Darius West

17 hours ago, smiorgan said:

You have seen the posts on the social media. I think Chaosium (and Paizo) are announcing Pathfinder Glorantha on Monday. 

After the OGL controversy Paizo and Chaosium have become closer and the move makes sense commercially. Of course I might be completely mistaken.

Would you play Pathfinder 2 in Glorantha? Are you excited or worried?

Personally, I am ambivalent. With RQG I already have my Glorantha system of choice. I love RQ and BRP. Yet, it's some time I am curious about Pathfinder 2. I like tactical combat in the vein of D&D4 and I am always curious of trying new systems.

That said I am probably not going to buy a Pathfinder version of the Dragon Pass setting of RQG. But if they decided to develop another area of Glorantha... That would be super interesting. Ralios for Pathfinder would be very hard to resist.

 Looking forward to be proven completely wrong in 2 days...

While this might appeal to an audience who are system snobs who only play D&D and its variants, it has zero appeal to me.

Please don't misunderstand me.  If I am going to play D&D I personally prefer Paizo's Pathfinder as it allows for more depth in characters than D&D5, not that I don't see certain advantages in how 5th Ed trimmed a lot of "exploit fat" (then added it back on in other areas).

Personally, it concerns me that RQ and Glorantha don't run to a Character Class System at all.  Magic is intrinsic to all characters in Glorantha, and no version of D&D seems able to adequately address that.  I can see how percentile skills could rudely translate to levels, but Character Class Systems don't work with the setting.

I mean, EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in RQ is basically a cleric, because they have initiated into a Cult at some level.  Then at 10th level they become paladins (rune lords)?  Should Gloranthan Cults become classes in their own right?  

Then you have the issue of thieves.  In RQ there are a couple of thief deities, but thieves simply aren't as prevalent as in D&D.

I am genuinely curious to understand how these issues are being addressed/resolved in the forthcoming publication.

So what about the River anomalies which break with the structure you have discussed here Joerg? Such as...

Praxian Serpents, that seemingly appear and vanish overnight, having no obvious headwater?

Or rivers that flow the wrong way?

Aren't some rivers birthed from Mostali settlements outflow pipes?  What does that mean mythologically?

3 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

Standard Gloranthan hypocrisy: “I am blameless, you are transgressive, but they … they are chaotic.”

Are you some sort of Ogre apologist then? 😂

On 2/21/2023 at 3:09 PM, jackleg2010 said:

What creature are they fighting?

If you can't identify the critter, it is probably some sort of broo.

12 hours ago, metcalph said:

Yes.  There's a Leika "the mayor" mentioned under Argrath's Companions in King of Sartar p146.  

A leika story...

12 hours ago, Agentorange said:

Following on from the Dragon skin thread, I was left wondering whereabouts in Glorantha could you get Crispy Duck in pancake rolls. originally I figured the  decadent Lunar empire. But then I thought maybe some of the more violent orlanthi might eat a meal as a gesture of contempt.....

I think Crispy Duck in Pancake rolls is a dish first eaten among the Maranaba folk of Tarsh to fatten their womenfolk up, that is now only popular among the Grazelanders.  Eating sentient folk is a chaotic act, regardless of how much contempt you hold ducks in.

4 hours ago, davecake said:

You must be one of those Rokari, who only likes the Sharp Abiding Book that you there is one way to do things. In the true Abiding Book, Malkion only recommends fish, he does not mandate it, and he blesses the relish, that are foods might contain a variety of flavors and bring us joy. 
(both actually in the Abiding Book according to RM, and that’s actually the second way I’ve found to work Malkion blessing the relish into the Malkioni world view, as I think it is also a refutation of those who would practice asceticism in the name of Logic). 
Though Logic dictates hygiene and rejection of foods that are known to be inimical, or imbalance in consumption, I do not think it rejects choice and flavor. (The Furlandan school is a big influence on Loskalmi culture, and though ostensibly about defending against demons, has a great deal of practical advice about hygiene. I think of Loskalm physical culture as quite Scandinavian, mixed with Plato’s Republic of course, a fondness for indoor gymnasiums with saunas). 

What are you talking about "I must be one of those Rokari"?  Of course I'm a Rokari!  To suggest elsewise means you must be one of those damned heretics.  If Malkion suggests something, one should take it as writ, unless in one's hubris one is fool enough to believe one knows better than the Prophet.

As to those Loskalmi, those  caste hoppers are obvious fools.  How much better will you become if you focus on one trade rather than scattering your efforts about four?  It's a matter of simple practicality.  It's an open secret that Hrestol joined the Vadeli in any case, so how much worse than Vadeli must the Loskalmi be?

I think birthday celebrations are a "thing" in Lunar and Orlanthi cultures.  They will be celebrated with pleasant food and drink and perhaps some small gifts.  The celebrations will be oriented to family and friends, and more important for people of higher status who have more family and friends.  

I don't think they celebrate by singing Happy Birthday to You, but likely have a couple of birthday sing-along songs.  Songs with names like:

"Your runes have come around again"

"Pour the Ale and Roast a Goose."

