jajagappa

I think it's a definite No.

Page 275 of the RQG book it notes that these are distinct. "Adventurers must maintain a separate pool of Rune points for each cult they are a member of, and the number of Rune points they may possess with that cult is equal to their CHA" and page 313 "If an adventurer is a member of more than one cult, they must have a separate pool of Rune points for each god." The implication is that you cannot combine Rune point pools for mega-effects. So, it's a trade-off: do you want to pool all your POW sacrifice with one deity so you can get stronger effects (for stackable spells), or do you want a broader range of magics at hand but with more limited ability to stack your magic? But... you could still have that specific Associated Rune spell in your primary cult Rune point pool arsenal. Just think of it from the mythic perspective - some story where Storm Bull taught Orlanth how to Face Chaos, or they stood back-to-back at Stormfall when Chaos came, etc. And that myth/story is taught at your temple. But Storm Bull kept the power of the Berserk to himself - didn't share that with Orlanth. If you want to become a Berserk, you either need to initiate to Storm Bull, or gain the ability on a Heroquest.

That you can't. If you worship Orlanth and there is a shrine to say Storm Bull at your temple, and Storm Bull is an associated cult, then you, as an Orlanth initiate, can gain the Rune spell that Storm Bull offers Orlanth. You have one Rune point pool - Orlanth's - and you use that for the associated Rune spell (which you did not have to initiate for). If you initiate into Storm Bull as well as Orlanth, you now gain a 2nd Rune Point pool to Storm Bull (and select a Storm Bull spell for that pool). Generally, you would use your Orlanth Rune point pool to cast Orlanth magic, and your Storm Bull Rune point pool for Storm Bull magic. There's no inherent reason you could not learn/cast the specific associated cult spell (i.e. Storm Bull one) through the primary cult's Rune point pool if you have more Rune points there. But you could not cast say Face Chaos via Orlanth, because that is not the associated cult spell available - that's Storm Bull's and you've gained that through your Storm Bull initiation/Rune point pool.

Single point of spell reference is a big plus in my mind (vs. was that spell in GoG v1 or GoG v2 or RQG or the Bestiary or some other book?). There was also a really good suggestion in @Crelfirst look at RBOM: First Impressions — “The Red Book of Magic” – Akhelas specifically: you’re new-ish to RuneQuest and Glorantha, you don’t know anything outside the corerulebook (or the slipcase set), and you want to make use of this book. What do you do? Here’s what I suggest: make up your own cults. Pick an Elemental Rune and a Power or Form Rune, and choose three spells each associated with those cults. Then, mash ’em together and make up a story based on the general theme.

As noted on RQG p.74 "These gods are worshiped by the cult in conjunction with the primary god." At a basic level you can learn the spirit magic of the associated cult. But beyond that is what is noted on RQG p.283 "When an adventurer sacrifices a point of POW to increase their Rune point pool, they can select a Rune spell from an associated cult worshiped at that temple instead of selecting a Rune spell from their main cult or subcult. The associated cult must be one worshiped at that temple." So, learning the available Rune spell from the Associated cult is no different from learning the usual Rune spells of their cult, but is only available at certain temples (i.e. it functions like a subcult). Initiation into the Associated Cult is not a requirement here (though could be a next step to take), nor a need to go to a specific temple of the Associated Cult. As the examples indicate, you cast the Rune spells from the associated cult using your deity's Rune point pool. Likely they could renew their Rune points at the temples of the associated deity though.

Because he was a mortal, and thus knowable and relatable by other mortals, whereas the Trickster is immortal and in many ways incomprehensible and unknowable. Because he is social, and provides a fabric and framework and family for those who would make a living feeding upon others, whereas the Trickster is the ultimate anti-social being, outcast, and scapegoat of society. It's a means to survive in the world by hiding within the greater community, something the Trickster ultimately cannot do. But the Trickster is far more powerful - the Trickster is a divinity and knows the secrets of Death, and also how to return to Life. While it is feasible for the "con man" to exist in more rural societies, I think it is far more difficult and most likely will be recognized as a form of Trickster. But as communities grow larger and more urban, it is far easier to blend in to the picture and seems like Lanbril would most naturally fit into Nochet, Refuge, the DH cities, or the cities of the God Learners. Or the "secret" child of Issaries! The one who didn't want to share, or was envious and wanted the goods for himself.

Why would the Mostali claim the event (and draw attention to their plans), when it's much easier to blame somebody else who was clearly involved with events in Seshnela? For all we know, the Mostali hired the Luathans to do their dirty work!

