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Darius West

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Everything posted by Darius West

  1. As if the Lunars or the Tarsh Exiles would do anything differently? This is what happens when you give power to illuminates. This is how they behave.
  2. No argument. Characters who don't properly Loyalty (Clan)/Brown-nose (Chieftain) deserve what they get.
  3. I strongly recommend that your character hire themselves a properly accredited Lhankor Mhy lawspeaker next time these issues arise. There are in fact precedents in Orlanthi Tax Law that go back all the way to the Marks on Bark. If you are dealing with sufficiently large sums, it may well be worth the coin to hire a Tax Professional with enough Customary Practice to find you the loopholes you need. Of course there are some unsavory operators in this field, as Thanatari have often turned to the worship of the Severed God specifically to gain the legal expertise they need to avoid excessive taxation and get a head in the world.
  4. On page 232 of the RQG there is an image of Argrath accepting Vasana's oath which he posted on r/roastme, so here goes. You can clearly see that Argrath has a very big nose, the true majesty of which modern artists struggle to depict, or do not know about. Argrath's mighty nose marks him out as a scion of the Royal House of Sartar, and an Orlanthi holy man, as he can draw upon more of the power of the Air than other men, for is it not writ in the holy of holies "blessed are the big noses"? It is a magnificent monster of a nose ! Bestial ! Heraldic in its ugliness ! His gigantic nose hangs minotaury over all proceedings he oversees like an inverted question mark, and augurs other bull sized parts the White Bull may possess. There is not a woman alive who doesn't quiver at the thought of gazing, nay falling into, the terrible abyss of those cavernous nostrils, for it is a symbol at once both phallic and vaginal, such is it's power. You wonder how he drank the Giant's Cauldron? Now you know it wasn't with his mouth alone ! This feature makes Argrath a lord among men for they dare not, nay cannot, meet his gaze. Onlookers fall silent, as they dare not stare at it, and yet they cannot quite look away. Argrath's prodigious proboscis points ever towards destiny, and where the nose goes, all eyes must follow, for such is its' power and charisma. Kallyr Starbrow had many fine and heroic gifts, but she was a failure. Had she but been born with a nose like unto that of Prince Argrath's, history might have been written differently. Crowds stand transfixed by the power of it as Argrath orates. People forget his speeches, but they never forget his nose. This is a nose that points to revolution, to conquest, to victory, and ever sniffs out the weak and rotten heart of the Lunar Empire. It is a nose that will rip down the Moon ! By this nose he rules ! You wondered why so little of Argrath's own words were ever recorded? Well now you know the reason. His scribes were distracted and muffed up their shorthand.
  5. I suspect that the passenger is limited by their ride skill. They won't control direction, but they can scythe their dagger ax at enemy heads as they pass by. Considering the implacable speed of High Llamas and the +10 to hit location leading to 60% of their hits being head hits, you will inevitably begin to make a series of increasingly rude and politically incorrect jokes about the outcome.
  6. I know I did, but I couldn't remember what the forum topic was called. 🥺
  7. There is no Kuschile High Llama Archer skill.
  8. Doesn't Prax have its own equivalent of the God Wall devoted to its many spirits ? Wasn't there a forum topic discussing it?
  9. Thunderbolt might be tied to having the primary air rune? Or maybe thunder alone is? IN either case, it seems odd that air elementals don't have a thunder power if that is the case.
  10. No. These are powers wrested from other pantheons in battle. Heler and Mastakos are both water pantheon deities who were incorporated into the Orlanth pantheon after Orlanth raided into the water realms. Lightning Boy was originally from the light pantheon. I don't know where thunderbolt comes from, as it seems to be a power innate to Orlanthi storm voices. One might argue therefore that Thunderbolt is an inherent power of Orlanth, but not air gods in general.
  11. Gonn Orta is large enough to rip the wings off the Crimson Bat.
  12. Humakt is an illuminated deity, having (I think I recall) met Rashoran in the God Time, possibly in the company of Chalana Arroy. This is why Ralzakark as a force of Humakti broos under his control. Yelm partakes of illumination via his connection to Dayzatar, and of course via Yelm's connection to Nysalor. I don't know why Ourania is on this list as I haven't read her myths. Does anyone else know?
