Darius West

In Australia their "rivers" are essentially trench-like depressions in the ground filled with rocks, as you would find in a Japanese ornamental garden without water. These rocky trails could easily be mistaken for paths, and were very evident when I last visited Adelaide a couple of years ago. However they all exploded into life last week with the heavy rains and brought the city to a standstill. My father had the questionable fortune of being caught in the action during an interstate meeting.

Restoring a hymen probably only takes 1 point of healing. It is hardly a major wound requiring a "regrow limb" style of magical investment. It sounds like the sort of ritual you can perform daily. Do you ever get the feeling that unicorns and their whole virginity fetish are just a tad creepy? Do they have a "sense virginity" skill, or is it more like "sense sexually active female", with virgins as the null set? It is mentioned that unicorns mate with certain types of deer, but deer don't have hymens in our world. Only mammals with an aquatic evolution in our world do, dolphins, whales, pigs, hippos, and we humans. We are decidedly odd apes.

So, Ethilrist's steeds are darkness demons. The trolls may even approve?

Well the mounts are referred to as demon mounts who devour their victims. To be fair, perhaps they are darkness creatures, but Sense Chaos tells me otherwise...

Pavis invented his own sorcery? Like Zzabur?

In my most recent campaign Innsmouth wound up being taken over by the Mi-Go a la "Invasion of the body snatchers" after the actions of the players. The dominance of the Marsh family slipped, and the Gold refinery was reinvigorated by new capital as Denver Terrestrial Technologies took over and began investing in Bolton's disuses rare earth mines. Innsmouth is looking more house proud and prosperous these days and the train line has re-opened. It is still all secrets and Stepford wives, but there are new masters. It sounds a bit like this Innsmouth 1950s, which amuses me.

The question then becomes, where did Pavis learn this Auld Wyrmish sorcery, because the EWF draconic mysticism was essentially philosophically incompatible with it. To this I can see only one clear answer. There was only one sorcerer of note in the EWF, and that was Delecti, (creator of the beast men, survivor of the Dragonkill, exile of the God Learners). That is unless Pavis went to the Clanking Ruins and met up with the Zistorites and their stolen Mostali magic, but then I doubt event he Openhandists would have tolerated him. The Delecti idea also goes some way towards explaining the plethora of vampires in the Big Rubble.

I think Snakepipe Hollow probably needs Chaos units. The usual Broos, Ogres, Dragonsnails, and perhaps The Hand. The game probably needs a matrix of what bonuses and subtractions you get with other allies for recruiting various allies. For example Cragspider would be annoyed by the recruitment of Yelmalio, the Grazelanders (Sunnies),the Aldryami or the Dwarves and vice versa. I can't imagine Sir Ethilrist's chaos mounts are widely loved either.

I have just been looking through Plunder. It makes you wonder about the deeds of Gazhmen, Tora, Bajora, Mazoo, Minanen,and Nosma(s? typo).

Thanks for the info 7Tigers and M Heldson. That was some solid information to draw from. I wonder if the Fox king refers in any way to the Red Fox clan of Colymar? Pesky trickster kings eating people, head hunting and teasing folks by behaving chaotic. Anyone would think trickster was a front for chaos worship... We had a trickster who cut his own head off and then spoke to people just to "freak the normals". When will tricksters learn that Thanatar isn't nice to joke about? Our Gray Sage had a conniption! I think I read something in issue 1 of RQ Adventures had a local headhunting spirit cult based around the worship of "Otyan", perhaps the pre-chaotic form of Atyar? Was it in Tradetalk too? I think that is the Fort Engoli reference. Did nothing show up on this topic in Guide to Glorantha? I ask because I missed out on the first edition (but will be damned if I will miss the second). Here is wiki's trimmed down summary on headhunting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headhunting Supposedly the Celts also had a magic weapon made of the brain of a Formorian dipped in lime (stone) called a Tathlum. I know that Samurai had a whole system of etiquette and divination based on the severed heads of their enemies quite apart from the bare sketch that wiki provides. I wonder if there is anything else in the RQ fanon or canon? If not I will just have to write it I guess. I am GMing a refugee kid, born in Pavis who is "going home" to Tovtari lands, who needs a bit of culture shock.

