Byll

Your Chalana Arroy is now a bull dancer, let's hope her dodge skill is suitable for a non-combatant battlefield healer.

It might make sense that the Stormbull acts as if the Chalana Arroy has cast distraction 
Maybe the white goddess will notice, and provide some shimmer or some other buffs (or inspire a comrade to do so)
If she survives a few rounds of charges she can try de-escalating the Stormbull again.
Shouts of appreciation at each pass  from bystanding Stormbulls, Solars and lightbringers might not go amiss

I pretty much decided that my RQG characters wouldn't be seeking inspiration from Runes or Passions when I fell into despair after fumbling against devotion to my deity (about 75% I think) in my very first combat. Fortunately it was a big enough party to survive instant loss of one character for the episode, and the RP was interesting, but would I do it again? well I did once, with another character for a mere fail penalty... - that's enough inspiration.

Just keep your nose clean, keep the faith and don't be trying to show off with that 'holier than thou' shit 

3 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

Pretty sure you don't get to put someone to Sleep, disarm him and tie him up, and let your friends kill him as soon as he wakes. That makes no sense to me.

"Out of contact" seems right. Basically, "Now run off, and I will try to make my friends give you a few minutes before they come after you."

And anyway, Sleep + Ransom seems like an excellent money-maker, and doesn't require killing anyone. 🙂

There is something in what you say.

If the foe is tied up and no threat by the time the Chalana Arroy's spell wears off then I'd agree it would offend Chalana Arroy if an ally killed them. So one should protest and interpose to protect the tied up foe. 

If the foe is unrestrained and still in possession of their weapons when the spell wears off then I think the Chalana Arroy expects her party to give the foe an opportunity to flee or surrender. If the foe elects to renew combat, I don't think that the Chalana is obliged to make herself the foe's hostage or victim to shield them from her friends.

Of course if the foe is obviously chaotic then there is requirement to protect them 

On 1/7/2022 at 5:45 PM, Jeff said:

Foes incapacitated by a Chalana Arroy initiate (e.g., through a spell such as Befuddle or Sleep) are under her protection.

On 1/7/2022 at 5:45 PM, Jeff said:

She may not allow them to be harmed in any way, though they may be disarmed or captured.

20 hours ago, soltakss said:

Presumably, she can allow them to leave and then her protection ends. Personally, I would escort them to a place of safety and let them go. I would not allow others to harm them as soon as I have released them from my protection, for example.

I've always understood the intent to be that such foes are only under her protection far as long as they continue to be incapacitated by her spell. Although their position may be significantly more perilous after her spell has lapsed, once they are no longer incapacitated, the foes are responsible for whether they surrender, parley or continue to use violence.

In most cases, if I was the Chalana Arroy, I would be trying to talk my comrades and foes down from reengaging in combat if it had paused enough for my voice to be heard.

I would not feel obliged to interpose myself to defend a foe no longer incapacitated, nor would I mark an ally who acted against a recovered foe as an offender against Chalana Arroy.

On 1/7/2022 at 5:45 PM, Jeff said:

Ideally, Chalana Arroy’s healers value all life equally. In practice, a hierarchy of value exists; plants are eaten for food, and if necessary, an animal can be killed to heal a sentient being or another, more valuable, animal. Animals are also killed to obtain ingredients for medicines. Such slaughter must be done sparingly and as mercifully as possible.

21 hours ago, soltakss said:

I would have butchers employed at Chalana Arroy Temples to do such a thing, to ensure the Chalana Arroy Initiates can keep their hands clean.

I can't see the Chalana Arroy cult employing the butchers directly, or allowing them to operate on Chalana temple property. They would have to work nearby, sponsored by Chalana - members of other cults, or work pro-bono

On 1/7/2022 at 5:45 PM, Jeff said:

The killing of an intelligent being is never acceptable. 

What does this even mean?

