jajagappa

Along with the trollkin. The Temple of Black Esrola makes good use of such to enrich the farm land nearby too. Yes, they do branch off the Lyksos and run mostly aboveground until close to the city, then underground. I do have an underground map of the series of connections between the cisterns as well (and also the sewers which receive both outflow from the cisterns/baths and their own branch lines) I haven't explored that aspect in enough detail, but I think the cisterns are large enough to support such an approach. Yes, those statements are correct IMO. Belintar of course does the work of resurrecting and rebuilding the system leading to the repopulation of neighborhoods outside the Sacred City (and within Belintar's Walls). Correct. And much rubble recycled into new homes (sometimes built on old foundations, sometimes expanded beyond - hence the less than optimal 'squares' of the houses). [Some quick responses - will respond to more as I have a chance.]

Oh yes, there are plenty of both public and private urban spaces for at least symbolic agriculture. Most clan/house halls are built around a central court, typically of earth. Most neighborhoods have some common grounds with their flocks of geese.

The initiation quest for men and women in Nochet is based on their passage. Urvarna and Demarath are girl and boy who set off together. There's an opportunity for them to stay together and perhaps not mature, but if they go further, they will find what they truly seek. Urvarna finds Gelstarn, the Beloved, who is her male counterpart. Demarath finds Serumthar, the Lover, who is his female counterpart. I believe this is the correct interpretation. That is my thought. Because there were more Houses to find and Awaken. So the quest forms both a framework for initiation and the ancestral stories for those Houses. Yep. They would have stories as to how they kept certain treasures 'safe' (i.e. they knew how to find them again without having to go to Asrelia's Cavern). Maybe including how to make a plow, how to plant seeds, how to call the rains, etc. Each a piece of how to restore civilization. Unclear, but possible. Or they occur simultaneously. Yes, they go as pairs. Perhaps there is a 'marriage rite' that is part of it. I think same sex option is valid. If you're the odd person out in a given year in village or city, you can either 1) go elsewhere for your rite (hoping to find another odd person out), or 2) wait until next year. Yes, and Yes.

Or a series of mystic keets who keep appearing on Kena Hill to reveal the stupidity of humans and offer paths (There's Always Another Way) to correct it. Their teachings are the mystic, divine principle called Imarja.

As long as not chaotic, then in the Temple of the Multitudes, dedicated to “All the gods and goddesses.” This includes enemy gods, for propitiatory worship. What is beer but something infused with the life of the earth? Without the grain, you'd just have water.

Makes you wonder what Queen Imarjira may have been up to (or perhaps what Reverend Grandmother Brengala feared she was up to). Was there a plan to join Esrolia and the House of Sartar? Was Prince Jarosar lined up to marry a daughter of Imarjira, but she was forced to abdicate before it occurred? Likely there were multiple quests to restore the Sleeping Houses. Houses Urvarnta and Serumthar claim to have followed the Beloved Path to awakening, though they are in fact post-Dawn houses. Houses Hulta and Loma will have their independent stories.

Yes, that did veer off into Nochetanea. That seems quite probable. The Delaeos 'lands' from which they receive tribute (or attempt to) certainly surround Storm Hill. That's why I suggested those from the destroyed lands. Might be better argued the other way. Mallia is the fertile goddess. Thed an animal mother. Quite likely. But perhaps Desdel was the only son? There's large open ground over the ruins of Forenes across the water. Or the fields south and west of the city. Many of the great squares fill with people camping out for the great religious ceremonies as well. Most of the 'palaces' of the Enfranchised Houses have large halls. Likely the Societies of the Cloth have rooms/halls for such, or other guilds as you note. Very much so. And there's no 'police' to say what you can or can't perform. Whether word gets back to a house that you've performed something and they extract a price for you doing so is another matter.

35 years exploring RQ/Glorantha now for me as well.

I just love your covers! Have such a great, classic pulp look.

They are, though its interesting how the Old Earth faction apparently goes against this tradition (and I'm sure not the first time that's happened - e.g. the Adjustment Wars). An interesting possibility. It might also have been wars between the Kodigvari and other descendants of Vingkot (who certainly would like to claim Vingkot's gifts/blood for themselves). Given that Argan Argar chained Veskarthan/Lodril there, it remains ambiguous. Yes, that would work as well. I think they are crones of Asrelia/Ty Kora Tek. I don't know that I've seen evidence that Imarja is the earth cult that is linked to the Chaos faction. I think you could argue that its whatever land goddess dwelt between Genert's Garden and the Spike, inviting Wakboth to invade (Mavor? Envor? - certainly associated with destroyed lands, but I'm sure other possibilities exist). Imarja seems to be much more the feminine principle as a whole, not an earth cult. That could work well. Of course, such a line raises a question about the origins of the Desdelaeo house/clan... Perhaps they don't really descend from Desdel after all... Yes, that has to be one. Of course, it might not be one of Hendira's favorites...