Lanbril first appeared back in the RQ2 Pavis book many years ago. This was the original writeup for his mythos/history: Lanbril was a son of Grandfather Mortal. In Godtime, humans came late among the other gods. While he claimed to be equal to the other gods, they rejected him as inferior because his father was killed by Death, the first sword. Lanbril was enraged, and the rage warped his soul. If the other gods held him to be inferior, let them so believe. He would excel, and the excellence would be his own, something to be cherished because of its very privacy. Lanbril studied the ways of deceit, and perfected the techniques of seeming not to be doing what he was indeed doing. When other gods worked with magic and power, he rejected these in favor of physical skill and covert manipulation. He cultivated Disorder, and worked to, attain the illusion that all was right until repair was impossible and he had made his escape. Through his mastery, he stole Rune spells belonging to the other gods, but despised some powerful spells as of no use to him. (It is speculated that the higher magics were too powerful for one who was practically a mortal human.) Lanbril did invent a magic of his own, to confound the pursuit of his victims, and to confuse those suspecting his presence. After a while, Lanbril’s mad influence permeated the world. Some devout cultists go so far as to state that this influence inspired Eurmal to help Orlanth in stealing Death from Humakt. This story is rejected by most theologists. During the Darkness, Lanbril taught mortals to survive by skill and cunning, and by watching out for themselves first. In historical times, thieves and other self-seeking scum plague all communities, following Lanbril’s path. Lanbril’s gift is to help the guilty to avoid punishment, including death. Death is the final escape—punishment will not follow a Lanbril cultist past the grave, and Lanbril will ensure that the soul gets back into circulation, someday. Lanbril encompasses the Runes of Mastery, as king of thieves and the exaltation of skill; of Disorder, practicing his trade regardless of consequences for others; and of illusion, masking facts which could lead to detection of crimes. Lanbril is primarily an urban god who favors skills over magic, and in that sense Lanbril works best in societies where social order is fairly prominent. The text also notes: Many gods of Sartar and Prax have thieving abilities. Orlanth thieves follow the tradition of their god the Adventurer and often try especially daring malfeasance’s. Eurmal the trickster made the first theft, and many of his followers are also thieves. Eurmal thieves try to turn their crimes into exercises in the grotesque, and concentrate as much upon embarrassing their victim as on gaming wealth.... Other lands in the world claim similar gods to Lanbril under strange and exotic names. There are many thief gods, but perhaps all are disguises of Lanbril, King of Thieves!

Well they certainly intervened in Zistorela which was the closest the Middle Sea Empire got to really impinging on the World Machine. Of course, they let the Heortlings spend 10 years fighting before they came in at the end and hauled off all the "treasures" from the Clanking City and leaving their traps behind. Something else to think about - the heart of the Middle Sea Empire is Jrustela. We know it was a single island before the great destruction at the end of the 2nd Age, and now it is shattered. But the largest remaining island is Curustus and that is where the great Mostali activity to pull Slon back into place is centered on. So, what actually happened in Jrustela??? Seems to me like there was considerable dwarf activity going on in secret there, and when the God Learners got too close... BOOM! And now the dwarfs are onto the next stage of their centuries long plan.

And you really need to divide this into: HW/HQ1 canon with lots and lots of petty cults vs. SKoH/HQG which returns to a far more standardized view of cults/magic.

I thought this was a really good and useful point for any GM! 🙂 So you’re new-ish to RuneQuest and Glorantha, you don’t know anything outside the corerulebook (or the slipcase set), and you want to make use of this book. What do you do? Here’s what I suggest: make up your own cults. Pick an Elemental Rune and a Power or Form Rune, and choose three spells each associated with those cults. Then, mash ’em together and make up a story based on the general theme.

That's Harrek, of course, after he's eaten Jar-eel's heart.

Looks like the best bet on your Power/Form runes: be the Harmonious Beast of Death! 😉

That still exists. RQG p.250+ - and I'd expect any cult, shaman, or sorcerer is going to use these.

Click on the Order #. It should take you to the specific order. There should then be a dropdown arrow above the picture of the order. Click on that to download.

No, it never has. It just foreshortens the view. You still need to make your Scan/Search rolls as normal.

Title page: I believe @Todd@Chaosium last name is spelled incorrectly. Think it should be "Gardiner" (per Todd Gardiner (chaosium.com) ) not "Gardinier"

This reminds me that a common approach I take when running with a small number of players is to have an NPC sidekick under GM control to serve as an added source of rumor, misinformation, and occasionally useful hints and suggestions. Sometimes they also serve to take a "hit" and even die so that the story with the PC's can effectively carry on. (They should rarely become an exercise in the GM rolling against themselves, unless it adds to the drama of the situation.)

Interesting to know. Any comments on durability? That's another interesting factor to think about including resistance to damp and rot, resistance to fire, cracking and tearing as scrolls are rolled or unrolled, fading, etc.