The easy take is I as a Chalana will never kill an intelligent being, even a chaotic one. Fine

Suppose one of my friends and allies has killed an intelligent being... (not a rare ocurrence)

1/ "I refuse to accept that you killed that broo Priest of Thanatar. If Lhankor Mhy / Irrippi Ontor sages question me about it my truthful reply will be that it never happened, sorry, that's the way it has to be"

2/ "You are beyond the pale I shall no longer associate with you, and don't expect a sacred time card from me"

I would think disguise could be a cult skill for Heler, and I'd put sling or dodge ahead of spear. I was contemplating trying to generate a Heler entertainer NPC the other day

Yeah, I took me ages to spot who uses the Peace rune spell even in the RQG main book. The Three Bean Circus grants it to the High Priestesses of Eiritha and Ernalda. It would be nice to have a look-up table of some sort.

For what it's worth, I agree with those who say that since a Telmori character has no agency over what they do when they're transformed, (or even over when it happens), there is no point in accounting for Runepoints to do it. It would appear to require more than 48 rp per season if one did. Wolf's Head, Wolfrunning, Wolfhide, and Transform Self would last one hour so a point of extension would be needed to raise the duration to one day, and it would cost 9rp per week or 72rp per season. The equivalent can't even be done like this voluntarily by a Telmori unless they are co-initiated into another runecult because Telmor doesn't have access to extension. 

There's no mention of pure ones or cursed ones in the Bestiary. There's also no insert box for 'Creating a Wolfbrother Adventurer' as there are for Elf, Baboon, Centuar, Duck, Minotaur, Man-and-a-halh, Morokanth, Dwarf, Dark-Troll, Great-Troll, Trollkin. 

Have pure ones dropped out of Runequest Glorantha?

May your flock heed Heler's portents and your woolclip bounce you to the clouds and back

First, grow your bananas...

On 9/10/2021 at 5:05 AM, simonh said:

I think there’s an unfortunate blanket association of Chalana Arroy with healing generally. That is, that healer necessarily means Chalana Arroy initiate at least and I think that’s mistaken. Many people in Glorantha that are chirurgeons, tooth pullers, that look after the sick or care for the injured in battle are probably lay members of the cult at most. A lot may primarily worship Ernalda, or maybe Lankor Mhy or some other cult.  Many of these get powerful healing rune magic from CA anyway as associate cults. I think devoting to CA is a pretty extreme commitment that’s unlikely for someone not ideologically committed to that very idealised view of the world, at least that’s how I think about it.

15 hours ago, g33k said:

I'm working on an Ernaldan healer-focus character.  She's rather a CA-wannabe (I may even make her a wash-out Challana'n).

She just can't *quite* manage the non-violence schtick...

She dual-wields shields in combat. 

See, she doesn't actually WANT to fight or hurt anyone... she just wants to get to the downed person she wants to heal (even mid-battlefield), without actually striking to harm (unlike a genuine CA, she's willing to bull-rush, knock-back, etc).

 

I'm currently running an Oria (Ernalda) Healer attached to a Lunar vexillum.

She not such a Chalana light... She doesn't want or expect to have to fight in combat (that's her comrades' job) but she has dagger at 90% (including manipulation modifiers) and carries her late husband's large shield around, not entirely for sentimental reasons. If anybody threatens her with violence, she'll happily kill them.

Maybe if they're just incapacitated, she'll heal them afterwards (once the manacles are on). She has Heal 6 and a ton of Ernalda healing rune magic. Her unit are quite happy that she's not disadvantaged on dying / new moon days. Her Moon and Fire affinities are actually higher than her Earth affinity but she can use Harmony and Fertility for most of her Runespell casting.

On 9/2/2021 at 6:43 PM, Jeff said:

Not even Shield. Just Dodge.

If this seems harsh = it is. The worship of the goddess Chalana Arroy is an extremely harsh and prohibitive one in many respects, and especially in the nature of their self-defense. In fact, the cult expressly prohibits the use of any weapons or magic which may damage a part of the world. 

