Ebaninth

So when we get our grubby, and appreciative, little hands on the upcoming cults Opus, how would we go about tweaking your presented version of Lodril into KetTuros - a city god? And, much the same with converting say the Urox cult (that we all know and love from a Praxian/Sartarite viewpoint) to a local 'bull' cult. One that now seems to have lost the disorder and eternal battle affiliations shifting over to just Beast and Man?...Harmony? I realize this maybe simply be just the GM's issue, but it would be good to get an idea of how much we can 're-skin' a deity to suit its new cultural form. Is there a limit to how much you can re-skin - will all Urox cults always be opposed to chaos?

1) Will the up coming cults book show the cross-culture links of the cults. In the ILH the following cults are listed: Akrolar the Bull-Horn Bisos the Freeholder Pamel the Soother Durbadath, the Lion KetTuros, Man of the City Karmanos Law-Bringer Malakinus the Learned Aronius Jaranthir Bisos the Hazar Alanabrilis the Disrupter Hum’akt 2 & 9 are Storm Bull Equivalents, 11 Humakt, 10 is suspiciously like Lanbril & Turos is Lodril, what about the rest. Will we be provided some ideas to transition the supplied cults to suit another culture pantheon? Distribution Maps showing the spread of a cult (like in the AiG Bestiary) would be great to (please please...). 2) There seems to be a number of Pelorian (Charg/Carmania east to the Oraya, and south to Tarsh) equivalents to the Sartar Pantheon. Why did Orlanth's spread never meet with as much success as his 'brothers' Humakt and Stormbull? He is big in Ralios, so maybe you win some you lose some, or maybe those solar cultures kept him out. I attach some mucking around I did couple years back. Still confused and non-canon'ing the ILH didn't help... 140527 - Carmanian & Environs Cults.xlsx 140919 - S-KoH - Cult Spread.xlsx

Sage, Within the Pelorian Aristocracy, how does one get chosen as the next Mask? Is it a political decision. Can 'anybody' be chosen (right place at the right/wrong time), and the existing personality is partially overwritten by much of the accreted Moonson experience to date (with Egi advice/IT support). It seems similar to the God King, though he seems to completely quash the previous personality. As some of the previous mask personalities seem to have been of 'poor' quality, I would assume political selection, with the chosen sometimes not quite enamored by their selection - though the religion/priests would reject this. As the creature that is Moonson keeps dying then he seems more the fragile human (but incredibly magical) than a robust demi-god. He does not seem to be of the level of an immortal hero such as Cragspider, more just a mortal/temporary focus for the magic of the Lunar Empire. Lankhor Mhy Initiate

From whose/which perspective?

RIP Mr Stafford, thank you for sharing your ideas & dreams.

It would be great if you could review the Int stat for various monsters as per RQ3 - Creatures Book - p4 - "Typical Int Ratings" Suggest this is added to a space around p9 - 11 of the new bestiary. It will mean reviewing most creatures, as you have removed int from all animals. Following stats make as suggestions: p34 Manticore & Minotaur Int: 6+2d3 Dragonewts Int 4d6 ?? maybe 4d6, 3d6+6, 2d6+12, 1d6+18 as you go up stages p46 Gorilla Int: 7 p79 Cave Troll Int: 6+2d3 Sea Troll Int: 7 p86 Wolfbrother Int: 2d6+6 or 7 (not x0.5) p98 Dragonsnail Int:1 (to allow the use of the Jump Spell obviously) p101 Jack o'bear 6+2d3 Scorpionmen 6+2d3 Stoorworms & Walktapus have no int, say 6+2d3

p364, 1st sentence should be "...stations of a heroquest are great places to..." NOT "...stations of a heroquests are a great place to..." p368 in Hundreds of Carls...Miss; for servicable axe. What is "community spirit" should this be explained, I cannot fine another reference.

Woops. I always pictured Arkat as a little less barbaric (ex-Brithini that he was). Until he went thru that Trolls phase obviously - regrettable that.

Nice Cover. Where in Glorantha is it? Third Eye Blue cultist in an Army that has laid waste to city in Carmania...

