Darius West

8 hours ago, svensson said:

So, why would a Healer need that skill? Splinting a bone is pretty simple stuff and is easily covered in First Aid. The availability of reliable magic to knit flesh and bone pretty much does away with most of the Bronze Ancients and Medieval period's more advanced tools [traction rigs for beds, screw clamps, etc.]

Okay, I don't know why Devise is a healer skill.  Could it be because they like freeing animals from traps?  Could it be that they sometimes need to rescue people from traps too?  Or perhaps it is to keep their medical supplies locked (or open someone else's?).  Perhaps it is so they can make and assemble alchemical equipment?  I wouldn't be surprised if this +10% Devise was a typo.

9 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

They are illuminated...? A Lhankor Mhy wants it to study and to question/interrogate so a larger strike against chaos may be had against the Print? Maybe the want to milk its poison to develop antidotes?

Yes, that sort of thing... Exactly.  Your classic scholar dabbling in the Cthulhu mythos for "the good of everyone" because "I, as a scholar, with purely altruistic aims, can be trusted".

On 9/18/2022 at 5:35 AM, Erol of Backford said:

We are looking at a Storm Khan of St. Urox sending the PC's into the Jab Hills to subdue a scorpionman for several purposes.

I must say that I don't think this is a plausible plot for a number of reasons.  Stormbulls have a zero tolerance for chaos.  Even using a possessed scorpionman as a spy is not allowed, ignoring the fact that spirits of law don't possess chaos monsters, but destroy them.

It would be plausible for a far less chaos hating cult to try something like this, but not Stormbulls.  I suggest a Lhankor Mhy sorcerer or a shaman.  Apparently merchants sometimes pay for scorpionmen as guards.  I assume they are Etyries merchants.  That would seem like an obvious point to intercept a scorpionman.

Good questions.  My take is as follows:

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

So would he know you helped save his baby if the PC's went to his castle after the Cradle affair but didn't mention it?

Gonn's a giant, not an all-knowing demigod.  Yes, you'd need to tell him, but saying that the Cradle made it down the river unmolested would be a great start.  It is very likely that he knows about the success of the cradle within the year, and his "agents" will likely report on who helped, but that is no guarantee that a roll-call of heroes is taken and presented to Gonn, or that he remembers every name on the list. Notable fighters may stand out. If memory serves me, Argrath performed the Drinking the Giant's Cauldron hero quest with Gonn Orta before discovering Gonn's baby problem, then he went to the Zola Fel cult, and pointed out their obligation, and then roused a defense for the cradle.  This is what gives Argrath the power to employ giants during the Hero Wars.

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

How much would PC's be paid by Boshbisil to help train the trollkin?

 The training rules and prices are on page 416-417.  There may actually be a mark-up because trollkin are not good students, and there are formal obligations between a teacher and student, that will be embarrassing to the teacher if it gets out they trained trollkin, even for a ton of silver.

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

What would the PC's really be paid in coin or trade goods for a piece of truestone empty or with spells?

Gonn Orta prefers to trade magic items for magic items afaik.  Odds on Gonn will always prefer to trade bulky trade goods over those fiddly little coins.  Each gold wheel is like a tiny speck to him.

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Would Gonn Orta trade with Gondo Holst?

I play it that Gonn doesn't know that Gondo is an Ogre, and that Gondo is an illuminate who cannot be detected as chaotic, otherwise every lhankor mhy with a detect chaos spell or stormbull initiate would just blow his cover.  As it stands, the chaos creatures in his wagons are impossible to hide from such spells, but he can claim they are being sold to the Lunars for some upcoming gladiatorial spectacle.  Let's face facts, it's hard to hide one's true identity in Glorantha.

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Will Gonn Orta pay for information?

Gonn is more likely to trade for information, or provide it gratis to people who have cultivated his friendship.  Yes, he might sell information that only he knows for a god price, but that price is probably a magical item, not money.

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

What would he pay for a baby flying mount, a hippogriff or a griffin?

He will pay the going market rate.  Gonn is a canny merchant who has "agents abroad in the world", (or friends if you prefer) like Joh Mith.  He knows the worth of things, and likely enjoys discussing prices and international news via mindspeech with vistors.

9 hours ago, Beoferret said:

Even if it turns out to be bad, I'll buy any RQ CRPG that comes out. What'd be especially fun (to my mind at least) would be Total War: Glorantha! 

Total Hero Wars!

On 9/14/2022 at 7:08 PM, Agentorange said:

it's the fact that every time I have an idea  - somebody has already got there first 😃

Even if i arrived at it on my own I'd hate to think that somebody felt I'd poached their idea.

