Darius West

Suggestions: What will soften dream dragon skin? How exactly does one work the skin or scales? While it continues to exist, Dream Dragon skin will be much like Dragonewt Skin, given that Dragon Dreams like others are based on infantile wish fulfillment. Such skin can be made pliable with a corrosive (acid) which has had its potency reduced by mixing with water. A good tanner will be able to strip the skin of collagen and fat, and render it cuttable, and pliable at least at the joints. The scales are essentially large plates, and will need treatment to remove flesh, and collagen. The plates then need to be drilled with holes and then sewn onto or into the surface they will become a part of. Hard to obtain material(s)? Yes definitely. This is not Dragonewt skin armor we are dealing with here. Some specialized magic – possibly some alchemic sorcery provided by a Lhankor Mhy sage ? The great problem is that the Dream Dragon will begin to dissolve rather than rot. This can be arrested by crystallizing the dream hide into existence. This will require crushing magic crystals (high in Magic and Stasis runes. The point value of the crystals should be equal to the total AP of the hide that will cover all locations) into a fine powder, which will require a pressure tested iron (steel) mortar and pestle and giant strength (15d6 damage bonus) to provide the force. It will also require dinosaur hide of a similar thickness. The crystal powder needs to be dissolved into a Potency 17 acid along with dreamweed (illusion) and dinosaur or wyvern blood (or any blood with high Dragon or Dragonewt Rune count, but not Dream Dragon blood) until the concentration reaches Potency 10 through saturation. The dinosaur hide needs to be of a mass equal to that of the armor and it must be dissolved completely in the potency 10 acid until it is reduced to Potency 5 through saturation. The remaining potency 5 solution needs to be reduced to potency 1 through dissolving anything with a high concentration of Stasis Runes until the potency is reduced to 2. This remaining brew is then painted over the dream dragon armor in successive layers to replace material that has been lost to dissolution back into the stuff of dreams. The sorcery spell Preserve Item is also advisable during this process to keep the entirety in a matrix that is conducive to reforming (this spell will pretty much guarantee success (99%) if the other conditions are met, otherwise it is only 65% likely to work). The quantity of acid that will be required should be in the gallons, and the coatings should be applied with a hyssop fibre brush or broom (Spirit Rune).

Of course Lanbril uses unorthodox recipes like Thunder Lung Dust, Dust of Death, Scent-Stop Dust. Stink Dust, Sleep Powder venom, Smoke bombs, and Flares, not to mention mechanical contrivances like the Magic Chirper, the Whumper, the Thief's Helper, and of course Lockpicks. I could imagine with a bit of effort it might be possible to create a dust that can act like a Dispel magic spell, or a dust that makes people hallucinate.

I totally agree. Have to seen the saddle on that old bike example tho?