  13. Lost Songs Sometimes on the evenings when the air is still in Prax, one will hear strange archaic lilting melodies and songs coming from far away. These musical refrains will be sung in unknown or forgotten languages, often playing instruments that are no longer made by men, and in refrains of such ephemeral beauty that they tantalize and frustrate the listener. Praxians know that these songs are dangerous and bring only madness, for they encourage the curious and unwary to wander into the night in search of things that are not there. Lost Songs are echoes of the lost ages of Prax, but they have become more prevalent since the rebirth of the Red Moon, just as they became more frequent in the times when Pavis settled his city. These beguiling echoes of a lost and better time echo down the ages to lead the tribes of Waha astray, and turn them in longing to recreate a past which must not return (for everyone’s safety). While the songs cannot be caught by chasing, there are various ways in which cunning people have worked out ways to lure in the songs and learn from them. Were someone ever to actually capture a song, they are likely to begin a Hero Quest in the Praxian Spirit World without being prepared, which means they are likely to never be seen again. Characteristics Average Pow 3d6 10-11 Int 2d6+6 13 Cha 4d6 14 Move: Equal to Cha Magic Points: 3-18 Skills: Play Instrument 200%, Sing 200%, Speak (Aldryami, Spirit Speech, Earth Speech, Seatongue, Firespeech, or Stormspeech) 200%, Lore (Choose one) 200%. Magic: Glamour, Fanaticism, Spirit Screen 5. Runes: Harmony 200%. Special Ability: Beguile. Those who hear the refrain of a Lost Song may become beguiled into following it. The power of the Beguiling requires a test of resistance against the Charisma of the Lost Song. If anyone has the skill of Praxian Customs and they successfully roll their Praxian Customs, the highest skill will be treated as a bonus to resistance against the Beguiling, as the Praxian will caution them against listening too closely to the mad songs on the still air, for they call you to your death (it is known). Thus a person with a 10 Pow resisting a Cha 18 Lost song would normally have a mere 10% chance of resisting, but if they were in the company of a Praxian with Praxian Custom of 65% who made their roll, they would now have a 75% chance of resisting. Luring In the Song. While it is impossible to get closer to the source of the song by physically following it, wiser souls have figured out better methods. This requires a successful Listen roll to catch enough of the music to copy it, followed by a successful sing or play (instrument) roll to accompany the music. If this is done, the music will follow the musician and become more audible to all concerned, but they will no longer be inclined to follow it, as it will be present in the camp. It is also possible to turn the wind and bring in the song using Wind Words to twist the air and amplify the refrain. If anyone knows the language of the song, they will be able to gain a 1d10 increase in that language (as it is being spoken in a very pure and beautiful form), and a further 1d10 increase in a single Lore skill (including Spirit Lore), as this is the focus of the song. It is also distinctly possible that when the song is lured in that a Shaman may seek to defeat it in Spirit Combat and bind it. Capturing the Lost Song. It is madness to think that a person can chase a song into the night and somehow run it to ground. Nonetheless, where mere mortals might fail, there are heroic individuals who are made of sterner stuff who may find a way. The skill Spirit Travel is certainly a contender for how this might be achieved. Another possibility would be to use one’s illumination to do this apparently impossible deed. In short, this is the start of a Hero Quest path, should the GM wish to develop it as one. If not, the characters chasing the song will inevitably be lured into danger, quite possibly of the Chaotic type.
  14. Salini Salini are tiny people, seldom more than 1/3 of an inch high, made out agglomerations of man rune and of pink salt found around salt licks. Left to their own devices, Salini will build little salt villages for themselves, and will live their little lives. They are remnants of broken lives from the Gods’ War who now take this form. Salini are much loved by Praxian children who will keep them as pets and play with them. This is not often a kind fate, and most Salini maltreated in this way crumble and are put into a salt pile. Shamans will sometimes procure Salini for help with sterilizing and stitching wounds. Some Salini are quite expert at healing creatures, and on occasion are masters or above in their various skills. Salini cannot speak, and must communicate via sign language, even with each other, represented by the skill Charades. Salini build elaborate structures out of salt at their salt lick, fashioned after the architectural style of the land of Prax before time began, but these tiny civilizations often go unnoticed, trampled underfoot by the beasts of Prax eager to consume salt. Such events mirror the terror and tragedy of their civilization in ages past, as playthings of larger powers, and the Salini are doomed to repeat these terrible events like the tiny broken spirits that they are. Those who have watched them closely have noticed that while their tiny mouths perform the motions, the Salini cannot, in fact, scream in horror and frustration as their world is destroyed again and again. Characteristics Average Str 1d6-5 0 Con 1d3 2 Siz 1d6-5 0 Dex 3d6 10-11 Int 1d4+6 8-9 Pow 1d6+1 4-5 Cha 2d4 4-5 Hit Points: 1 Damage Bonus: -1d4 Move: 1/2 Magic Points: 4-5 Skills: Boating 35%, Charades 50%, Climb 50%, Craft (Salt) 75%, Customs (Green Age) 40%, Dodge (Dex x5%), First Aid 50%, Green Age Lore 35%, Hide 65%, Jump 35%, Move Quietly 90%, Treat Disease 50%, Treat Poison 25%. Magic: Healing 1, Repair 1. Special Ability: Solid Form. If the Salini is destroyed, it gives up its body and returns to the salt and forms a new body over the course of seven days.