There are literally a billion or more stories you can tell in Glorantha.  If you want some easy ideas that haven't been covered, think about the potential for telling stories with Lunars as heroes/protagonists.  There are a pitiful number of scenarios that are even notably Lunar compatible, and plenty of room in Tarsh to fill in.

I really wish there was a Prax mod for either of the Mount & Blade games.  Hell, a Pendragon mod would be great too.  Sadly I am no coder or I'd d.i.m.  From what I can tell, the main issue would be getting the wire frames for all the different Prax beasts.

I recommend Tales of the Reaching Moon #18.  It covers the Lismelder Tribe, the Greydog Clan, and the Upland Marsh.

On 4/22/2022 at 8:24 PM, coffeemancer said:

I am writing a Yelmalio manifesto

Let me help... "Everything you have heard about Yelmalio is wrong!  We do not hunt heads!!  We do not use garottes!!!  We don't spit on silver!!!!" 😄

On 8/30/2022 at 9:48 PM, svensson said:

Has anyone wondered if Vinga Red Ladies ever become Storm Voices in Orlanth?

Queen Leika of the Colymar is her clan's Orlanth Rex [Regina?] priestess by dint of her election as queen, but I don't believe I've ever seen reference to a female Orlanth Thunderous priestess.

What do you guys think?

Page 282 of RQ:RiG features Vasana, who is only a Vinga Adventuress initiate joining the Storm Voice subcult.  Logically this extends the rune spells she has access to, but it also means she can potentially rise in both subcults of Orlanth.

On 9/10/2022 at 5:33 PM, David Scott said:

The Legacy of Pavis
von Ian Thomson und Freunde
Chaos Society; 2002
130 Seiten; OUT OF PRINT

It would be great if some of these "lost and ancient documents of Glorantha lore" could be rebooted into the Jonstown Compendium.  I hope that anyone who is in contact with Ian Thomson suggests it to him, and other people who have similar out of print things from way back too.

18 hours ago, Brian Duguid said:

This is true more broadly beyond Aldrya as the plant goddess, and of all those who domesticate plant life. I'm hopeful that the forthcoming Elfpack can shed some light on the relationship between the Aldryami and the Grain Goddesses, for example.

To clarify my position, I think that back in the Green and Golden Ages, Dryads were probably lovely toe everyone and freely provided fruit in reciprocal arrangement to the other peoples of the Lozenge.  I also think that changed with the Lesser and Greater Darkness.  I suspect that the Solar cults can call on their ancient friendship with Aldrya to obtain the benefits of her plants, but Malkioni, Praxians, and Orlanthi and others likely can't imo.  Needless to say I am very interested in Elfpack.  

On 9/11/2022 at 4:09 AM, Akhôrahil said:

The divine genealogy of the platypus would be far too convoluted.

Also, I don’t think Glorantha has penguins - they would have to be northern penguins, which seems off.

Nah, the legend explicitly mentions a great big duck meeting and falling in love with a beaver in ages past.

17 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

I like the idea.  Certainly dryads should have individuality, because they are the dominant NPCs of their Grove or their part of a forest.  There is plenty of room to expand on dryads just as there is room to expand on elves / Aldryami.  (Pending an Elfpack.)

So, following your lead: A redwood dryad would have an impressive SIZ and CON, and a very long term view?

A cypress dryad would have a water rune affinity, a high CON, and control animals like alligators, fish, frogs?  

A fig tree dryad, now?  Will dryads of  cultivated trees be friendlier to humans? 

Shall we postulate that all cultivated trees originally came from Aldryami, as some kind of gift or trade item?

Or perhaps a symbiosis, in which an orchard keeper prepares the Earth and takes the role that elves do in the wild woods, and  should perhaps contract with elves for the development of a fruit tree dryad?  Should orchard keepars try to join the cult of Aldrya?  This opens an avenue for human NPC development.

I would strongly suggest that Dryads are nymphs of pristine woodlands, all but living embodiments of Aldrya herself, and the idea that domesticated fruit trees would produce dryads is against the very wildness and freedom which is required for nymphae to exist.  I would go so far as to suggest that the reason some trees can be cultivated is because they have been subjugated by humans and had their connection to Aldrya severed.  It seems to follow that at some stage in the past, humans would have hero quested to conquer various fruit trees so they would give up their secrets and could be cultivated.

3 hours ago, David Scott said:

Camels exist, as a result of the Boggles

There are a few left on top of the Shadow Plateau.

Well I know what my next character is going to do.  Tame them and become the greatest merchant in Gloranthan history.

3 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

This implies the establishment of a raccoon spirit cult. 

