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BalazarLightson

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Everything posted by BalazarLightson

  1. Well, through many threads in the old Glorantha digests, BRP forums and eslewhere folk discussed the various interpretations of Yelmalio/Elmal/Tharkantus/Many-Suns, trying to descern the truth of what was going on. Funnily ironic given the cults association with the truth rune. I think the idea of Yelmalian Mysticism wad born on those threads and carried forth. Better scholars from different factions of the debate can explain it better than I can.I particularly bow to Simon in this case. Hopefully he can step in. Going back and looking at the riddling traditions between Orlanth and Yelmalio, it's a tradition that would increase the likelihood of illumination in those cults leaders. Such illumination would allow leaders to ignore cult strictures and lead thier congregations on new paths. So we end up with different cult versions in different areas, slightly altered myths and cult. Simon explores this idea a bit on the Soltakss website. He has lots of great ideas. I steal them liberally for my home games. Part of the reason for this variation in Elmal/Yelmalio is theoretically the interference of God Learners using their RuneQuest sight, playing with Sun myths in various cultures to unite, or divide, or play as they want, perhaps a possible fracturing of myths as avredult of thier interference. Who can truly know other then a truth cultist steeped in the history and myths of the various cults? The idea that the 'historical' mythical truth is somewhat variable, especially for a truth cult, might seem heretical, but in a mystic variant of the cult is rather central to the workings of the inner secrets of the cult. Illuminated cult leaders who have managed to avoid Gbajis trap of insanity and doubt understand the Nysaloric truth that they are the masters of their own meaning, their own values, and what the hope to create in the world, both temporally and mythically. It is difficult to explain to those who have not yet been illuminated, but you may get the drift. While Illuminated Olranthi Wind Lords are somewhat tied to the strong and widespread myths of Orlanth, and have trouble shaking them off, the leaders of these fractured Elmal/Yelmalio/Tharkanrus/Many-suns cults can take/make are more interesting path more easily, particularly using Truth powers under Illumination. Effectively an illuminated use of the Truth rune is to make truth in the world, given the will to manifest it. Thus Balazar made his kingdom, writing his own truth. This may all sound like utter bullshit to the uninitiated, and to the unilluminated that will always be the case, but once the truth of Tharkantus is laid out before the truly faithful it is plain to see. It is likely the closest thing to the RuneQuest sight spoken off in the old temple documents. Now, young disciple, what is for breakfast?
  2. Last time I GM'd a Yelmalian he was a family straight up career soldier, and I was leaning him pretty hard into Yelmalian Mysticism in Griffin Mountain campaign. My ultimate goal for him was to discover Firshala was the 'Heart of Fire' for Balazaring Yelmalians and bring her back to the Yelmalio as a woman's hero cult. Yelmalio is the God of the Light if Truth, I think his big secret since Nysalor is Illumination freeing his followers to make their own path, like Balazar in Votankiland. However, to get to that truth they must go through increasing ritual deprivation to realise they can work beyond imposed limitations. I honestly can't think of Yelmalio temple leaders without mystical elements, except within Sun County itself.
  3. The lack of Shield has definitely a sticking point with the Yelmalio PC in my game. He wants to recon his PC to another cult. Even some of the Geas requirements made him balk at gifts. He feels his PC is weak in combat versus the Babeesta For, even though he does most of the slaying. He lacks punch versus the heavy infantry without certain magic. I was thinking some kind of Shield Wall Ritual Spell for Yelmalio, something each member of a Phalanx can cast together... a bonus versus knockback, bonus to each Shield AP, maybe more. Some kind of Unit Wyter magic. I don't have a problem with Yelmalio get Shield through an associate cult either. I think a big part of playing Yelmalio is the mysticism behind Gifts and Geasa. I hope future writeup focus on that.
  4. I don't know why anyone would have disease spirits not do MP damage. Bestiary p166, paragraph 2, "Their initial spirit combat attack is normal." I think you have focussed too much on thier lack of CHA, or force of personality. They are simple things that act only as Mallia has created them, as mindless servants of Mallia, and their very high POW gives them more than enough grunt to wipe out adventurers, with 1D6 Spirit Combat Damage. PCs in our group niw whip out Spirit Block 3 and Glamour magic at the slightest sniff of Disease Spirits. We also house ruled that destroying a Disease spirit grants only +1 POW, but also an immediate stat gain roll on the stat it would otherwise have infected, potentially allowing faster recovery from infection.
  5. I'm curious what the mythic origins of Harpies might be in various cultures across the Lozenge? Do they vaguely follow the Greek tradition, and thus are creatures of Storm who embraced Chaos? Perhaps a chaos distorted kin of Windchildren? Or are they children of the Sky, who rejected the purity of the Sky for some other cause and fell to Chaos?
  6. Thank you Greg for opening the way for us all. The shock of the day, waking to the news of his passing, has given way to shared grief, and to hearing and reading stories from friends and compatriots of the joy he has brought us all. Over coming days, weeks, months, and years I hope and expect to hear more tales. May his example light the way that we might all leave such a wonderful legacy.
  7. I want some truly dynamic action scenes with Uz, Dragonnewts, and chaos. Too often FRPG art is static. I want some bloody action movie take on Glorantha. Oh, and the Black Horse Troop, Three Bean Circus, and Puppeteer Troop too please.
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