I handled the matter this way in New Pavis: P8 The Jolanti Building. Named by a former owner, Dannil Dwarffriend, this building is notable as it was made with rock from the old quarries and by Flintnail cultists. The simplicity of its fluted cornice work and simple geometric motifs lend the building a certain dignified austerity. This block of shops is actually owned by Fezrek the Alchemist who rents space to various other businesses. The Jolanti Building has no superintendant, and Fezrek will send his apprentices to fix anything that goes wrong, or do it himself to save money. The Jolanti Building contains four shops, all related to Fezrek's criminal activities. Hold, Carry & Sell ***. Owned by Garald Hardbreeks (M34Pavic). This shop is a general outfitter for expeditions into the Big Rubble, or for travelling more generally. If you want camping supplies, this is a good place. Garald sells backpacks, rope, pitons and hammers, various light sources, dried foods including Praxian pemmican (called prakas), and even Dwarf cans, tinderboxes, fire drills, bedding, blankets, tarpaulins, Dwarven nesting mess kits, wet weather clothing, bug repellant paste, water skins and canteens, you name it. What is less well known is that Garald sells Lanbril Specialist tools like chirpers, whumpers, lockpicks, and thief's helpers, as well as Lanbril alchemical products like Thunder Lung Dust, Visibility Dust, Stink Dust, Scent Stop Dust, Sleep Powder, Smoke Bombs and Flares. Garald keeps these items ferreted away in a hidden panel in his store-room, and will sell only to those who can cast a Lanbril cult spell. Garald is a Lanbril initiate. Fezrek's Glassware and Elixirs ****. Fezrek Dwarffriend aka Fezrek the Philosopher (M57Pavic) runs a professional alchemical shop here. He sells a number of mundane products such as dyes and mordants, cleaning products made from urea or vinegar, that Godlearner alchemical aberration from the Sorcerous West called "soap", bug repellant paste, and so forth. He also sells curative potions and pills, vials of corrosive acid, poisons, and the like for adventurers. What is not generally known is that Fezrek is responsible for making the various Lanbril Items that Garald Hardbreeks sells on the sly. Fezrek started his adult life with the Lhankor Mhy temple as an initiate, and became fascinated with alchemy, and as a result shifted his focus to study with the Dwarves, who recognized his talents and drive. Fezrek eventually left Lhankor Mhy to become a Flintnail cultist and to study Mostali Alchemy. Once he had exhausted the obvious sources of alchemical lore, and learned a lot about mechanisms and devices, Fezrek eventually fell into the ambit of the Lanbril Cult when he needed money, and they needed his particular expertise. Fezrek has 6 apprentices who work for him in his lab rooms, of which Perel the Quip (M22Pavic), and Mindro the Smart (M25Adari) are from the notorious Lanbril thief ring known as the Hole Lords, and one, Wulfgar the Righteous (M27Pavic) is (unknown to anyone present, especially Fezrek) a Black Fang initiate there to learn poison secrets. The other three are Tollen Fillathson (M16Pavic) who is from the Farmer's Quarter and glad to have a good apprenticeship, Mollani Beardseeker (F17Pavic) who is Kost the Tracker's granddaughter but has failed twice in her Lhankor Mhy initiation, and Denthil Knowsit (M23Pavic) the most diligent apprentice, who lives in Riverside. Perel the Quip is a wiseguy and a mediocre thief, but with decent social skills who is stuck in a rut and basically exists to be a second rate guard for Fezrek while spying on him for Rat (A major organizer of the Hole Lords). Mindro the Smart showed up at age 23, too late for a normal apprenticeship, but Frezrek invented a cover story for him being a hard luck case from Adari who would work for a pittance. Mindro is actually smart, and competent, and while quiet, makes a decent living in his double life with the Hole Lords, being good at second story work. Reputable Remedies *. Run by Fezrek's oldest apprentice Merban Fingerstained, this shop began as a place selling alchemical medicines, but has gradually declined in popularity save for one item, the "Men's Herbal Re-invigoration tonic" which is sold to "Reinvigorate the growth and color of one's hair". Absolute nonsense of course, as none of the men who buy it ever regrow a strand of hair or have a grey strand grow color. It is in fact a medicine to aid in one's "marital duties". Merban runs a side business after hours, selling copies of an illustrated line of Esrolian scrolls on "Ulerian Technique and Variations", cleverly greased and sewn impala gut condoms in little parchment squares, a decoction of Vingan Henna that serves as a contraceptive for women if consumed regularly, smooth ceramic phalluses that can be filled with warm water, a popular line of “life drawing” nudes of clearly pornographic nature, and a number of Teshnan miniatures that are quite obscene and sexually explicit. None of these products are overtly visible, being under the counter and locked away. Merban relies on word-of-mouth recommendations for his business. On display are a series of nostrums, elixirs, powders, and potions that are very cheap, but have no effect except that they invoke the medicinal blessing of the obscure Chalana Arroy spirit subcult of “Placebo”, which helps people recover, by making them believe they should (+10% on recovery rolls). Jemdora's Scribal and Artistic Supplies ***. This shop sells inks, paints, glues, brushes, quills, clay pallets, as well as paper, parchment and canvases. It also sells dyes. Most of these items, especially the pigments, are made by Fezrek or his apprentices. Jemdora (F33Pavic) is a decent business woman from Old Town who knows nothing about the Lanbril activities in the building. Recently widowed by disease she has taken up a partnership with Fezrek so she can raise her children. Fezrek knows she is of good character and well respected, so he makes an effort to cultivate her good opinion as it reinforces his own reputation as a reputable person. Jemdora’s children include Garlanda (F10Pavic), Anemone (F8Pavic), Sorlanth (M6Pavic), and Leikala (F4Pavic). Jemdora presently allows her husband’s sister Klistha the Careful (F36) to lodge with her. Unbeknownst to Jemdora, Klistha is actually working surreptitiously as a street-walking proto-Ulerian prostitute to earn money. Jemdora would be mortified to discover this.