No. I think they are multiple spirits going into spirit combat vs individuals. They are not a 'game mechanic', except from a Godlearner perspective. Visually, you would see the spirits attacking the opposition, just like the Dead Men of Dunharrow. I suppose I try to visualize, then try to get the rules to fit (RQ2 rules). From discussions above, it would seem that: Primitive/Nomadic Animism cultures use multiple smaller spiirts. Barbarian/Civilized Theistic cultures move away from multiple small to more singular individual powerful spirits. Civilized Sorcerous cultures use runes (embodiments [GL?] of great spirits/gods) "Erasanchula" As you get further down the list, range increases. In away it meets your explanation; but I don't like being dismissive of disembodied spirits. When comparing RQ2 to D&D, RQ Battle/Spirit & Rune/Divine magic always effects one target as a general rule. This works perfectly, for the interpretation of casting bludgeon on your Heavy Mace or Fear on an opposing rune-level, as all RQ2 magic is simply summoning a suitable spirit that is then directed to evoke the affect on the singular target. Then it follows that if you summon a larger "spirit" they can then begin to affect multiple targets at the same time, and the sorcerous cultures take this a step further, being able the manipulate the fire rune and cast "fireball" - which affects 20' radius. RQ2. So in Nomad Gods you cannot hold your 'spirit' attack till you want to release it. You go to the holy place and just set it to attack, not being able to coordinate attack to the most opportune time. ############## From the Redline History The Nights of Horror ... and screaming shamans again called demons upon the hapless farms of First Blessed.... ... Hon-eel alone halted the collapse of the right flank by destroying seven spirits in combat, ... ############## Would any of this italicized text support the Dead Men of Dunharrow at Minas Tirith visual? Multiple individual 3d6 POW spirits, wafting into attack individual soldiers of the opposing army?

Woops... 1460 @ the Battle of Kitor where he was beaten by the Red Emperor Mask Magnificus (Rev 3.0) Sheng would have taught the Lunars. So presumably, trolls send spirits in line of sight whilst others can direct 'spirits'. No. Spirits can be allied by any counter visiting sacred sites (altars) and you may randomly get one (roll 5 or 6). Earth spirits can only be allied at the Paps. More powerful gods/spirits (Oakfed, Wild Hunter, Malia, and the Horned God) are acquired from specific altars and are gained by sacrificing a herd unit. Could the spirits that 'collect' in these places be majority Herd beast spirits - that are attracted in death and swirl around the holy place. You then visit the holy place and get permission to use them. Do you have to direct them from the holy place, or can you take the summon focus to the battle site? Trolls would then collect insect spirits, not necessarily the brightest, so that why the do not direct them. Or are all these spirits ex-human/troll/elf ? Seems to support the herd animal option. This would suggest that nomadic cultures are best at collecting multiple spirits - they get quantity rather than quality. So, when the Lunars invaded Prax there strength was more in the protective magics rather that the spirit attack magics.

As alluded to in various histories (and the Board Game Dragon Pass) disembodied spirits seem to be commonly used as a troop type within a "central genertelan" military action roster. Mechanistically, how would people suggest spirits are used in such massed military actions; such as the: Battle of Night & Day (Sheng Seleris) Invasion of Sartar Invasion of Prax (1608) Is it a matter of Shaman types collecting (for want of a better mechanic) bags and bags of spirits that they open, release, and command to attack? Do Praxian tribal founders (Divine Spell of Waha) serve as a nexus for such collections of spirits or purely as a tribal protective wyter? Is it a matter of spending ones time collecting multiple spirits (conducive to your plan of action) that you then summon during your time of need - something akin to the Return of the King's Dead Men of Dunharrow - quite a _powerful_ ally of the 'good' guys. Are military units able (with presumed ritualistic permissions) to summon long expired members of their unit to help either overtly, or defensively (against spirit or mundane attacks) - or is this how the tribal wyter/vexilla gets power to protect its charges. Although a powerful troop, should it relatively easy to protect versus spirits? So whilst powerful they can be easily countered - such as by Spirit Block/Spirit Screen area affect spells or wyter protections. Are Humakti against the use of such spirit 'troops' seeing it as something akin to the use of mustard gas, or to a lesser degree, the European knight angst with the introduction of the crossbow. Are Zorak Zorani for the use of spirits or do they prefer (or just specialise in) the physical body resource for zombie creation - leaving the spiritual to the Kyger Litor mothers. With RQx (RQ, RQ2, RQ3, RQ-AiG, HW, MRQ, MRQ2, HQ, RQ6, ...) coming out, a good set of mechanics for the shaman will be really useful - something akin to Sandy's Shaman rules being my suggestion - but the need to address the POW economy follows as a necessity. Maybe a Kickstarter stretch goal... Thoughts?

Yanafal Tarnils Writeups Cults of Prax - Seven Mothers Gods of Glorantha Box 5 - Seven Mothers HeroQuest - Imperial Lunar Handbook 2 - Cult of Yanafal Tarnils Tales of the Reaching Moon - Tales #17 - Cult of Yanafal Tarnils (#16 & #17 go thru each of the 7M) Heroquest - Pavis Gateway to Adventure - Cult o Seven Mothers with YT as sub-cult The last 3 probably offer some useful insight.

At least some-one see's it my way ... It our games (over many years), (90% RQ2, 10% RQ3/RQ:AiG), we found: RQ2 Characters always seemed to get to Rune Level quite quickly - they always seems to be in their early 20's. Combat Skill sweet spot was around 50-70% a relatively small window. All of us will have different points of view, I just need to leave it with the developers to produce their game.