 

On 9/9/2021 at 8:15 PM, g33k said:

I'd allow CA to take "shield-bearer" training aimed at protecting others, specifically those injured or otherwise under their care (e.g. Slept, Befuddled, or otherwise magically disabled by CA action) (never had a player express interest in this option, however).

On 9/9/2021 at 8:39 PM, PhilHibbs said:

I think that would be valid, we've already seen a subcult that is ok with killing chaos creatures, so training with a shield, with specific focus on not hurting the attacker on a special or critical, I think is an entirely believable fringe CA heresy.

On 9/10/2021 at 4:41 AM, simonh said:

I think that’s too close to participating in, and aiding and abetting the injury of others. I don’t have a problem with a CA defending themselves or a non-combatant in an emergency situation, but defending a combatant like and in particular training in techniques to do that is fighting IMHO.

Personally, my view of Chalana Arroy is that she does not condone opposing force with force. As Jeff says, using an implement designed to improve your ability to stand up in combat is going to incur her disapproval. In my opinion the Chalana healer's only direct option to defend someone she has incapacitated with Sleep or Befuddle is to interpose her unarmed 'unresisting' self between them and the threat, and hope that the taboos against injuring a healer make the would be attacker look for a less troubling target.

6 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

With CA, I think it’s not a case of them condemning violence for everyone (although they may lament it), and more a case of ”I won’t do such things”. If the question of war comes up in the clan ring, the CA representative might be opposed and remind everyone of the costs, but not condemn the whole enterprise as unethical. (I think, at least.)

Somewhere under sacrifices rules, it mentions that although Chalana does not accept blood sacrifices, she does not condemn their use by other deities. There may be an element of trying to avoid annoying people who you aspire to influence.

5 hours ago, simonh said:

RQ is a game and we play it to have fun, so there’s no point party pooping with CA healer characters that get preachy and condemn everyone all the time. They’ll give their opinion and that’s that.

Ethically there is an issue concerning enabling conflict and slaughter. A war band with a capable healer is a more effective fighting force and can keep fighting for longer. They might refuse to compromise of make peace with an enemy because they think they can win a fight due to the advantage a healer gives them. That’s not good.

On the other hand the goddess did accompany the other Lightbringers. She was an adventuring goddess who went out into dangerous places. Of course the aim of that quest was to right a wrong, to heal a would and restore a broken world. It is reasonable for a Chalanan character to care what it’s all about and if they’re just being used, or if they could do more good elsewhere.

Last time I played a Chalana I ended a combat by casting sleep on the (dazed and confused) NPC who's combat with another NPC we had stumbled upon resulting in it attacking us. My character was able to persuade the party and NPC to join forces in this instance, but communication and persuasion are not really in Chalana initiates' core skill set, so if you plan to play long term with a Chalana, it may be useful to have and Issaries, Etyries or Argan Argar who can smooth over these Chalana interrupted conflicts gracefully rather than there being soreness in the party over how to treat the opponent.

2 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

I wonder if it's considered poor form to hold a CA healer for ransom. Non-violence might be good for the soul, but it makes it easier to capture you. And you likely don't get to stop healing everyone who needs it just because you're their captive, either.

A good Chalanan shouldn't be conflicted about healing people. If there are injured or sick people in front of them, then they should triage them and heal them in order of need.

Keeping a Chalanan captive might not be so trivial unless the captor has lockable rooms, manacles stout ropes etc to hand. If the Chalanan thinks they are needed more elsewhere and determinedly tries to leave, then the captor is going to have to use violence against the Chalanan to prevent that. That might be construed as allowing the Chalanan to embargo any cult healing of the offender. 

I'm playing a Yinkini-heritage Ernaldan camp-follower/healer for a Lunar expedition in the Rockwoods. A bit like Nik's actual Yinkini she has CHA 17 and 95 fertility, is always coming on to PCs and NPCs and hates getting wet. She's not just a healer in combat, but that's where most of her rune magic goes (apart from Charisma). 