Clack clack?

Hundreds of miles on a loose cushion on a motorbike saddle? If that were the case, everyone who ever rode a horse would use a cushion instead of getting monstrously saddle sore. I have strong doubts.

I cast Magic Missile...

I would point out that there must also be criminal underworld alchemists who aren't attached to Lhankor Mhy who deal in Lanbril products, with a few other alchemical products on the shelves perhaps for cover, or perhaps the entire alchemical side of the business is hidden.

Assuming you had a cast iron @ss.

The other gods came back in their previous forms. Yelm is back, looking much as he did during God Time, even if he isn't stuck on the Spike any more. This whole Rashoran-as-Nysalor thing is highly dubious for a deity. Then we find out that Nysalor has a Chaos Rune. Just because he can hide his chaos taint, doesn't mean he isn't a chaos deity, it just means he's a chaos deity with fresh dirty tricks.

Some effigies last longer than others. Bronze effigies tend to be venerated for centuries, for example. One could continue to venerate a straw dog, but after the appropriate holiday, it is a bit like a wilting Xmas tree. The Sage holds no attachment to people or alliances, and discards the relationship when the purpose of their coming together has been achieved. (Some might see this as betrayal however; see Arkat).

AFAIK during this period, automobiles are generally more expensive than houses.

In a generational game, Bloodline is a good enchantment condition. Keep the magic items in the family.

But Beast rune units require fuel to operate... Unless this alteration has been Death Rune approved by the Council of Stasis, we need to rescind this amendment and re-designate the design for Plant Rune removal and concentration as before. Its purpose is Plant rune removal; that it it's work. It is important work too, as Plant Runes proliferate out of control in the World Machine. When it cannot perform its work, (due to having its design altered by someone sealing shut its fuel intake in this case), it will obtain the Death rune and the raw materials of the Beast unit can be repurposed as fuel for other units or as components for use in manufacture. We require the appropriate clearances before we employ this Beast rune Unit's raw resources in that fashion.

I think that Nysalor as a "created god" developed an energy debt that had to be paid, and that every light creates a shadow. Arkat was Nysalor's destined nemesis, and if you look at how Arkat behaves, he is also the personification of the perfect argument against what Nysalor taught; an argument against Nysalor's concept of illumination so powerful and conclusive that even Nysalor has to admit that his philosophy is flawed and too open to abuse, and as such his entire incarnation has been wasted. In a sense Arkat's life refutes Nysalor's philosophy, using what we know of Gloranthan mysticism. Needless to say, that Nysalor as a deity (with a chaos rune) created after time was dangerous to the Compromise. It is also important to note that Arkat invents or discovers Hero Questing in this time, which is something that nobody foresaw. In many ways, Hero Questing is more important, long term, to the history of Glorantha than illumination. I think this is what makes Arkat more than Nysalor's mere nemesis, and turns him into the "main character" and the greater mystic of the two, despite his penchant for abandoning spent allies... "The sage is impartial. He treats people as straw dogs." - Lao Tze (the straw dogs are venerated for a day and then cast aside as waste btw).

While presently I think the rules disallow characters to get magic later, it is an obvious progression in a longer campaign. We are all going to house rule this I'm sure, and I suspect that when the first companion to RoL comes out, there will be rules for this in it. That's my 2 cents.