"How many cycles have you lived?"

"Open the honey pot." 

"The Moon looked down and counted."

On 8/12/2022 at 1:43 PM, g33k said:

Note that I *DID* also suggest there should be a "rabble" category, below even "Fodder."

Perhaps we can come up with a list of increasingly politically incorrect term for the ranks below rabble? 😆

'But if a clamorous vile plebeian rose,
Him with reproof he checked, or tamed with blows.
"Be still, thou slave, and to thy betters yield;
Unknown alike in council and in field:
Ye gods, what dastards would our host command,
Swept to the war, the lumber of a land?
Be silent, wretch, and think not here allowed
That worst of tyrants, an usurping crowd;
To one sole monarch Jove commits the sway;
His are the laws, and him let all obey."'

-Homer, The Iliad 

11 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

So there is something like cult of ancestor expected

so there is someone who has to "reenact something"

so there is someone to rebind the spirit 😛

That sounds like a lot of pointless make-work to me.  Why not just keep the damned thing bottled for use?  This is why I like the Godlearners... Practicality.

Are there any fan submitted scenarios from Japan that have been translated into English?  It could be quite eye-opening to appraise how Japanese players like to run their games.

On 2/17/2023 at 9:30 PM, French Desperate WindChild said:

In my opinion we should answer other questions before :

why does someone bind for ever an entity ?

That is easy to answer...  Lineage.  You can pass the entity on to one's descendants or one's favored students like any other form of property.  It is just like slavery, only potentially eternal, like the poor genie in Aladdin and the Lamp.

Of course the entity might also be bound eternally because it has been very very naughty.

On 2/14/2023 at 8:08 PM, davecake said:

But this the correct type of reasoning, instead of this absurd stuff about very tiny little animals and such. Personally I believe that the process of digestion may certainly in some ways have a function similar to a sacrificial fire. Not associated with Intellect, of course - but perhaps in the nature of Heat without Light (no one would associate Lodril with Intellect).

Those little tiny beast runes in your gut carry all that useful runic material from other plants and creatures that you eat to where it can do the most good in your body.  It says so right there in the Abiding Book.  Why else do you think there is that whole Book of Legalisticus that has all those dietary restrictions if not to keep ones digestive process pure and logical, without contradiction, or hinderance, and properly regular and regulated?  As to the prohibition of mixed fibre clothing, that was purely due to Talar having a wool monopoly back in the day, but don't tell anyone.

4 hours ago, EricW said:

You could go all Cthulhu on it, and have the dream dragon pursuing players to get its skin back. Maybe over time the dragonewt gratitude could turn to hostility. You don’t need to explain why, what human understands draconian right action?

Dream Dragons are the subconscious wickedness of True Dragons that have taken on a life of their own like a Tulpa.  The True Dragon is likely going to be ashamed of their wayward dream, but the creature itself is likely gone after it dies.  

If you want to get properly C'thulhu about it... Perhaps preserving the skin will cause the critter to start regenerating... Mwahaha!

12 hours ago, Cloud64 said:

 

•     What will soften dream dragon skin?
•     How exactly does one work the skin or scales?

My thoughts are that the method will likely need 

•     Hard to obtain material(s)
•     Some specialised magic – possibly some alchemic sorcery provided by a Lhankor Mhy sage
•     Some tricky technique that may be hard to master

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).

3 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

But I assume poison isn't magical nor is acid? Dragon breath acid or poison gas, etc. is similar to snake venom whereas a shimmer or blade sharp potion would have some magical component would it not or are we just saying everything in Glorantha is somewhat magical and that for this instance alchemy is what is needed to get said herbs, minerals components etc. to transform or spark said ingredient's intrinsic magic?

The quest to gain such materials can easily outweigh the reward. I clearly recall having to fight a herd of winged monsters on a lonely peak above an elevation where only magical plants would grow to get materials for a certain battle magic potion.  

Seems like in most instances you are better off learning the same spell or getting it made into a matrix?

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.

11 hours ago, Cloud64 said:

Want to do 100s of miles on a motorbike, then you'll want decent cushioning. There's a solid market for after-market motorbike seats with extra padding to this day. Trust me, as someone who's done plenty of bike miles, often 5 days a week 10+hrs a day in my dispatchy days, or when touring, a little bit of extra padding is worth its weight in gold. 

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.

24 minutes ago, Shiningbrow said:

"...for a price."

How's 2 clacks sound?? 🙃

Clack clack?

52 minutes ago, EricW said:

Or a cushion 🙂

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.

On 2/17/2023 at 1:08 PM, EricW said:

you could travel hundreds of miles on one. 

Assuming you had a cast iron @ss.

9 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

Although Nysalor-as-Rashoran might say that a bunch of other gods got killed in Godtime and came back at the Dawn — he was just a little late to the resurrection party, so exceptional means were necessary.

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.

3 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

But it would be crazy to continue to venerate straw effigies after the ritual, of course.

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.

3 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

What does it all mean? I have no idea.

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).