Quite possible. Also possible that Arkat set up one of the Arkati to guard this path to keep Gbaji from following it. That is certainly the known/expected story. It's always a bit unclear whether Kimantor is OOO or a son. Kimantor and Norinel certainly have two children, Delargara and Desdel (girl and boy). There's no particular indication of either child being slain. The Esrolia book does note: "In the fortress Lord Kimantor courageously fought his way into the temple of the missing god." At this point, he becomes Lord Victory Nightbrother. Does this suggest that Kimantor arrives after Eurmal has slain the Son of the Dark King? And takes up his mantle? I think there's room here to create some variations as needed by a given storyline. If Kimantor is the son that is killed, does Eurmal do so at Orlanth's bidding to regain an Earth spouse? Or do so begins he thinks it reflects Orlanth's inner desires? Or to spite Orlanth (or Norinel!)? Many possibilities there. If the son is the child of Kimantor and Norinel, does Orlanth secretly want to end the relationship of Darkness with Earth and use Eurmal to do the deed? Or again, Eurmal may do so because he thinks it is what Orlanth wants, much to Orlanth's horror. I'm not really seeing the Grandmother aspect here at the time of the marriage. She has two kids with him, so is clearly fertile. At the time of the departure from Nochet to the Black Palace, she might have given Queenship of Nochet to Delargara or to one of the Survivors, and so makes that journey as Grandmother, bearing the treasures of the city to safety.

Baroshi has always had an Earth connection from the point he first appeared in Snakepipe Hollow. He's the Barley Seed (easily blown by the wind to land in the earth). His weapons are Earth weapons. He's supported by Babeester Gor. 1) it makes a good story connection to SPH. 2) he falls under the 'might have been' worshipped if not forgotten.

I don't use these explicitly, but in building up the central climax and final resolution of a given session, I find they are implicit in shaping conflicts.

Good question. Certainly the Palace of Black Glass must have stairs leading directly there. The story of Queen Norinel and Kimantor in the Esrolia book implies that many from Nochet fled the demons there to find safety in the Obsidian Palace. Were they among the hosts/guests offended when Orlanth arrived and offended his host? My guess is yes. What did Orlanth do that was so offensive? Well, Norinel as Queen of Nochet/Esrolia was Ernalda's representative. Maybe Orlanth saw her AS Ernalda and attempted to steal/woo/love her. As wife of Kimantor, that would certainly betray and offend his host! Naturally, the OOO/Kimantor remembers Orlanth's deception and betrayal and has posted guards, bound demons, and arrayed others throughout the Palace to destroy Orlanth if he returns.

Very little! I expanded the range of difficulties. I found that in many Extended Contests (e.g. combat, use of certain runes/magics), the heroes would use a specific ability starting at W+, add in the specific ability bonus of +6, and add in an augment (almost always use quick augments) of +4/5. That put them at a level where they regularly came out without a scratch vs. High Difficulty, but a Very High Difficulty was often too much (unless they were able to apply multiple opponent benefits). The Quite High/Extremely High levels seem to address these where the conflict should be in doubt to the end, or clearly a challenge to overcome (without being impossible). For those I use: Low = Base - 6 Moderate = Base High = Base + 6 Quite High = Base + 12 Very High = Base + W Extremely High = Base + 6W Nearly Impossible = Base + W2

I think that's a rather speculative note. They need to get through delivering the Gods War first.

True, but to fix it, they must destroy something they love, and more.

I don't know if you want a new thread for this, but some thoughts. One of the Arkats (or maybe several of them - they return at least 5 times) becomes aware of their meddling and destruction and begins hunting them. One of those Arkats is Harrek. It's not the Lunar counterattack that comes first, but the Arkati attack including the dark warriors of Humakt and the uz. And then the Lunars strike while they are mired in feud with Arkat. Meanwhile, Dorasta reveals that she may know how to find Arkat. But one of them must prove their worth to marry her. And she wants significant gifts (three, of course). Maybe they must root out the Poisonthorn Elves and bring to her the Thorned Gem/Seed. Maybe they must bring her the Crown of Kero Fin (forcing conflict with the King of Sartar). Maybe she wants the Loincloth of Genert (or Tada) to restore her ancient Fertility.

Agree. But, this is not just some gem or jewel. The Eye is clearly sentient and equivalent to at least a demigod in power. It will work mightily to protect itself and rejoin the rest of Wakboth including warping heroes to its will, driving them mad, corrupting them with evil instincts, etc. And if they overcome those factors and DO destroy it... It WILL have ripple effects. The net of Grandmother Spider will be rent and torn, fragments of the Wastes escape or disappear, the Eye is not destroyed but divided into myriad parts all like its 'parent', enough chaotic power is unleashed to reassemble a Sky Terror, and perhaps as well the heroes have gone so far into Chaos and the Gods War that they find themselves somewhere else (perhaps on one of those fragments of the Wastes, perhaps in a Hidden Green, perhaps in the Krjalki Bog or the Plateau of Statues, perhaps trapped in the Gods War or in Hell...).