I am keen for the new version to address the high 90% skills. Our games would get to rune levels but we then tended to immediately retire as we were sick of the attack/parry/attack/parry/attack/parry/attack/parry/attack/parry/Fumble Attack or attack/parry/attack/parry/attack/parry/attack/parry/attack/parry/Fumble Parry. Please address this. I always thought limiting skills to 80%, with anything higher reducing the opposing skill had potential... Regards

I want start a campaign in which the young initiates are introduced to a number of cults/subcults in each scenario - similar to the year long adventures of Biturian in Cults of Prax. Initially characters would become a member of the 4 storms of a young clan huscarl, and they would travel around being introduced to the various cults/subcults of Sartar. As an example the group would travel north to purchase special rocks good for the enchantment of thunderstones (forgotten the reference), for their huscarl as an initiate/acolyte/devotee of Hedkoranth. They would then travel with him partially up Kerofin to protect him while he undertakes the enchantment rituals in a darkseason thunderstorm. During this process he would then begin to Heroform and a "this world" heroquest begin... Darkness and other cults making appearances over a wild and miserable night. I would probably use Applelane to introduce Issaries and can use Lhankor Mhy and Chalana Arroy to provide specialist services during the ongoing adventures. I remember someone did a description of a Humakt initiation ceremony where the initate had to sever connection with kin by killing his dog and horse - can anybody remember this and point me to where it is. I will also look at doing little scenarios featuring Finovan, Helamakt, Heler, Yinkin, Urox, Elmal etc etc. I'm a old time traditionalist of Storm Tribe and Thunder Rebels... At the end of the year the players being given opportunity to then decide which of these cults they will join. One query: do you need to be an initiate (ie adult) prior to being allowed to become one of the winds of a Huscarl? ie will all characters need to initiate to Orlanth Adventurous or Ernalda prior to choosing a sub-cult or different cult all together. Anybody want to pick a cult and throw out a quick scenario? Sean

I still have problems with this "sensed" HQ where creatures can be "pulled in" to a Otherworld HQ. Assuming it is not a This World HQ, then I could see cults putting up there best players (or at least finding a way to) during times of high risk of Other World HQ's against them - to aid with defense. MOB's Sun County has those four 30-40 POW Spirits (North, South East & West) I presume they are the protectors against HQ's whilst a Sartar Clan would have its Wyter. When a clan comes under threat would its Rune levels 'share' guard duty with Wyters and such to help? As it is a Other World, they cannot get killed only weakened. In IT you get those denial of service attacks, something akin to a HQ attack where you get your best people working on the problem. For the 200 years of Hofstaring Treeleaper, was his clan free of Chaos attacks as he 'aided' its mythological defense. Esrolia's Building Wall Battle was probably undertaken on an earth cult High Holy Day, when the Lunars were at a low wane. In the case of knowing the antagonist you would help your wyter on the High Holy days of the opponent surely. Blue Moon trolls keep there cults high holy days a secret to prevent enemies (or targets) from guessing when something might or might not happen. In the case of "This World HW" you don't get pulled in you would seem to just walk into "trouble" ie Bituarians.

Well the Heroplane is without time, so godlearners are going to be "relatively" common in "easy' Heroquests. Un-less the Closing was a re-set to install parameters button - with some minor code changes. Then most GL would be gone but it would still leave a chance to encounter 1st Age Arkati, but I don't think they farmed HQ's like the GL's.

Lets say your Sartarite characters undertake a Heroquest with Sun Worshipers as the antagonists. In the quest they(Orlanth & some Thunder brothers) travel to Yelms palace to steal an item, and during the process they have to fight 4 palace guards or a Yelmic guard deity (one does not spring to mind). Assuming they succeed, they start in Sartar and pop into the gods world to undertake an "Otherworld Heroquest". Who do they end up fighting/defeating/killing, and what happens in the "This World". Is it the case that the 4 guards in the four corners of the Sartar Sun Dome are found dead at their posts the next morning? Do they remember have bad dreams on guard the night before? As the "Otherworld" is before time, someone was pulled into the Otherworld Heroquest and they will eventually die from it? Some Sundomers (as representatives of the guards in the HQ) somewhere in the past or future die? If there is a heroquest "Orlanth goes raiding" why don't (when they hear that the Lunars are invading in 1602) all warthanes throughout Sartar and Heortland start undertaking the heroquest to whittle down the attacking army as they move towards the Sartarite muster. I understand the "This World" heroquest (a good example being the Biturian[Cults of Prax] account with the Sundomers) is just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the "Other World" confuses me. Can you pop into an "Other World" HQ to get away from someone. Then go nowhere waiting and pop back out once time passes and the threat has passed. Always the Godlearner...