Probably impossible to know, but both exist. Material used (e.g. parchment, vellum, papyrus) probably is a factor. (And don't forget the Esrolian clay tablets!!! Plenty of those in the great Temple of Knowledge in Nochet, particularly to record all those wonderful deals between merchants or Esrolian Houses.) A few references that might be of use: Glorantha Sourcebook p.9: Amstali of Nochet "selected several scrolls from the shelves of the Great Library [of Nochet]" Guide p.750: Ethilrist's History of My Black Horse Troop "The whole work consists of thirteen volumes, with the first twelve written before the Hero Wars." p.529: port of Old Trade: "This is now a source of great learning and its merchants deal in ancient scrolls" RQ Companion p.6: Jonstown Compendium "The Jonstown Compendium is a series of books kept in the Lhankor Mhy temple in Jonstown, Sartar. It consists of scraps of material which various scribes have thought worth recording over the ages. These scraps have been culled from the minds of great philosophers, collected from the fantastic memories of tribal storytellers, and transcribed from various odd scrolls and ancient parchments. Each entry was gathered and listed, one after the other, without order or meaning or editorial labor. Each entry begins with a number which is bracketed in our translation. Sometimes this is followed by a title of sorts, wherein the author or redactor lists himself. Then follows the entry. Individual entries may be of any length. One entire volume of the Compendium contains only a single entry 250 pages in length, though most volumes list hundreds of pieces of information." p.59: more on Ethilrist's work: "It is written in ink upon paper, and bound in leather. Microscopic and sub-atomic investigations have proved that the paper is from a plant which no longer exists, while the leather is from a creature whose genetic make-up is approximately 57% identical with the present-day horse. The ink was manufactured from freshwater crayfish. The whole work consists of twelve volumes, with an average of 324 pages per book. There is a total of 3868 pages." Sartar Companion p.23: "The three walls are covered with shelves for scrolls and codices reaching up to the vault." Same page: "The great Catalog Wheel of Eonistaran is a wooden device like a broad water wheel. Each of the Wheel’s seven boards holds multiple scrolls containing a partial listing of the scrolls and codices within the Library’s collection. At least five different organizational systems coexist within these great scrolls; some are numbered, some are based on the first line, another based on a cryptic code, and so on. If a scholar cannot find what he is looking for in one scroll, he simply turns the wheel and looks in another scroll. Most scholars agree that the 120 volumes comprising Garangian Bronze-Gut’s Compendium of Persons Eminent in Every Branch of Learning with a List of their Writings is more comprehensive (but far less practical) than Desosinderus the Librarian’s more concise Scheme of the Great Bookshelves." p.24: "Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of scrolls and codices line the walls. The most famous set of works, the Jonstown Compendium, has several dedicated stacks on the ground floor." Also I'd note the reference in Cults of Prax to the Seven Mothers Temple which keeps their "Paper Lists" (of weekly lay participants, which are supposed to be regularly burned) and their "Wood Lists" of more 'permanent' lay members which are kept for 5 years.

Yes, quite possible to play with two players. As a couple others have noted, one approach is to let each player run two complete characters; or to have a main character and a sidekick. The former works better if there is likely to be a fair amount of combat, but both work fine. There are also different types of campaigns you can run which may be more suited to two players. Some are similar to what you've likely run in CoC. They include: thieves in an urban setting: Pavis or Big Rubble from the RQ Classic series are good options; the great metropolises of Nochet (overview here: Nochet, City of Queens – The Well of Daliath (chaosium.com) ) or Glamour (in the Jonstown Compendium books here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/309765/A-Rough-Guide-to-Glamour ) shamanic apprentices aiding their shaman/cult apprentices serving their priest: in either case, the apprentices are charged to complete tasks, rituals, obtain supplies, etc. (one variant is the sages of Lhankor Mhy investigating strange phenomena, searching for esoteric scrolls or knowledge, etc.) merchant guards/sidekicks/scribes: traveling with the great caravans through Dragon Pass and Prax while interacting with various factors, innkeepers, etc. - the merchant has plenty of other guards at hand to deal with combat threats "heirs" of the community leaders: requires a bit more background on the communities, but perhaps these are young heirs/nobles/priests who are expected to perform particular deeds/tasks - even leading warriors on raids or in battle can be more abstracted through the Battle skill and keep focus on their ability to inspire/lead others or deal with community intrigues

That is a wonderful picture! Looks like Remove Eye. The question though seems to be whether it's the Trickster casting it, or a bound Trickster spirit? Or is there a second spell involved cast through the trickster's eye???

I think a lot of Lunars will turn up as slaves being sold at Pimper's Block. Many may be acquired as thralls by ambitious clans near the Praxian border anxious to build up their communities with experienced crafters, guards, scribes, or even laborers. Any could end up as PC's.

There was a whole episode around this in Jeff's White Bull campaign. The PC's actually helped the leading Lunar citizen escape the nomads. Once the two days of pillaging and looting are past, there are likely quite a few Lunars who will look to establish relationships with the new regime in power.

I actually don't see that. By removing the "shackle" of an occupied/rebellious Sartar, it opens up more possibilities of Lunars traveling through or coming to Sartar and being more tolerated. I think this is the idea with the pregen Vostor and with the village of Renekot's Hope described in the Pegasus Plateau adventures. Here's a few of the themes you could use to mix Lunar characters into a campaign: the disillusioned soldier/mercenary the ambitious Etyries merchant looking to reestablish trade routes the devout Seven Mothers priestess who sees the Empire as misguided or wrong, or who believes the mission of healing is still correct and is now free of politics the Irrippi Ontor sage who offers knowledge and service to new leaders