Shine, Sun Worshipper

The father of the young Bison in Heroquest Voices said -

Quote

How do we deal with others?

You can trust everyone in your family and clan. We always help each other in times of need. If all your beasts die or are taken, if you are crippled, or if your wife or children are taken as slaves, your people will aid and provide for you. Other Bison clans are our friends, but they only have to help us against Chaos or when we’re in big trouble, and you must always pay them back. We’re better than they are, but we all have the same Founder.

Watch out for people from other tribes. Although they follow Waha’s Way, they are sneaky, and they all want to steal your animals and enslave or kill you. It is only safe to talk to them at the Paps, when you are strongest, or when all the Dedra have allied under a khan of khans to fight a great enemy, such as when Jaldon Toothmaker led us to destroy Pavis and raid the Sunset Lands called Dragon Pass.

People from outside the Greatlands are our prey. Their weakness is good only for robbing. Never trust them, lie to them if you want, kill them and take their goods if you wish. They don’t know Waha’s Way at all, and that means they aren’t proper humans, even lower than the despicable morocanth, who are people even though they look like beasts

It doesn't sound like hospitality extends beyond the Animal Nomad tribe.Demonstrating kinship would probably still apply, and the Sables and Ostriches practise matrilineal exogamy, while the rest are patrilineal. Kinship through the incoming spouse probably still counts for something, but not as much as that through the resident party. Everybody probably welcomes a Chalana Arroy nomad, but there aren't many of them wandering the plains and they may be regarded as holy innocents rather than adult tribespeople. I guess Stormbull gangs have their own customs, but I doubt whether 'hospitality' is the right term for them.

I'm all for them hanging around in a half-arsed way ignoring the caster unable to tell friend from foe for the full 15 minutes, but that's not how the Bestiary entry for summoned elementals reads to me. 

Quote

They are capable of being controlled by spells, but when left on their own, they will simply do whatever is natural: fire elementals burn flammable materials within reach, water elementals flee to the lowest possible spot, earth elementals sink into the soil, darkness elementals flee light, and air elementals breeze around.

The uncontrolled fire elemental is useful if summoned in a sensible place, possibly the water one too, but most of the rest appear to just flee the scene if you have not controlled them (it's going to be rare for there to be no light for a darkness elemental to flee)

The Beastiary seems to me to say that unless an elemental is commanded it will not act in support of it's summoner.

Since a large elemental's average POW is 20, even a priest with 21 POW would only have a 55% chance of overcoming it's POW to command it.

That sort of means you'd need to be be truly desperate to summon a large elemental unless you had a tag team of other casters prepared to step in to command it if the first attempt fails. Spending five rune points for a even chance that the the large Earth Elemental 'sinks into the soil' seems like a poor option.

Of course the elemental may have lower than average POW, but equally it may have more than average POW.

I'm antiquated and prefer hardcopy anyway, though digital has its uses when away from home.

I'm getting the (leatherette) hardcover for the artwork and the correct baked in rune font. My old iMac got very confused about the runes it would show for a spell in PDF

10 minutes ago, Jape_Vicho said:

Btw I would love to see the face of a Lhankor Mhy priest that gets asked by a baboon to be initiated. 

Hairy chin? check. Seems legit

2 hours ago, Paid a bod yn dwp said:

As mentioned I may need a heard beast 

Giant tortoise? No, no. Something faster, a Hyena. Its not quite a Praxian beast like the Baboons not quite a Praxian person (In that neither are in Waha's covenant, but both live in Prax and the Wastes

There's an inset on P29 of the Bestiary about Baboon adventurers. For the Praxian Background skills, personally, I would substitute Animal Lore for Ride (Herdbeast) and Track for Herd.

I can't really see a baboon gaining loyalty to some place called Sartar because his grandad got himself killed in some foreign war, Honour's fair enough and hating bad people.

The last sentence "This spell may only be cast on wildday, and can only be cast on an Initiate or Rune Master of the god" appears in the RQG book but not in the RQG Bestiary (Telmor) or the RBoM