oversee the New Holy Country. 

Ah, but the moons cycles give only the illusion of change.  The moon is still there.  It always returns to full.  Thats a necessity for Belintar to establish Stasis in the Age of Time.  He can't do it without the moon.

He was Stasis.  He trapped change.  He knew one day Harrek, bearing Death, would come for him as it came for Yelm.  Then change got freed and when that happened, the Hero Wars began.  He was single handedly keeping the Hero Wars at bay.

On 10/30/2017 at 5:29 AM, David Scott said:

If you have access to Cults of Terror, that's an excellent starting point. It depends on what the chaos is. If it's not sentient, it likely doesn't want anything. It just does what it does to live and multiply. So at the very basic level chaos ooze is the chaos that entered the world, all it does is ooze and taint stuff with chaos. Sentient beings who realise they are chaotic will join a cult to channel their needs and abilities. I don't think chaos itself has an agenda for evil - that only comes with cunning then intelligence. Have a look at the reason for continued existence for the chaos cults. Chaos is then a tool for getting your beliefs into the world for example:

So I would say that chaos itself wants nothing, it's the chaos cults that are the vehicles of chaos, giving worshippers a purpose in life. It's what the cults do that is important, they  give purpose and direction to chaos worshippers. 

Malia began as a sweet person who was misunderstood.  She found a form of life and tried to nurture it.  If everyone joined with Malia and were granted immunity to her diseases, then her diseases wouldn't be harmful and could flourish.  But she couldn't get anyone else outside of Subere to understand that.  So the "chaos is nihilist" meme doesn't work here.  There's more to it.

Thed was raped and wants justice.  In her bitterness, she sought revenge by bringing in Wakboth - probably by being manipulated by the insane Ragnaglar, her abuser.  Her broo are twisted so they always have to rape as a part of her seeking the justice which was denied her by Orlanth.  So again, the "chaos is nihilist" meme also doesn't work here.  There's more to it.

Ragnaglar was insane.  He was driven insane when the Old Gods treacherously lured him into the Sex Pit. He's gone now so his motivations no longer apply, but "chaos is nihilist" also doesn't apply here.

Wakboth, however, was one evil SOB.

We all know about her gender roles and I've heard the myth of how he was the lone survivor from before men and women were separated during the Green Age.  But other than that, all that's really known about her was that he's one of only three "SuperHeroes" in the board game.  Someone as powerful and influential as Harrek and Jar-Eel.  Yet after 40 years since the game came out, what is really known about her?  What are his motives?  What is her role in the Hero Wars?  How important is he?

4 hours ago, Grievous said:

 I think there's some room for higher power level gaming in Glorantha as well. I'd like to create Gods and Goddesses, do some experimental Heroquesting, and toy around with... well, whatever Belintar's doing, as well, but there doesn't seem to be as big of a toolbox for GMs or PCs for that kind of thing in the Gloranthan arsenal at the moment.

 

I agree.  That area of roleplaying is especially deficient right now.  I hope it opens up a lot more with the upcoming releases.

Turning Lunar citizens into ducks and selling their scalps for the reward.

10 hours ago, jajagappa said:

And is in RQG too.  You have to remove/break the props to break the Warding.

One way to negate the Hula Hoop of Death effect is that it is a defensive enchantment designed to protect those inside.  By tossing it on someone, you are effectively inviting them into the safety zone - i.e. saying they are a 'friend', not an 'enemy'.  

Winner!  Winner!  Chicken Dinner!  THAT'S going to be my final ruling.  And I'm NOT going to tell them until they actually do it.  Serves the little, er, serves 'em right

1 hour ago, soltakss said:

Warding 4 does 4d3 damage, average of 8, it would take a limb down but probably not take it out, maybe an arm might go. It only affects one person, unless you toss the hula hoop over someone and watch as it affects all hit locations in turn, but that would be a good roll. An RQ2 Bastard Sword with a 1d6 damage bonus does 1d10+1+1d6, with an average of 10, so roughly equivalent with leather amrour, throw in a Bladesharp 4 and the sword is better than the hula hoop. 

Onse the opponents see what is happening, they just chop up the hula hoop and kick the wards away, thus breaking the effect. Or, even better, they gang up on the cleverclogs with the hula hoop and inflict a world of pain. A good Dispel Magic can take down a Warding 4, leaving the PC with a hoop and an embarrassed grin.

Why do you use a Warding 4 and not a Warding 10 for your example?

Now the idea has evolved into putting the stakes into a net and using a net attack.  They get hit with warding in the attack and again when they break free.

The Doom Guardians, aka the Knowledge Assassins, are on DefCon 3.

Funny that the Cradle keeps coming up, these were the same guys who took a thick pole, attached chains to it and then tied the chains to the different stone objects found on the cradle and enchanted the pole with a sylph, which, as the lunars boarded the Cradle, they commanded to rise up the pole and spin it swiftly.  They called this their Whirlwind of Death, I believe.

You can probably find one on aisle two at Geo's, right next to the Easy Snap  Adapters, that allow you to snap on your Warding sticks to any throwable object.  Being chased by a werewolf?  Use your Easy Snap Adapter to quickly change a tree branch into a deadly Stick of Doom.

These guys are creative.  One might say they think outside the warding box.

10 hours ago, Joerg said:

The Cradle Scenario has a contest of Wardings 5, 4 and 3 vs. Warding 3 shelters set up by the defenders of the Cradle. (This rules-mechanical aspect of the battle was skipped in Prince of Sartar, we only get to see the Chain passing through and putting out Pinchining.)

This offers a semi-precedent for pushing a warding into enemies (static to the Cradle vs. static to the river banks). It doesn't tell what happens if one of the wardings is located atop one of the ladders leading down (the Cradle interior apparently has the benefit of a high-power Shield), and if an enterprising attacker enters from below - which would be the equivalent of entering the hoop from below.

yep, good point.  The Cradle adventurers were not intending harm, they were simply flowing down the river.  Simply being made to move through the warding is enough to set it off.  And motion doesn't invalidate the warding as then, as Styopa said, all you have to do is lean against the wagon to set it in motion.  So we're back to marketing Hula Hoop of Death (tm) to all the Geo stores.  I'm back to thinking God Learner Forbidden Secret.

Okay, 7 Tigers has shown me a way out.  I'll rule that Warding only works when it's not moving.  That infers Warding is a Stasis spell, dependent somewhat on the Stasis rune, but we'll cross that bridge when RQG comes out.

1 minute ago, David Scott said:

In that case you need to use the magic formula - @Jeff & @Jason Durall - they are likely busy as they along with most of Chaosium are at the Kraken...

Well, this doesn't seem sufficient a concern to interrupt someone busy at Kraken.  If they happen upon this thread and choose to reply, then fine.  If not, then I'm going to rule no on the grounds that for unknown reasons having to do with the mystical nature of Glorantha, every person who has ever had the idea ultimately died shortly there after when a mysterious flying hula hoop passed over them.  In fact, this may even be one of the God Learner secrets people aren't supposed to know.  Even coming up with the idea gets people killed.