  15. Taxes and the dodging thereof is an old established rule. The argument about what constitutes income is one thrashed out yearly by Tax lawyers and every government on the planet to this day. For every definition there is a disqualification of that definition, or an alternative interpretation of the listed terms, or a logical contradiction, or a breach of precedent, and arguments can come down to the implications of a semi colon in a written act. There is no reason to suppose that Glorantha is any different. One good thing however, if you liberate an 18,000L magical treasure from a ruin; that isn't income unless you sell it.
  16. Will Oz hardcovers be available before Xmas? Asking for a friend.
  17. I think the memories are contained in the Imperial Regalia somewhere. Likely the crown.
  18. The part of Egypt that matters isn't the desert.
  19. The thing is, most people don't start out their lives as bandits. Rarely will there be a bandit community where a child is raised to be a bandit. Bandits are people of martial skill who are forced out by their communities and who make a desperate living by preying on wayfarers. Pretty much universally they will never start as Gagarthi as there is no place in decent society for Bandit cult initiates. What will happen is that their membership in their original cults will lapse, due to excommunication or non attendance of rituals etc. They will eventually fall into the company of Gagarthi bandits and they will eventually choose to initiate as Gagarthi. All bandits are fringe dwellers who hover at the edges of larger human communities and carry off scraps. Prax and the wastes are especially hard on bandits as even bandits need water, and water is a highly contested resource. Given that water is so scarce, Gagarthi in Prax subsist almost entirely from milk as their fluid, substituting urine when they must. Watering their beasts is a constant struggle for them, especially as they are often forced to hide in very arid and uninhabitable areas. Gagarthi will almost always steal your water skins unless they have somehow overcome the limitations of their lack of a reliable water supply. In all likelihood there is only 1 actual Gagarthi settlement at a hidden well somewhere in the Wastes, and this is where the High Priest will live. Raider bands will come and go from this place, always at pains to keep it hidden. Whirlvishes will cover their tracks as they approach and leave.
  20. No, Argrath sacrifices some ducks to Delecti and gets the Necromancer on side as a mercenary, before marching a chain of zombies North West against the Lunars. Play the boardgame and you will understand.
  21. I get a more Egyptian/Cretan vibe tbh.
  22. The Myth of Drinking the Giant's Cauldron also features in Norse Mythology. Thor attempts to do it and fails, because the Cauldron contains the entire ocean, though Thor doesn't know it, because magic... You don't have to complete the test to win. The giants are impressed at your efforts regardless.
  23. Well the City of Wonders has been part of Glorantha since the RuneQuest II Companion gave us a map of the Holy Country. Each of the Holy Country's provinces is tied to an elemental rune, which is why it is called the Holy Country, and thus the City of Wonders can be seen as an analogy for the Spike. The irony then being that Jar-Eel acts as Orlanth killing Yelm, while Harrek acts as Wakboth destroying the Spike. It is quite likely that the magic roads are actual magic supplies to power the City of Wonders and all its magics. Remember also that the Feldichi don't hold a candle to the Godlearners in terms of technomancy, and the Godlearners once owned a decent portion of the Holy Country. The Holy Country of course also includes the sorcery of the God Forgot Islands. On the whole, the City of Wonders is sort of like what Pavis was supposed to become. It should be an amazing place where the markets are open day and night, and the people live in an art-adorned environment and enjoy a near-modern level of amenity provided by co-operating magics, but mainly from sorcery bent to civil projects. As to who Belintar is. I don't claim to know his origins, but I do know that he is a body hopping evil sorcerer much like Ephraim Waite from H.P. Lovecraft's "The Thing at the Doorstep". That is the fate that awaits the winners of the Tournament of Luck and Death.
  24. As a rule, most pack animals, if properly and evenly loaded can travel all day at a walk if they are carrying a weight equal to half their own. Camels and Mules can carry 55% of their weight this way. A draft animal can pull 8 times its own weight all day in a cart on a level surface. On the other hand, if you want to ride hard all day, you need a big animal and to travel light. Ian Absentia's 15-20% guideline is sound. In Prax, that extra weight had better include water skins, or a support beast in tow with water skins.
  25. Even a permanent Farsee 1 isn't worth the geas.
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