Yes, and apparently the God Learners used to skin Grandfather Raccoon quite regularly on their hero quests.  On the other hand, as is often said, with a name like Grandfather Raccoon, he deserves what he gets.

13 hours ago, Agentorange said:

Are there real earth animals which will never be ported across ? 

Maybe should never be ported across ?

Camels apparently.  They are beasts so improbable that they were created by Eurmal and also don't exist.  IRL they are the best beast of burden the natural world ever produced.

1 hour ago, Shiningbrow said:

Or it's not a physical missile, and it's merely force... either that, or it just does, and doesn't need to be questioned!

Well, I think the spirit in question manipulates illusions, but less proficiently than Meldeks.

7 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

As uz society is dominated by women, (and women pack more than one individual) I think the opposite. 

how fool would be a troll to try to touch someone with 6 sisters priestess 2 shamans and one sorcery mistress and of course 56 husbands and sons from the pack ?

Troll society isn't dominated by women, it is dominated by female trolls.  There's a huge difference, and not just in SIZ stat.  

Remember that not every female in a troll clan is necessarily related to the upper hierarchy.  Many will be lesser females affected by the trollkin curse who can only birth trollkin, and thus has a pretty low status, as they are effectively a mother of many slaves.

While every clan will pull together in a time of crisis, some trolls inevitably are more disposable than others.

On the other hand, I think trolls hate Thed and Broos, and while their mating customs will be more brutal and stinky than human ones, just like everything that trolls do is more brutal and stinky than human customs, I don't think they are rapists either, it likely just seems that way to outsiders who fail to grasp the "nuances" of troll romance.  Males will likely need to display their strength to impress a female, and this may seem like force, but it actually just how trolls roll, and is part of the mating process.

On 9/2/2022 at 4:53 AM, mfbrandi said:

I thought “a big piece of his posterity” was a euphemism and that he’d gotten started on the utuma early, storing the severed bits in his pouch. (In my head: Julian and Sandy from Round the Horne.)

The Dragon Tooth Runners are an idea borrowed from the Quest for the Golden Fleece.  While we might call this some sort of draconic mystery, the fact is that only 1 dragonewt is sexually active and has genitals (and is an egg-layer we somehow call the Inhuman King), the rest are prepubescent on a spiritual level. 

Now consider the purpose of the Sacred Utuma ritual.  It is there to sever you from your past attachments so they can't have power over your past self.  Typically the ritual will be used to stop someone who chooses to wear the skin of a dragonewt, by destroying the skin's spiritual attachment to the living dragonewt.  Instead I would suspect that dragontooth runners are a secret known to the orlanthi subcults that specialize in the secrets of dragon hunting.  I don't think any personal severing is involved, as it would effectively remove the magic. 

To my mind, Multimissile bears a lot of similarity to illusion spells like a cut down version of Create Sensation or Illusory substance.  This makes a lot more sense to me than spirits having access to some sort of plane of existence where all the missing arrows go (I mean, what's next, a hero plane for missing socks where you can go to learn the final mystery of what happens to the damn things?). This would explain how and why the multimissiles appear, do damage, and disappear.

1 hour ago, Joerg said:

Godtime Prax was different from modern Prax, even different from the Sacred Place around the Paps, the most lush place in all of Prax (except for Orani's Mistake.

Yeah, Prax is a hellscape compared to what it was Before Time.  There are so many echoes and remnants of the Gods War lying about.  It is a magical post-holocaust environment and I love its internal consistency and lore.  You've offered a very detailed description of the history of Prax (even something of a synopsis of its monomyth) Joerg, thanks for that, it's great.

Which tribe are the Enjossi from again?

On 9/3/2022 at 5:40 PM, Darius West said:

 Do spirits have access to a room full of arrows on the Spirit Plane? 

21 hours ago, soltakss said:

Yes, that is exactly how I see it.

 Then they should at least lie around for the full 5 min of the spell's duration.  Potentially they should stay there indefinitely if they come from a room full of arrows.  I personally don't accept this take, as it creates more problems than it answers imo.  Then again, the spell is problematic in many ways.

18 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

I don't believe this for sabretooths or tigers either - the Sabretooth god is Sakkar and he's no friend of Yinkin's, and Tigers have the Hsa Hsunchen with their separate great spirit while Yinkin famously has no shadowcat hsunchen as he ditched his sprit part.

Okay, but are Sakkar and Hsa children of Basmol or Yinkin?  You only get one choice as they are the only children of Fralar the primal predator they can choose from.  I would suggest that Basmol comes from Pamaltela, so it must be Yinkin.  Neither tigers nor sabertooths have manes.