Yelm's Light

I keep thinking things and seeing them in print before I get the chance to post them... The KT was the first thing to come to mind when we got to banking. Frankly, I don't care what you call it, dealing with cultures as ancient as Gloranthan ones moneylending and -changing is enough for me. Really interesting stuff that has lots of import for defining societies in the game. As was also said previously, with what other RPG would you see at once such detailed and important analysis that helps to visualize the experience of the world? (Although, to be fair, I could see EPT/Tekumel following along similar lines.) Too many posts to like 'em all. Nice job, folkses.

Definitely looks more realistic than the first. I also like that it appears he's actually standing on the ground.

To Serve Mankind...

If its momentum is horizontally-directed, she could simply duck and possibly get a shot at the (soft?) underbelly. The attitude of the body looks more to me like the down side of a parabolic leap, though. In that case, I'd prefer a side- or backstep to a duck-and-roll, especially if our toothy friend could get solid purchase on the shield. (The rock lizard, that is. ) And I prefer the more classical-era sword to the guarded one.

I'm betting it'll be exactly the same as the Luise image on the RQ2 cover; the rock lizard laying all over the shield and chewing on it with a toothy "I'm going to eat you, little fishy" grin.

She's apparently a redhead...do I detect a Vingan?

The average of a D3 is actually 2.

And other non-blunt weapon types. But institutionally they're blunt-users. There's no prohibition against edged weapons in ZZ, but most everything is oriented toward blunt weapons. Reduced-cost weapon (and weapon-modifying battle magic) training is for blunt only; Bladesharp training costs double. Initiate and Rune-level requirements are for blunt, although one of the secondary requirements may be edged. And the only Rune spell that modifies weapon use is for, you guessed it, blunt.

Hence Heroquesting. Hmm how about ZZ? If I'm not mistaken, they're blunt weapon-based, and solely of Death Rune affinity. ETA: Haha! Figured out how to quote again...I have to use the multiquote, but at least it works.

I really don't get the logic of rune mastery. Rune magic is granted by the caster's god. Why should one need to make a skill roll in the first place? I very much prefer using runes as simply a form of classification for the powers of gods and their priests' spells.

Ian Cooper said: "Off topic: It's also easier to understand when you see it performed, particularly the comedies, when done well. It can also often be easier to understand the comedies with an all-male cast. There is a lot of cross-dressing humor in Shakespeare. " Eh, I've always been more into the tragedies, and I know I haven't seen nearly as many of his plays performed as I've read...(theoretically) every one of them. I find the histories mostly dry as hell and the comedies a bit fluffy for my taste. There's still a bit of fun in the tragedies (Hamlet and the gravedigger, Portia, etc.), but it seems like the more serious philosophical subjects are there too. Maybe I'm predisposed to it from all that early Greek reading...I didn't really get into the Bard until college.

To expound a bit on M Helsdon's point: The structure of English is still nearly identical; the differences between the Elizabethan and modern versions are mostly morphing spellings and expanded vocabulary...not just 'muggings' but wholly invented words necessitated by technological advancement. I'm no expert on Old (Middle?) English, but from my light reading in it the case seems to hold true. I don't see it as changed very much at all. Big Shakespeare fan here too, btw. Part of his genius is that he was able to write poetry for the ages in language that the groundlings could understand. It was aimed as much at them as at the pillowed-cushion crowd. Given certain specific vocabulary that's no longer in common usage (hence footnotes), it's really not that difficult to read once you get used to it. Granted, I have a certain facility with linguistics, but it's not the scary, inscrutable thing that many build it up to be.

I just had an image of English holding another language at gunpoint and intoning, "Your diphthongs or your life!"

That Luise image brings back so many memories...

I still seem to be unable to quote directly anymore, so I guess I'll just have to make reference to the original quotes another way... David Scott said: "That's also good, but it means finding an obscure White Dwarf." I never even considered that, thought it was part of the original pack...but then they tend to run together after 30 years. I do, however, have several WD scenarios hiding in boxes in the garage...have to dig them out.

I always loved the bar fight in Apple Lane...reminds me of my favorite brawling game of all time, Swashbuckler. Alas, it's also lost in time...Swashbuckler, not Apple Lane.

1) YGMV, but I run that the spell cost is deducted before figuring the resistance roll. The book says the resistance check is made 'at the time of casting,' which to me implies that the spell has been powered. This is where POW storage/yielding crystals come in handy. They allow spell casting without the chance of overcoming resistance being reduced. 2) Yes, temporal battle magic spells last ten melee rounds unless dispelled. Rune magic 'temporal' spells state the duration, generally (but not always) 15 minutes.

Since Pendragon is one of the few BRP games I haven't played, would you put the difference in a nutshell, please?

Two webbed feet up!

Same here as for Mankcam. Morocanth were one of my preferred 'bad guys' for that very reason. Big-time boogie men.

Doh! Sorry about that, I was mixing up morocanth with Jack-O-Bears, as g33k made clear. I no longer seem to be able to quote in Chrome; the link shows as .../#, which simply returns you to the top of the page.

I always took it as being a natural ability, like a dragon's breath or a troll's dark sight. That every one doesn't have it doesn't necessarily invalidate it. The concept of some Praxian shaman running around between tribes to teach the pumpkinheads a spell seems comical to me.

It's only mostly dead. Have fun storming the castle...

That's like saying a Protestant has to convert if he/she wants to attend Mass. I would think Eiritha would be slightly more inclusive of worshippers from associated cults. Of course, casting prohibited spells during services would be viewed as a breach and dealt with as such. You don't walk in and start splashing the holy water.

^ What David said. It's not like they're official lay members; all pay their respects (and sometimes some of their lucre), but they're generally under their own cult restrictions, not those of an associated cult.