Well those puppy sucklers over Wyrm's High Pass have their own way of doing things. She sounds like an Ogre heroine to me, who comes back like Mani or Jaldon. Shamans can be a huge nuisance that way.

So apparently there are tribes of the Orlanthi who take their enemies heads as magical trophies, not like Thanatari but in a less chaotic way. I would suspect that this would be most prevalent among somewhat primitive Orlanthi like the Vantaros and the Tovtaros tribes in northern Sartar. Has anything been written on this outside it being mentioned in GS lore auctions? Fact check me while I rip this tool from Thanatar, to confound his presence in the scheme of being etc...

Name: The Hunting and Waltzing Torc Description: A strange looking torc, with a flexible golden mesh band reminiscent of scales, and tipped with a dragon bone dragon head, and a dragon bone tail that join together to form the Ouroboros, unlike other torcs. The eyes of the dragon are marked as a beast rune and a dragonewt rune, and the tail has a dragon rune on its underside. Cults: ASSOCIATED: Dragonewts, Orlanth Dragonfriend, Maran Gor. Knowledge: Limited to old Orlanthi Tribes with a history of supporting the EWF. It is also known to the Earthshaker Temple in Tarsh, and to Dragonewts. History: The dragon path was not known for its use of external magical items, but humans tended to ignore such niceties in favor of pragmatism. The Hunting and Waltzing torcs were created as a means of supporting the human military arm of the EWF by providing them with extra control over the dinosaurs they employed in battle. Procedure: These items are worn around the neck. The wearer will notice nothing unusual about it but becomes aware of the presence of dinosaurs, dragons or dragonewts within 120 yards. They can hear the instincts and emotions of the dinosaurs quite loudly, but the dragonewts and dragons can choose whether to communicate. The torcs do not detect as magical, as dragon magic is ascetic and not within the normal purview of detect magic spells. Divine magic will be able to identify the torcs as magical. Powers: The torc will allow communication via mindspeech with dragons and dragonewts in range as if the wearer were fluent in Auld Wyrmish. It allows the wearer to control dinosaurs within range if they succeed in a POW vs POW contest. This control can become a permanent bond at the cost of 2 points of permanent POW, but only within range, and only when the torc is worn. A torc wearer may also bind a fetch or allied spirit into a dinosaur as their preferred familiar. Torcs cannot contest control of a dinosaur, and the first controller maintains dominance. While the torc wearer is able to control the dinosaur, any strong emotion experienced by the torc wearer may be transferred to the dinosaur if it is in range, and so the item must be used with care. Removing the torc will remove the effects of control, as will moving outside the 120 yard range. These items allow for a greater ease in the care and training of dinosaurs offering +50% in Dinosaur Husbandry and Dinosaur Training due to the close link of the wearer to the beasts. The torcs may be used to simultaneously control more than one dinosaur, but this requires a very disciplined mind, allowing the control of an additional dinosaur for every point of INT and POW over 16. To maintain this control over multiple dinosaurs in battle will require a successful Battle skill roll each round or they will begin to stray depending on the circumstances of battle. Value: 80,000L. Military powers may be more enthusiastic at the prospect of the power of these items and pay as much as double. That is of course assuming they don't merely confiscate it.

We have used Arroin's blood (once), chaos slime, morokanth thumbs, storm bull's ear, and styx water.