But, on the other hand, the heroes don't know that. Generally, we have the sense that the Eye cannot move by itself. But I'm sure there's a Hero Wars plot by the Eye to return its gaze upon the World, and obliterate it. So what can the Eye do? An Eye is about Sight, and I think both Truth and Illusion in what is seen. It can cast its gaze about, and do various things to those who are seen by it or gaze upon it. It possesses Truths that can drive any living thing Mad, or destroy the minds of the sentient. It possesses powers of Illusion, so that one might "see" the Eye, and destroy it, yet it was only an Illusion masking the Truth of the Eye. Its gaze can corrupt what it sees: physically (as in chaotic features or blindness; or turning the clothes, armor, and arms of heroes into sentient, hostile creatures or eroding them into puddles of goo or gorp), magically (creating forms similar to the CoC Colors out of Space or Crawling Ones out of the elements of the nearby earth; or activating the ghostly trees; or transporting the heroes into a portion of the Gods War such as the dissolution of Genert's Garden), or psychically (it could implant an image and feeling into a hero, or the hero's allied spirits(!) - using the new RQG rules this might mean Devotion(the Eye) or Loyalty(Servitors of the Eye) or Fear(eyes), etc.).

Yes, it is/was part of the Devil. Therefore it is sentient, malignant, and very powerful. I think of it like one of the deities of the Cthulhu Mythos: mind-bending and sanity breaking. It is like a tear in the fabric of the world - it attracts chaos to it, it reveals the Truth of Chaos in all its awesome power, and it seeks to return all around it to the nothingness of the void. @David Scott noted the following in the thread below: " Going back to the Great Darkness, the whole of Genert's Garden was breaking apart - actually separating and floating off. Such was the death of Genert that the very land was flying apart." and "Zola Fel actively prevented Prax from breaking up he was at the edge of the void. The rest of the Wastes broke apart and drifted away" and "...Waha's myths. He went and tied all the parts back together and grandmother Spider pulled the net tight and everything (nearly) was pulled back together at the dawn." So, when the Eye was torn off, it ended up at the edge of the void. When Waha gathered the pieces and Grandmother Spider wove it all into her net, that's where the Eye ended up. Could be part of the Nightwood (getting awfully close to the Gods War/Great Darkness/Underworld as you approach the Eye). Could be dead fragments of Genert's Garden. Could be parts of Genert's Garden corrupted by the Eye. Could be an aspect of chaotic growth formed by the Eye. Or any number of other possibilities. Could be the Eyelashes of the Devil. You're close to Chaos here so they could easily warp, mutate, change, or be a number of different things simultaneously. If it fits with your campaign, then yes. The Eye is Chaos, and a source of chaos. Many bizarre things may occur in and around and above it. Maybe as the purifying water of Zola Fel approaches the Eye through cracks in the earth and reality, the Eye is so impure that it rejects all contact with such water and drives it back to and through the surface. The Eye is likely to have servitors. Perhaps it is assembling a chaotic horde. Perhaps it is watching over the construction of an alien temple of bizarre form. Perhaps it is spawning little eyeballs - replicas of itself, but pulsing with tentacles and oozing chaotic goo wherever they travel. This is the heart of Horror, the 'foulest' part of the Devil and therefore the most mind-bending and insidious terror. Maybe it infects those who gaze upon it with madness, phobias, or chaotic features.

I think that makes sense. Of course, finding the right payment for the bronze armor is another matter. And I'm sure the King of Imther extracted many promises from the Sun Dome regiment to help maintain his position....

This was a big draw for me. No 'alignments' per se. But there were pantheons, and they were in conflict, and yet they were all correct in their own views. And even other species had their own perspectives. And these all tied into myths that were both coherent and contradictory. And Cults of Prax connected all these bits together: myths, cults, stories, people interacting in the world in ways that spoke to social connections, not just dungeon crawls. It felt real. And then there were ducks, and bearwalkers, and weird chaos like broo, gorp, walktapi, and the Clawed Hands....

Smaller clans. The Laramite tribe is heavily influenced by the Sun Dome temple; the Wilktar tribe is more like typical Sartarite/Tarshite tribe. Both tribes have reasonable agricultural/pastoral land with cattle, goats, and sheep (and lots of cheese). Some of the clans are noted here: Bit of Updated Imther

The Imtherians of the Imther Mountains and eastern wilds (closest to the Elf Sea) would fall into the Orlanthi hunter and goat-herder categories as those lands are too rough for most agriculture.