Maybe he's born with it (caste) maybe it's Maybeline (gained from Hero Questing). (sorry)😬

The answer to this question is as likely to be no as yes. It might appear as magic to some, but it is the product of a lore skill, ingredients, and manual preparation, and so while the effect of alchemy might seem magical, there is no reason to presume that it is (or isn't). In the present RQG manifestation where alchemy relates to poisons, cures, and healing, it seems more medical than anything else, but alchemy potentially is not necessarily so limited in its scope. If we look at RQ2 Battle Magic potions, they would seem to be actually magical imo, but are they even in the game anymore? Let's quote Arthur C. Clarke and say alchemy looks like magic, but probably isn't most of the time.

I'm not sure how many Uroxi really even understand the niceties of consent half the time.

I don't think Iffinbix is a Mostali deity, but never say never; it is a remote possibility. He's some sort of Earth sorcery "deity" associated with the City Sorcerers of Old Pavis. I have been collecting snippets of lost and hidden Iffinbix lore for a while now.

Alchemy and Herbalism within Glorantha have long been more-or-less untouched. Greg was never particularly happy with the Alchemy rules in RQ1 and 2, and didn't see them as being particularly Gloranthan, but grudgingly conceded that Alchemy probably had a place. I don't think Greg was as negative about herbalism. Some cults have a lot to do with alchemy. Chalana Arroy and Lhankor Mhy are good examples of cults that teach Alchemy as a cult secret, but Lanbril the thief god also makes use of alchemy for sneeze powder and other concoctions useful in larceny. We may ask whether Mostal is really a cult, but certainly the Quicksilver Dwarves have potion enhancing magic, and are often regarded as the greatest alchemists. The Malkioni have the Ezokites, primarily in Leplain, Seshnela. The Kralori have the Thalurzni and the Goldern Elixir Monks. The folk of Fonrit also have alchemists who specialize in perfumes apparently. There are lots of write-ups relating to herbs and plant life found in Prax and other regions. For this reason I wouldn't be surprised if the Pavic Rubble cult of Iffinbix once had alchemists, given their reliance on a poison with the agipith root as an antidote to protect their temples in the Rubble. Iffinbix smacks of alchemy, likely based on herbalism to me, but was mainly sorcerous. Using sorcery to amp up the effects of herbal concentrates and poisons could be very powerful. Personally I have no problem with Alchemy, and see it as a logical outgrowth of the World Machine and God Learnerism. I am surprised that Zzaburi aren't all running about with INT and MP enhancing potions and the entire engagement with the study of Alchemy seems to be localized in Leplain. To my mind, it surprises me that alchemical studies aren't more widespread in the Genertelan West. Historically on Earth, Alchemy was intimately involved in medicines, poisons, metallurgy, recreational and religious drugs, the creation of dyes and mordants, perfumes, Greek fire, corrosives (acids and bases), phosphorus matches, gunpowder, surfactants like caustic soda that make soap, concrete, and likely a few other things I haven't listed. RQ2 used to allow for potions that could hold Battle Magic (aka Spirit Magic) spells, but that is apparently no longer the case. I would imagine if alchemy can hold spirit magic, it can hold sorcery. I seriously think that these systems need more attention, and have taken a few tentative steps in that direction myself, having put together collections of herbs and some notes on potential alchemical rules for "matters alchemical" not included in RQG.

I seem to recall reading about Arkat essentially turning into a chaos monster while fighting in Dorastor. In typical fashion, Arkat likely betrayed the Trolls to gain new allies among the chaos folk to complete his quest to destroy Nysalor. I would put this down to Arkat having joined a cult like Krjalk which I believe allows monstrous transformation. The point is, it would be a temporary effect a bit like the Lunar Chaos Gift spell. Akrat would have carried a chaos taint were it not for his illumination. We know that after the duel in the Tower of Wonders, Arkat departs for Ralios as a normal looking man, you see.

It's a good thing most Catholics have thick skins on these issues huh?

Hmm... I wonder... Tetrahedral temples...?

There are relatively few Bronze Age medical texts. One of the few sources is Ancient Egypt, and they don't describe the digestive system despite their work on anatomy afaik. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine (which is iron age but a very early surviving medical treatise) describes the Digestive system as working like a fuel burning stove. This clearly can't work with Glorantha, as Fire is associated with Intellect, not Constitution which is Earth or devouring which is Darkness.