Name: The Cloaks of Finovan's Riders Description: A woolen cloak dyed in dark green and red tartan that smells of horses, cattle, and blood even after being washed repeatedly. It detects as being magical. Cults: Associated - Orlanth, Thunder Brothers, Finovan. FRIENDLY - Eurmal, Lanbril. Knowledge: Mentioned in the many folk tales and songs about Finovan History: Finovan the Thunder Brother was a wonder to behold when it came to stealing cattle, but all too often he needed to ride with those less skilled in such pursuits. He complained of this to the women of the Storm Tribe, and gaining their consent, they wove the cloaks that Finovan subsequently enchanted. There were 11 such cloaks made. Procedure: You wear it like a cloak. To create the effect you sweep it dramatically open. Powers: When swept dramatically open, the cloak will create a billow of mist that spreads rapidly covering an area 15 paces in radius around the wearer that will hang in hollows and valleys for up to half an hour. It can be used twice a day. The mist will distort sound and create false images of men and beasts within the mist. This has the effect of reducing opponent's Scan, Listen, and Missile skills by 40%. Darksight is unaffected. Detect enemies and detect cattle spells will simply detect the mist. The spell Cloudclear will remove the effect. Value: Wise orlanthi will pay as much as 50,000L

NOOOO! Don't stop this emerging flame war ! It has mythic resonance!

As the elves are the only elder race not included in the game I really support this.

Thanks for that link. It is a good one. Plenty of other useful things to boot.

Name: The Truthful Toe Description: An ovoid and abrasive leathery pad about an inch and a half in diameter at its longest and about half an inch at its shortest. It is about a quarter of an inch thick. It is marked with a truth rune and detects as magical. Cults: ASSOCIATED - Buserian FRIENDLY - Issaries, Eiritha UNFRIENDLY - Lhankor Mhy, Trickster. Knowledge: Known and valued among knowledge deities and truth rune cults. History: In the days before the Spike was destroyed Llama was widely appreciated for his profound wisdom. He watched the stars with a natural mysticism that allowed his neck to grow so he could see further, and he never ever told a lie. His kindness, honesty and devotion won him the affection and admiration of the Lady of the Light of Wisdom. Given his gregarious and affable nature, Llama was popular with deities of harmony and communication as well, and became great friends with Issaries. During the darkness Llama conducted himself with stoicism, and fortitude, and did what he could to help people survive, particularly by teaching them what canny young Waha had learned. He also traveled far and wide and had great discussions with Buserian about the stars. Llama was so popular that he was well on his way towards becoming a god in his own right, but he had an enemy and rival of whom he was unaware; the jealous Lhankor Mhy, who resented the competition for his lady's affections and his friendship with Issaries. So it was that when it came time for the lottery to decide which of Waha's followers would become herd beasts and which would remain sentient, Lhankor Mhy enlisted Eurmal the trickster to find a way to insure that Llama lost his wits. As Llama had often seen through Eurmal's methods in the past, Trickster was overjoyed to be involved, and the lottery saw the sage-like Llama turned into a beast through Trickster's chicanery. Of those times and the wisdom of Llama little is left except the Truthful Toe. Procedure: Take the toe pad of a High Llama and consecrate it in the name of the Goddess of the Light of Wisdom in a temple of Buserian. Expend 2POW and carve into it the truth rune which is then consecrated with one's own blood (1hp). Thereafter the item is completed, and may be used. Powers: The Truthful Toe has the power to remove falsehood and errors. If it is run over letters, whether on parchment, papyrus, paper, clay or stone, even tattoos, it will erase all falsehood and any mistakes, leaving a clear surface ready for corrections. It can also be used to destroy illusions. Despite the item's potential usefulness, Lhankor Mhy cultists who come into possession of a Truthful Toe are required to burn it on an altar to their god, so the Goddess of the Light of Wisdom will not remember her old flame. Tricksters and Chaos creatures who touch the Truthful toe will take 2hp worth of acid damage per round as it erases them. It may only be used 50 times before it abrades away into the mere dust of the prairie, but it can generally be used to erase 10 pages per use. Value: 5000L.

Wow MOB! Who'd have thought it? I swear you wander past these things all your adventuring career and never notice it. Did Rurik know?

Name: The Hump of the Blessed Description: A foul smelling hairy lump of fur and skin. If cut open it reveals blood and fat. It detects as magical and Praxians can sense its holiness. Cults: ASSOCIATED - Eiritha. FRIENDLY - Waha, Storm Bull. Enemy - Chaos Knowledge: Cult Secret, sadly also known to Praxian broos. History: With the terrible events of the God's War in Prax, Eiritha took steps to protect certain of her children with extra physical powers to improve their chances of survival in the harsh wastes that had taken the place of the verdant lands of Genert. Procedure: Perform an Eiritha hero quest in the Paps, and win the favor of the Goddess such that she gifts you with a piece of herself. Powers: The item must be grafted onto a living beast with a successful use of the Peaceful Cut. This will not slay the beast, but will make the implanting of the item less painful and distressing. The item merges with the animal and allows them to extend the period which they can go without water by 3 weeks. The beast is also able to regenerate 1hp per combat round (but not after death). The item may subsequently removed after the beast's death with another peaceful cut. If one possesses the hump it is possible to cut it open and subsist on the fat and blood within indefinitely if it is healed 3hp after each meal, as each meal does around 3hp damage. It can take 15hp damage before the item is destroyed, as it doesn't regenerate on its own. If this item is grafted onto a human they gain the powers but have their intelligence fixed as a herd man. Broos are particularly enamored of the item as they can graft them onto themselves without issue, while gaining the water and regenerative powers. Value: 10,000L. More to Praxians who will probably pay in livestock (or treachery).

Thanks. Yes, I think we can assume that Sir Dagobert was a jingoistic chauvanist, and a man typical of his age. I'm sure I would poison his sherry.

Name: Sir Dagobert's Tail Coat Description: A flowing fur cloak made of white and black tufts of fur, dusty but in surprisingly good condition. A successful beast lore roll will reveal that it is made from a series of impala tails sewn together. The inside is lined with green Kralorelan silk embroidered with beautiful illustrations of horses at the gallop, and tastefully integrated runes of illusion, beast, mobility and stasis. It detects as strongly magical. Cults: ASSOCIATED - Hwarosian Mysteries FRIENDLY - Malkioni, Pure Horse, Chaos ENEMY - Prax Nomads Knowledge: Forgotten save to perhaps the most avid scholars of God Learnerism History: Sir Dagobert was a Jrustelan hero of the Second Age who came from a long lineage of horse breeders. He was posted to Prax, a land known for its absurd mounts, and so he invested in a cargo of fine Brevan coursers that he assumed he could sell to the locals at a good return. Imagine his surprise when the ungrateful Praxian pygmie wretches slaughtered his horses. Sir Dagobert made it a point of honor to assert Jrustelan cavalry supremacy in Prax, challenging all comers to joust, but routinely simply slaughtering the locals. His particular hatred was meted out to the pygmies, whom his sorcerously fast warhorse "Short Shrift" trampled without mercy. Ultimately he discovered the secret of the ball of tails, and had this God Learner travesty constructed to firmly demonstrate his contempt for Prax and its people. It is said that Sir Dagobert died during the stomping of Robcradle, but mention of his coat is subsequently linked to one Rhegus the Blurry who is said to have died in the fall of Zistorwall. Procedure: Steal the secrets of the Praxians, take the tails of many impalas, and pervert them through the foul rites of the Hwarosian Sorcery, and then proudly wear the obscenely ostentatious monstrosity Powers: The tail coat subtracts 25% from all missile attacks against the wearer. It has 222 points of magic point storage. It has been enchanted to provide the wearer with 12AP and immunity to suffocation. It is estimated there are 18 impala tails in the coat. It has one more power which is not obvious; it makes flies avoid the cloak wearer and his mount. Value: Some would pay of an order of 250,000L for this item. Praxians who realize what it is will almost certainly attack without warning.

Sex with Gorgorma? I think we better nip that in the bud!

That is a good suggestion Charles. Obviously Argrath is going to have a lot of Lunar plunder to potentially trade. As to putting a Storm in the sky, it does seem that Kallyr had dealings in that area. Who knows what is possible?